Ranking Billy Joel Tribute Bands (by Name and Name Alone)

Ranking Billy Joel Tribute Bands

(by Name and Name Alone)

by Adam Dorn

March 10, 2021

10. Allentown

First of all—and this will be a common theme— I don’t get naming the band after a song. It’s just...lazy. But if you’re going to pick a song, is this really the one that makes you think Billy Joel? I went to college right outside of Allentown, and let me tell you--it may be fine enough to write a song about, but don’t name an entire band after it. 

9. David Clark’s Songs in the Attic - The Music of Billy Joel

This is a mouthful. Now, it seems like this is more of a “show” than a band. And honestly it seems like it might be a good show. Their website lists tour dates in the next few months and into 2022. But unfortunately we’re judging solely on name here. If it was just “Songs in the Attic,” that’s perfect. It’s an album title, plus you are playing songs that are in our brain. And the brain is the attic of the body! But alas, we’re looking at names only, folks. And on that basis: it’s a stinker.

8. The Stranger Featuring Mike Santoro

Similar issue here - but I want to expand on one point. Why are we mentioning Mike Santoro? I don’t know who that is. And I don’t want to know. The best part of a tribute band is that moment you close your eyes and think for a second - “wow this really IS Billy Joel!” But when you see a big ol’ Santoro on the marquee, doesn’t it take you out of it a bit?

7. New York State of Mind

Low- hanging fruit. I just don’t love this as a band name. Whether it’s a Billy Joel band or not. It feels clunky. It feels like an album or song name (obviously yes song name) but “Good evening Grand Rapids everybody we are New York State of Mind!” doesn’t quite roll off the tongue. 

6. Big Shot

It is worth noting that Big Shot is likely the most famous of the bands on this list. Lead singer/not songwriter Mike DelGuidice went on tour with the real Billy and his band, and the Piano Man himself actually dropped in on a performance of Big Shot’s in 2016. However, none of this matters at all when it comes to the criteria laid out for these rankings. 

5. Captain Jack

The best of the “bands named after song titles” category, Captain Jack works as a tribute band name since it’s ostensibly an alter ego in the same way a tribute band is. Captain Jack the song is one of the great “drunk at the bar” songs that everyone sings. If Captain Jack the band can emulate that experience...sign me up. 

4. Cold Spring Harbor

Cold Spring, NY is a lovely small town along the Hudson River. I proposed to my wife on a trip to Cold Spring. Plus, Cold Spring Harbor feels like the name of a band. Maybe more of an acoustic act, but it works nonetheless. Upon further investigation, it appears this is the name of a Billy Joel album, on which Joel sports a truly fantastic mustache. If this was a factor in the judgement of which tribute artist was best, surely Cold Spring Harbor would be number 1. But, as you know by now, we’re solely looking at the band’s names and my own personal opinions on them. And CSH is just slightly above average in that category.

3. Turnstiles

We’re finally in the “legitimately good name for a band” section of the list. Turnstiles is fun. It’s a Billy Joel album and there’s a NYC association without hitting you over the head. It just works. 

2. The 52nd Street Band

Now we’re talking! It has all the elements. Why did it take until #2 on the list to have a pun or some kind of witticism? All the others are simply a song or album title. “The 52nd Street Band” is a reference to an album, and it’s highlighting they are a band. It’s a little wink to Billy, as if to say we’re a band that exists in his universe. This is the only one where I see the name and think, “that must be a Billy Joel tribute band!”

1. Piano Men

It’s a no-brainer. A nod to BJ’s most famous song, it’s clever, pithy, and clearly the best choice of them all. If I were to start a Billy Joel tribute band, this is my first choice for a name. Now, it should be mentioned--technically this is the name for a Billy Joel/Elton John tribute band. But I’m not here to get into semantics. I’m here for word play. I didn’t spend far too much time Googling “Billy Joel Tribute Bands” only to find the absolute perfect name for the top spot in a list based exclusively on names just to have it disqualified. I mean, I make the rules anyway. It’s my list. And what are you gonna do about it now? You already read the whole thing.

Author’s Note: The original title of this article was “Ranking Billy Joel Cover Bands,” but then I learned a “cover band” plays covers of many artists, but a “tribute band” plays covers of just ONE artist. Is it just me or did anyone else not know this?