Pianist to play the greatest hits of Elton John and Billy Joel

NEW PHILADELPHIA − Michael Cavanaugh will present the music of Billy Joel and Elton John at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Performing Arts Center at Kent State University of Tuscarawas, 330 University Drive N.E., New Philadelphia.

Song from the piano legends played by the Ohio native includes "Piano Man," "Rocket Man," "Bennie and the Jets," "Movin' Out," "I'm Still Standing," "My Life" and more.

Cavanaugh began playing at age 7, when his parents bought their first piano. Encouraged by family and friends, and inspired by his hero Billy Joel, Cavanaugh formed his first band at age 10 and began playing local functions, fine-tuning the craft that would become his chosen career.

His first full-time gig as a musician was an extended engagement in Orlando, Florida, at a piano bar called Blazing Pianos. In January 1999, Cavanaugh received an offer to play Las Vegas at the famed New York, New York Hotel and Casino.

It was there Billy Joel spotted Cavanaugh and joined him on stage one fateful night in February 2001. It only took two songs before Joel was convinced he had found his new piano man.

Cavanaugh closed up shop at the hotel and moved to New York City to work alongside Joel and Twyla Tharp to shape the Broadway musical "Movin’ Out" based on Joel's songs.  He appeared in the show for three years with more than 1,200 performances and received multiple accolades, including Tony and Grammy nominations.

Tickets start at $47 and are on sale online at kent.edu/tuscpac of by calling the box office at 330-308-6400 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. The current season is sponsored by the Tuscarawas County Community Foundation. Supporting sponsor for the Cavanaugh concert is AquaBlue of New Philadelphia. Parking is free.

Submitted by the Performing Arts Center at Kent State University of Tuscarawas.

This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Pianist to play the greatest hits of Elton John and Billy Joel