Home News Classic Rock News Billy Joel performs, talks music and fatherhood on season premiere of “Harry”

Billy Joel performs, talks music and fatherhood on season premiere of “Harry”

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NBC Universal/HarryBilly Joel recently taped his appearance on Harry Connick Jr.‘s talk show, Harry, which airs tomorrow, September 12. It’s the Piano Man’s first daytime-TV talk appearance in years, and he discussed a wide range of topics, including what it’s like being the father of a two-year-old daughter at the age of 68.

“She comes in every morning and throws my shorts on the bed and says, ‘Get out of bed, Daddy,'” Joel says of little Della Rose, his daughter with wife Alexis. Billy predicted that little Della could have a career in music, since he says she can already sing in key.

During the show, Joel and his band performed his classic “Vienna” with Connick playing accordion, and then Billy and Harry duetted on Joel’s hit “Don’t Ask Me Why.”

“Don’t Ask Me Why” appeared on the 1980 album Glass Houses, and according to Newsday, Connick told Joel — whom he called a “profound influence” on him — that he once spent one of his high school French classes arguing about whether or not the album was “too rock.”

“A lot of pop music can be repetitive,” Billy said. “I like so many different kinds of music.”

Joel’s last pop album was 1993’s River of Dreams. But, he told Connick, “I never stopped writing music. I went back to my original passion, which was instrumental music.”

The two also chatted about Billy’s ongoing residency at Madison Square Garden, which sees him playing a sold-out show at the legendary New York City venue every month.

“I still have a hard time believing what’s going on,” said Joel. “I’m just a piano player.”

You can watch the entire interview when it airs September 12 on the season premiere of Harry.

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