I’m a Long Island kid, and Billy Joel has, for decades, been famously uncuddly with interviewers. This one was another tall order — felt like I’d get my Island creds revoked if I bummed out Mr. Joel. We talked about songwriting and craft and had a fantastic conversation — he even stretched it out well past what was allotted. And I ended up hearing from a slew of publishing houses in Nashville, about how helpful the piece was — a few told me they’d framed the story and hung it up in their offices. It’s one I’ll never forget.
