'Billy Joel, Live At Carnegie Hall 1977' Hits Shops for Record Store Day

Sag Harbor music legend Billy Joel is digging into has past and releasing a special 2LP pressing of Billy Joel, Live at Carnegie Hall 1977 on vinyl for the first time ever, in celebration of Record Store Day on Saturday, April 13. The album is part of Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment.

According to the announcement on billyjoel.com, “Record Store Day was conceived in 2007 at a gathering of independent record store owners and employees as a regular celebration of the unique culture surrounding nearly 1400 independently owned record stores in the U.S. and thousands of similar stores around the world.” Grunge icons Pearl Jam have been named as this year’s Official Ambassador for Record Store Day.

Only select Record Store Day participants will receive Billy Joel, Live at Carnegie Hall 1977, but going to your local shop won’t necessarily be a sure thing.

Craig Wright of Innersleeve Records in Amagansett—a local participant in Record Store Day—said he could not confirm or deny that he’ll be getting the new Billy Joel release. “I’ve swore an oath,” Wright said on Friday. “I can’t even tell my mother if I’m getting it.”

He further explained, “They try to evenly distribute the quantities,” noting, “The idea is to get people record store hopping on Record Store Day.” That said, Wright confirmed, “I’ve ordered Record Store Day inventory.”

If Innersleeve, located at 199 Main Street in Amagansett (631-604-6248, innersleeverecords.com), doesn’t pan out, you can find other participating Record Store Day shops at recordstoreday.com/stores.

Billy Joel, Live at Carnegie Hall 1977 was recorded on June 3, 1977 when Joel and his band wrapped a tour with a performance at the venerable New York concert venue. The audience was treated to an epic set, accompanied by a live orchestra and featuring several then-unreleased songs, including the newly-written “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant” and the romantic “Just The Way You Are.” One of the show’s many attendees was producer/engineer Phil Ramone, who helped Joel translate his inestimable live energy into his blockbuster fifth album, The Stranger, released later that year.