On The Map is where we highlight famous, and not as well-known, musical sites that you
can visit. In this edition, we’re back in New York for a major exhibit on Billy Joel at the
Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall Of Fame. Let’s explore!
THE SITE
Welcome to the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall Of Fame (LIMEHOF), where approximately 120 musical artists, producers, promoters, photographers, songwriters, engineers, and even a few venues are honored. It is located at 97 Main Street in Stony Brook, on the North Shore of Long Island. “It is a beautiful, 2-story, 8800 square foot building that was donated to us in a classic and vibrant village with three other museums within a half-mile radius,” Chairman Ernie Canadeo informed me in a recent email.
The museum was the brainchild of Stony Brook University professor Norman Prusslin and a local music magazine writer named Richard L’Hommedeau. “As a faculty member at Stony Brook University, I was invested in always talking up and sharing the great history of Long Island music,” Prusslin wrote to me in an email about the museum’s origins. “The author of the piece, Rich L’Hommedieu, had visited the Georgia Music Hall Of Fame and thought Long Island should have one too. I invited Rich to meet with me on September 7th, 2003, and the rest is history!”
In a ceremony in October 2006, thirty-one innovators of music were inducted into the first class of honorees – including Billy Joel, Joan Jett, Cyndi Lauper, John Coltrane, the Stray Cats, Run DMC, Vanilla Fudge, and three members of KISS (Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss). From there, their Hall Of Fame kept growing. To be eligible for the LIMEHOF, one “Must have been born on or have had a large portion of your career while living on LI for more than twenty years,” stated Canadeo.
Another very important aspect of the museum is their outreach and education programs. “We support education initiatives in a variety of ways, have food drives, and free outdoor community concerts,” continued Canadeo. “As the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall Of Fame’s Education Chairman, we are incredibly proud to have awarded thousands of dollars in scholarships to students pursuing careers in music and music education,” explained Tom Needham, who runs LIMEHOF’s education programs. “Our long-standing commitment has supported talented students from across Long Island, many of whom have gone on to attend some of the most prestigious music programs in the country. We take great pride in investing in the next generation of musicians and educators, knowing they will continue to shape the future of music.”
Another honor is the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall Of Fame Educator Of Note Award, which “Celebrates the remarkable individuals who have made a lasting impact on Long Island’s high schools, college programs and music teacher associations,” said Needham. “These educators have not only shaped the lives of thousands of music students but have also mentored countless fellow teachers. Just like our Hall Of Fame inductees, these leaders are giants in the arts, playing a vital role in nurturing the cultural legacy of Long Island and inspiring future generations of musicians and educators.”
THE EXHIBITS
With all the inductees in the Hall Of Fame, there is lots of memorabilia to walk around and see inside the museum. Board member Jeff James ran down a list of fun items you’ll find at the LIMEHOF: “We have, among many things, two of Steve Vai’s guitars, several instruments from Twisted Sister and Vanilla Fudge, Blue Oyster Cult’s drum set, outfits from Joan Jett, Twisted Sister, Debbie Gibson, Taylor Dayne, Vanilla Fudge’s Vince Martell and Carmine Appice, Kurtis Blow and Kenny Vance, autographed sneakers from Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, a tour jacket and mixing board faceplate from Public Enemy, Harry Chapin’s Congressional Medal Of Honor, one of Perry Como’s Emmys and other memorabilia from him, a signed concert poster from the Shangri-Las, a special award given to Beverly Sills by Lincoln Center when she retired, an original Woodstock ticket, handwritten lyrics and a signed guitar from Melanie, as well as gold and platinum albums from a number of the artists, producers, writers and other music industry people we’ve inducted. We also have many items from Sam “Bluzman” Taylor, Zebra’s Randy Jackson, the TV show The Magic Garden, The Good Rats, The Alessi Brothers, concert posters from Stony Brook University and Jones Beach Theater and other regionally prominent artists and institutions.”
BILLY JOEL
“He is a classic storyteller and people relate to his songs and stories,” Chairman Canadeo said when asked what he thinks makes Billy Joel so special in the history of music. He’s not the only one who considers Joel one of our leading singer-songwriters. Born in the Bronx in 1949, the family quickly moved to Hicksville on Long Island, where Joel spent his childhood, attended school and played in his first bands. In late 1971, Joel released his debut album, Cold Spring Harbor, followed by 1973’s Piano Man. He was fast on his way to blazing a trail throughout the seventies and eighties with the hits “Just The Way You Are,” “My Life,” “Only The Good Die Young,” “It’s Still Rock & Roll To Me,” “Uptown Girl” and the aforementioned “Piano Man.” Throughout the nineties and two-thousands, he has sealed his legendary status through emotion-ridden singles, sold out worldwide tours and more awards than you can shake a stick at, including Grammys, a Tony, his own special day (July 18, 2018) in NYC, the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, a Kennedy Center Honors, induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame & Songwriters Hall Of Fame, & a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
On November 24, 2023, the LIMEHOF opened it’s highly anticipated exhibit dedicated to Joel, Billy Joel: My Life, A Piano Man’s Journey. As of today, approximately 20,000 fans have visited the museum to see fifty years of career memorabilia, many of the items donated by Joel himself, including, listed Canadeo, “His 9’ piano from the Elton John Face to Face tour, an autographed seat torn by ecstatic fans from the Russia concert, a school photo of him with ‘Virginia’ from his song ‘Only The Good Die Young,’ original lyric sheets, his leather bound book of songs he placed on his piano before he used a teleprompter.”
This is a resounding exhibit in so many ways and it will run into 2025.
A FAN’S TOP 5 FAVORITE BILLY JOEL SONGS
By Vera in Chicago
1. “Lullabye”
This is probably my all-time favorite song. Not as popular as other songs you hear on the radio but there seems to be a deep emotional tone and simplicity to it. I think of my dad when I hear this. The song beautifully expresses a parent’s unconditional love and the reassurance they offer to their child, making it heartfelt and touching. Its soothing melody creates a calming and peaceful atmosphere/vibe, just like a lullaby a parent would sing to a child at bedtime. I also love the lyrics….the song’s message of comfort and protection…who wouldn’t want that?
2. “New York State Of Mind”
Love this song! I feel like it captures the vibrant energy, vibe, and deep connection that people feel with their city. Even though it’s about New York, I feel like the song resonates with anyone who loves the hustle, diversity, and culture of a major city. It has a rich, jazz-influenced melody, I feel like it taps into the pride and emotional bond/connection many people have with their hometown, something that speaks to me as a “pure bred, born and raised” Chicagoan.
3. “She’s Always A Woman To Me”
There’s something about its poetic lyrics and how it portrays love’s complexity. The song describes the contradictions and imperfections of a person yet still celebrates the person….it reminds me of unconditional love. BJ’s tender vocal delivery gives the song a soft, intimate feel, making it a timeless tribute to appreciating someone you love unconditionally for who they truly are, flaws and all. It resonates with the idea of loving someone deeply, not despite their complexities, but because of them.
4. “Downeaster Alexa”
Love this song because of its powerful storytelling about the struggles of fishermen in the Northeast. The song seems to have an emotional depth as it highlights the hardships faced by working class people simply trying to preserve their way of life in the face of economic and environmental challenges. The song seems to have a haunting and authentic feel.
5. “We Didn’t Start The Fire”
I think the reason why I love this song is because of its rapid-fire historical references that span decades, making it a fascinating time capsule of world events. And I love cultural history! The song provides a catchy way to reflect on important social, political and cultural moments. It seems like it’s encouraging listeners to think about how history shapes the present day.
VISITING
The museum is open Wednesday – Sunday, 11:00 am – 6:00 pm. There is ample parking (& it’s free), you can take photos inside of all the exhibits, including the Billy Joel exhibit, and it takes about an hour and a half to tour through it. Adult tickets range from $26 for the museum only to $38.50 for the museum and the Joel special exhibit. Check the website for up-to-date prices for when you plan to visit.
WHILE IN NEW YORK
After you have visited the museum, don’t let this be the end of your Billy Joel adventure. Instead of giving you a list of Joel sites to see, I’m going to send you here (https://nysom.billyjoel.com/ ), Joel’s own interactive map on his website. It pinpoints sites where album covers were shot, videos were filmed, venues he played, his high school and no trip to NY is complete without checking out Madison Square Garden.
RECOMMENDED READING
Many of the artists in the LIMEHOF have written their autobiographies, including Pat Benatar, Gene Simmons, Tony Bennett, Michael Lang, Carole King, Paul Stanley, Barbra Streisand, Dee Snider, Carmine Appice and various Ramones.
There is a very detailed article about the museum here
And I have also interviewed several of the inductees for Glide. Here are a few links:
Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge)
Jay Jay French (Twisted Sister)
WEBSITE
WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR US
If you have been to the LIMEHOF, go to Glide’s social media pages and in the comments to this article’s link, post a photo of yourself in front of or inside the museum. Be sure to tag Glide and the LIMEHOF. We want to see you!
Photographs courtesy of the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall Of Fame unless otherwise noted
