Billy Joel Counts Down the Millennium With December Tour Dates & New Year's Eve Madison Square Garden Performance.

NEW YORK--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Nov. 10, 1999--

Columbia Records Superstar Is Rare Musical Guest On

"Inside The Actor's Studio" Airing On Bravo Sunday, November 14

Rounding out an itinerary begun on his 1998 tour, Columbia recording artist Billy Joel is wrapping up the 20th century with a series of United States concert dates in December -- including first-time appearances in the American South and Midwest -- culminating with a spectacular extended-length New Year's Eve show at New York's Madison Square Garden (see itinerary following).

"This way, I will be able to include some songs never before performed in public," said Joel regarding his New Year's Eve show at the Garden, "and some only played once or twice."

Prior to his December tour dates, Billy Joel will make a rare television appearance on a two-hour episode of "Inside The Actor's Studio," airing Sunday, November 14, on Bravo (8pm - EST). Joel is only the second musical subject in the show's five-year history (the first was Stephen Sondheim) and only the second guest (the first was Steven Spielberg) to have a full two hours devoted to him.

1999 has been a banner year in the extraordinary career of Billy Joel. Among the year's highpoints: Joel was presented with the American Music Awards Award of Merit, the worldwide sales of his albums topped the 100 million unit mark and he was presented with the RIAA Diamond Award (10 million copies sold in the U.S.) for Greatest Hits Vol. I & II. On March 15, Billy Joel was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame by the legendary Ray Charles. "I'm very happy to be part of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's Class of '99," said Joel at the time of induction. "It's an honor to be placed in the company of some of my all-time heroes and influences. Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Curtis Mayfield, Del Shannon, Dusty Springfield, and the Staples singers have made some of the most meaningful and enduring music of this century."

Having sold more than 100 million records over the past quarter century, Billy Joel ranks as one of most popular recording artists and respected entertainers in the world. He has won five Grammy Awards including Record of the Year (1978: "Just The Way You Are"), Song of the Year (1978: "Just The Way You Are"), Album of the Year (1979: 52nd Street), and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male (1979: 52nd Street; 1980: Glass Houses). In 1990, Billy Joel received the Grammy Legend Award.

He has earned three Awards For Cable Excellence (ACE) for "A Television First, Billy Joel" (1984) and "Live From Leningrad" (1987), three ASCAP Awards (including the Founders Award) and 16 BMI Awards (including the BMI Career Achievement Award). Joel was a 1992 Inductee into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame and was given the 1994 Billboard Century Award. Among his numerous other awards and honors, Billy Joel has been given a Doctor of Humane Letters from Fairfield University (1991), a Honorary Doctorate from Berklee College of Music (1993), and a Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Hofstra University (1997). -0-

Billy Joel December 1999 Tour Dates

Date        City/State         Venue

12/02/99    New Orleans, LA    New Orleans Arena
12/05/99    Atlanta, GA        Phillips Arena
12/07/99    Kansas City, MO    American Royal Center/Kemper Arena
12/10/99    Saint Louis, MO    Kiel Center, Arena
12/31/99    New York, NY       Madison Square Garden

Additional Billy Joel concert dates TBA