Entertainment

In A New York State Of Mind

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

October 26, 2001 / 11:40 AM EDT / CBS

Billy Joel didn't hesitate to offer his time and talent during last month's telethon for the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks. Not only did that telethon raise more than $150 million, but Joel walked away from the experience with a new appreciation for a song he had written more than 25 years ago, The Early Show's Mark McEwen reports.

At the tribute, when Joel sang a song that is so dear to New Yorkers, "New York State of Mind," most people in the audience cried from the opening bar to the end.

How is it that Joel himself did not cry?

"That's a good question," the performer said "Because I was feeling like doing that from the time I started singing til the end note. And with that Station Two hat on the piano, it was difficult to get through.

The Concert In Photos

Look at photos from the latest musical benefit Concert

"You know, I was born in New York, and I lived here for 20 years. And it wasn't just a hit against some buildings. For me it was a triple hit. It was a hit against New York City. It was a hit against America. And it was a hit against all of humanity," he added. "And so there's my job. Just do your job, just get through it. Because I asked Elton how he got through the Princess Di recording, and he said he almost lost it a couple of times too. But you've got to be a man. Sometimes you've got to be a man. 'Be a man about it. Shut up, be a man.'"

In addition to playing seemingly every benefit held for the World Trade Center victims, Joel has also released two brand new CDs. One that you would expect, a greatest-hits compilation, and one that you would not, an album of classical music: Fantasies & Delusions.

Outside of the obvious, Joel says the initial stages of writing classical music are not that different from writing popular music or rock-n-roll.

"I started with music. I well, 95 percent of the time I wrote the music first," he said. What he doesn't do is play piano on this album. Instead, he turned to piano virtuoso, Richard Joo.

"I wanted a pianist who could see the notes, but also play the dynamics, play the nuances. Give the thing an art, give it a flow from beginning-- without worrying about hitting the wrong notes," he added, noting his ands are not what they used to be.

"I had a motorcycle accident in '82. And my left thumb is just about non-existent. There's no bone in the top of this thumb. Everything else works, by the way. But the top of that thumb can't, you know-- hold up," Joel said.

The way he writes is in increments, he explains. "But for me to play it from beginning to end without making a mistake is almost impossible. I'm a rock-and-roll guy. In fact, the more mistakes you make the more rock-and-roll it is."

The Essential Billy Joel has songs that have been around for years. But do they hold the same excitement for him?

He usually doesn't play one of his own albus at home, he said, because "I'm kind of sick of him.

But if I'm in my car and it comes on the radio, man that volume knob goes up to 10. 'Hey, that's me. That's me.' I'm with my kid, 'Hey, that's your dad.' " he said with a laugh.

Joel is particularly proud of his new classical album since it's his first one, and it debuted at No. 1. As for whether Joel will record more rock-and-roll music in the future, he says we'll have to wait and see.