RE: Billy Joel -- Jewish Music?

[Seth <rogovoy...>]

> The following is from Jewhoo, a fun website for those of us who
> like to play the
> guessing game.
>
>     "billy joel: l.i. raised singer and songwriter who does not
> need a listing
> of his credits. he is unquestionably jewish and has declared in
> interviews that
> "the jews are my people".

This is absolutely true, that he has "declared" this. I know this because I
am the source for this. I interviewed him a few years ago and asked him
point blank if he was or wasn't, and he said of course he was, he didn't
understand why there was ever any question about it. Somewhere in this mess
of an office I have the actual transcript but I can't put my hands on it at
the moment. But he made clear that his parents were Jewish and that,
although he is not a regular synagogue-goer, he thinks of himself as a Jew.

As for his music being "Jewish," that's a whole can of worms I don't want to
go near.

--Seth Rogovoy

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