It goes without saying, but no band in the history of music has had a greater influence on the musicians that followed them than The Beatles. Some artists proudly wear that influence on their sleeves. For others, the influence is reflected in subtle musical nuances.
I don’t think anyone would listen to the hits of Billy Joel and instantly leap to the conclusion that his music had a strong Beatles influence. But Joel himself would certainly claim otherwise. In fact, if you’ve seen him in concert, there’s a good chance his setlist included a Beatles cover or two. You’ll hear them on his Russian live album, Kohuept, as well as on Live at Shea Stadium in duet with Sir. Paul McCartney himself!
I always find it interesting to hear musicians describe how their influences shaped them into the artists that they’ve become, especially when I share a familiarity with those influences. Those are exactly the kind of stories Billy Joel is telling now on a series of new guest DJ sessions on The Beatles Channel on SiriusXM satellite radio. During these sessions, Joel sits at the piano and describes the cultural impact of The Beatles from their very beginning in 1964, occasionally playing and singing to more colorfully illustrate his stories.
Here’s what Joel had to say about the DJ sessions:
“Just like you, I love The Beatles. I still think that they were the best band that ever was. And I’m going to go through their albums and talk about some of the songs that have stayed with me the rest of my life.”
And here’s a sample of what you can expect to hear on the show:
The Beatles Channel is channel 18 on SiriusXM radio. Click here to learn more.
