Second Cup Cafe: Cass Dillon

You could say that it was fate and common ground that brought Long Island pop rocker Cass Dillon and the legendary Billy Joel together.

Dillon, who is featured on The Saturday Early Show's Second Cup Café, was tabbed by the music legend himself to sing Joel's song, "Christmas In Fallujah."

While performing an acoustic set at the Drama Café in Baldwin, N.Y., Joel's guitarist, Tommy Byrnes, a musical consultant for the "Movin Out" Broadway musical, and Stefano DiBenedetto of the OCD Music Group recognized the emerging 21-year old singer-songwriter's talent.

Before he knew it, Dillon was recording demos with Byrnes, who then decided to introduce him to the legend himself.

Two years later, Joel was inspired by letters he received from soldiers in Iraq who found comfort in his classic, heartfelt songs.

Compelled to tell their story, Joel composed "Christmas in Fallujah," but he wanted to do things differently this time around.

Joel wanted to have a younger, edgier voice to carry the tune - someone who is also the age of a typical soldier. Dillon immediately came to mind.

Dillon got the call of a lifetime and he flew across the country to record the song. The thought-provoking song was released on Veterans Day 2007.

The proceeds from "Christmas in Fallujah" benefit Homes for Our Troops, a non-profit organization that helps build specialized homes for returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan who are severely disabled.

Recording a song so close to Joel's heart has become a dream come true for Dillon, an avid Billy Joel aficionado who, like Joel, is a native Long Islander.

Dillon, who started out as a solo artist and later joined a band called "Something to Live For," began playing the drums like his father, but one day picked up the guitar and has been playing ever since.

On Dec. 4, iTunes released a six-song EP that featured Dillon's original song, "A Good Thing Never Dies," highlighting words from his favorite film, "The Shawshank Redemption."
By Melissa Castellanos