Billy Joel - Root Beer Rag (Live at Jazz Fest 2013) 

Best thing about being in his position is any slip ups he can always fall back on "I wrote the damn thing"

The band are so genuinely happy during this number. Maybe it's because Billy is doing all the hard work. 😁

That tempo is relentless. This is what being an artist is about; challenging yourself rather than phoning it in. Beautiful.

A friend of mine was taking piano lessons and he mentioned this song to his teacher, and without saying a word, she took to the keyboard and played the whole thing from memory.

I'm a NY native who's been to 16 Billy Joel concerts starting in 1980. the times I've seen him do "Root Beer Rag" - Zero.

Poor Bill, that track is brutal on his fingers these days but he still takes the chance to play it for the fans! what a guy!

A whirlwind performance. He barely breaks a sweat. The PIANO MAN's still got it.

even the CAMERAMAN is grinning from ear to ear, you billy joel are THE ENTERTAINER, you have magical gifts that bring us all joy

as a guitar player - Billy is my piano hero. he plays with the same passion as Jimmy Page or Eddie Van Halen. just goes for it and gives it everything he has! love him to death

There is something very distinct about his piano sound... ...so "Billy Joel"

It's times at 2:33 that still makes my realize why I love this dudes piano playing so much. Now yes, as you might of seen from all the comments, he's not in his prime anymore, and his fingers aren't as fast or flexible as they used to be, and it was incredibly brave of him to play this piece live in-front of thousands of people, from a LONG time without doin the root beer rag. And his genius brain thought, "Since I'm messin' up a-lot, at sliding down the scales (2:26) I could just play them In chords". And while, yes, that was the "easy" way out, he really had no other choice, but by God he can still do it, it might have just been a little "oh I'm old moment now" part, but It's actually such a genius way to think about it like that, he wrote the song, he can play it as he wants, so he make it incredibly catching and lovable, and a cool new twist on the song we haven't heard from in such a long time. I feel like simple things like this he's capable of doing, gets unnoticed a-lot, and he deserves to be reminded he's still a great pianist. Even though he may not be in his prime anymore. You're incredibly talented Bill, and you've earned even more of my respect!

0:20 song starts 0:43 Mark Rivera - sorry guys, this phone call can't wait (what a Sticky Situation) 1:47 Andy Cichon - I'm going to support your effort with this supportive, ah, face 3:11 Mark Rivera standing in the background - you guys still playing that? This sure used to be shorter!

My mother-in-law(RIP) who was a child piano prodigy and church organist. loved this song.

It's not real unless you miss a note or two! The grace of recovery is what counts. He does that well.

I'm always amazed by the talent Billy pulls for his band. That drummer is on another planet.

So happy to realize, Billy is human being having some issues playing this stuff. Besides that comment, Billy Joel is my hero as myself playing the piano as well.

Love that he says to the crowd “I might mess up a couple times I haven’t done this in a while” That means this song truly is the death of some people to learn if the man who wrote it can’t play it perfectly every time hahaha DAMN BILLY

For an old bloke with stiff fingers (stiffer than when he wrote it at least) this is a wonderful attempt at a very hard to play piece. I've been a fan of Billy Joel since I bought "The Stranger" all those years ago, and then went on to buy pretty much all his albums, but I've always resisted the urge to watch a live rendition of this song as I didn't think it would be anything like the studio performance. Until now that is. And I'm right. It's not in the same league as the studio track, but the honesty of this version makes it a pleasure to listen too. Thanks for uploading it, and thanks Billy, for playing it. Took a chance, and it paid off for me.

I've recently become obsessed with this piece of music, and today i found the sheet music and started learning it. It's fucking crazy hard the fact he can still play this song as well as this at his age is a miracle haha

I love how the piece sounds like it is miss counted in sections. Gotta love the syncopation of good rag-time!

My buddy’s 12 year old son played this at his piano recital the other day. Kid played Carnegie hall at 6.

PRO, PERIOD.

A sign of the times-BJ wringing out his painful hands after Root Beer Rag... After all his accidents it's a miracle he can play it at all...!

That piano on Travelin’ Prayer is not possible. And yet he makes it look easy. But more importantly, he also plays it with inimitable and - again, apparently throwaway - musicality. His voice on Piano Man is in beautiful condition, and the piano is full of flourishes I’ve never heard before. Height of his powers, God love him. Thankyou so much for posting this. I wouldn’t have missed it for anything. I saw him - now 74 - at Hyde Park on Sunday. The voice is deeper, the piano is maybe sometimes a bit less flashy - but by heavens, it was an extraordinary experience. He seriously still has it.

When Billy Joel was at the peak of his powers there was no one better in his music genre

Back in 1981 when I was playing at roughly a grade 6 conservatory level I decided to tackle the sheet music of this composition. I was convinced that the attempt to play this piece would improve my reading skills and my playing skills. I was right. I estimated back then that it only took me about 150 hours to be able to play something that my friends might possibly guess was “The Root Beer Rag”. Anyway, years later I still derive tremendous pleasure from trying to play it. Thank you, Billy, for a wonderful composition and thank you for playing it here in this concert!

This feels like coming home. And I don't even have a home. Thank you so much Billy!

My father and mother were at jazz fest and they said that this was the best thing they ever heard

The fact that he's been around since late 60s, drive some fast riff over his songs, and still playing this rag when he was 64 is amazing.

I remember this was the opening music for a UK radio comedy show called "Hold Your Plumbs", hosted by Billy Butler & Wally Scott on BBC Radio Merseyside. As soon as we heard this on a Sunday morning two hours of laughter ensued.😂😂🤣🤣

I'm tellin' ya, that man's still got it. He'll have it until the day he dies! Keep it up Billy!

The best piano Man of the world... Happy birthday Billy!

I ordered a piano today. I'm gonna learn to play by myself, and this is what I want to work up to.

Remember Billy Joel’s performance at the JazzFest during a torrential thunderstorm? I was there too! Fantastic!

I saw Billy do this song once in a concert in Buffalo, NY, and he even played some of the high notes by standing up and sitting on the keyboard. Yeah, he played the song out of his ass, literally and not figuratively, but physically - and rocked it! The man is a musical legend.

SO GLAD I HAVE PLAYED (PIANO)!!!! NOT THIS FAST BUT IF I PRACTICE AGAIN I BET I COULD GET AS GOOD AS THIS GUY!!!!

Billy is such a wonderful player I hate it when he down plays himself! By far my favorite piano work that he's done. Inspiring.

I play this recording at least once a day! It is SUPER! MAKES MY DAY!❤😂

Smokin' Billy! The man for all seasons

Being from Chicago I must point out this was the theme song of Siskel and Ebert's first show on WTTW :)

That 's good piano playing! Good band too.

The best rock pianist and never will pass this way again. Rock on Billy!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously guys, you never expected Billy to nail this? Seriously?? He's a piano vitruoso wirh forty odd years of experience; I know it's difficult, but he could do it in his sleep.

My favorite piano player and singer

my arthritic fingers wouldn't be able to 'tickle the ivories' like that anymore... awesome!

PLEASE, play this next month in Tampa!!!!!

Its taken almost 20 years, but I can finally listen to this song again. My old man played it again and again and again until we could have killed him.

What a talented musician he is. Must have been nerve-wracking playing that live in front of so many people!

Awesome Material!!!!!!!

Go check out how fast he does it as a young man . Phenominal.

Our band teacher had us do this song in high school. When this popped up in my feed I was excited to hear it. We killed it, minus the awesomeness of Billy’s talent. Good times.

To all the haters, here's his brilliant performance in 1978. Four years before the motorcycle accident that broke his hands. He had both hands operated on. So if his fingers are a little stiff give him a break.

The tambourine player is always so happy

Dude is a genius 🤩🥳

Man, he's great. A man from a time in popular music where its performers didn't slouch! they knew their shit!!!

What an amazing performer! This is one of those songs I can remember exactly what I was doing hearing it for the first time, wearing those big radio headphones as a teenager while cutting brush at my boss's house. Man this guy can entertain!

WHO HAS THE HEART TO DISLIKE THIS?

Badass PRO, PERIOD.

Cool guy and all his music stuff is mega good...Rock on Billy! :)

The thing about music is it is fluid - it can be embellished, altered, augmented and changed but still carry the same essential message. You can listen to the original studio recording that Billy laid down or you can listen to this 'live' version and still be impressed!

i was there! greatest day of my life thus far.

“Opening Soon at a Theatre Near You” Starring Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert Rest in Harmony and Peace.

What a terrific rendition of this well-written piece. He did great. I have trouble playing this piece. Not him.

A previous poster had asked about what surgeries Billy has had, and I don't think it's been answered yet...he's had a few. 😉 Here goes...his right wrist and left thumb both required major surgery after his motorcycle accident in 1982; his thumb was crushed and he actually has little to no bone in it at all, and his wrist was badly broken and dislocated, and he finished his album The Nylon Curtain while he was recovering (he played piano with his right arm in a HUGE cast on the track "Where's The Orchestra?"). He broke the same wrist at home about 12 years ago, and had to have surgery to have pins inserted while it healed. He also had a double hip replacement in 2010. I think that's everything. 😉

As a musician I know how hard this is to play - I never tire to listen to the original, it's a masterpiece. I always come back to it, practicing the little bits, but it's really hard. Sorry to say, but Billy really showed how this was too hard for him to play at this stage. He managed to overplay the weak parts, but there were lots of missed notes. Also this is clearly not his regular band, he tried to give the drummer a signal at the "bam" in the 4th "verse", but he still failed to do it, just the second time. So all in all a very "human" performance by a great, great musician, singer and composer - which can make us all feel better and appreciate his skills at his height.

Just wow.

I love a&w rootbeer

Still sounds as awesome as ever Mr Joel Sir! Absolutely love your Root Beer Rag!

Please excuse my language, but holy crap! That thing is very difficult. Extremely extremely difficult. My respect for Billy Joel has skyrocketed

Annnnnd I am again a teenager hearing this GEM for the first time. LOVE me some William Martin Joel ohhh yes.

GOAT

Billy Joel! Einfach genial, wie schon in früheren Jahren!

Watch this on 1,25x speed and you got the original

He's amazing! 😍

man has magical fingers........unbelievable !

Excellent job Billy! I've always enjoyed your music! My brother introduced me to you back in the early 80's. I remember driving all the way from Boise, Idaho to Salt Lake City, Utah for your River of Dreams concert! What an amazing show! Keep up the great work and keep those fingers going. Horowitz made it to his 80's playing Chopin, Liszt, and Scarlatti. Music like this will keep those fingers worked out so you too can play this tune for us in your 80's as well. :) Take care, Sam.

Son of a b, this is amazing I love Billy Joel and this amazing song.

Rock on Billy!! Sensational!!

He played this at MSG a couple of years ago! Probably about 5 years after this particular performance. And he still crushed it. Love Billy.

What a fun piece. I have to learn that one.

im a 12 year old girl and my whish is to play this song its so nice

Piano Man ha tutti i talenti che esistono nel campo musicale 👏🎹👏🎹👏

Billy, you are the greatest!

Magnificent...now I’m in the mood for some jambalaya.

A great example of a great composer who should be humble enough to let more skilled pianists play his piece.

awesome guy

A friend of mine in high school was able to play this on piano. I can't read music but just looking at the notes on the music sheets I couldn't believe anyone could do it.

Absolutely one of my favorites and compared to when he was young and in a hurry to play, I like it much better now.

Personal rington

2:26 you still got it

I watched this man play jazzy melodies on the piano with his butt cheeks nigh 20 years ago, he is forever the PIANO MAN

Brilliant stuff and the theme tune for ‘Hold your plums’ BBC Radio Merseyside with Billy Butler & Wally Scott.

Wore this track out on the album when I first found in in the 70's! Infectious as hell.

That tune was the B side of the 45 with Piano Man as the A side.

seen him many times and he has never played it. you lucky dogs :)

Turned this up to 11...

The master at work.

Now he's just showing off!

Nice! Without a Net! Groovy Gumbo indeed. 💪❤️💪

Killer!