Billy Joel tells the story of James Taylor rescuing him from marital Armageddon. (Well, for a short time anyway.)
It was the front end of their early fame more than 40 years ago. Manhattan neighbors. And both liked to party while playing. On this night it was extemporaneous, no official gig. They crashed a small pub in Gotham sharing songs, serenading a crowd not expecting Piano Man and Handy Man showering the people with love pro bono.
10 p.m. turned into midnight and midnight turned into dawn. Between, it snowed Siberia.
It was Joel’s first marriage. Stepping outside the blanketed sidewalks of New York, he saw the light of dawn then darkness to follow.
My wife’s gonna kill me, Joel imagines.
Don’t worry, I know just what to say, James obliges his dagger-ready friend.
Easy for you to say, Billy replies, pondering his bags for I’m moving out.
They open the door, Billy’s wife a breath ajar.
Hi honey, say hello to my friend James Taylor.
James Taylor!!!
Billy ran for cover upstairs.
At times like these, good to know you’ve got a friend.
Oh by the way, James Taylor on Monday announced he’s appearing at The Amp June 26.
