Six-Year-Old Ethan Playing Billy Joel’s ‘Piano Man’ Is The Sweetest Thing You’ll See All Day
Travel anywhere in the world, from sleazy casino to posh piano bar, and the guy behind the keys will inevitably turn to that Billy Joel chestnut, ‘Piano Man.’ But you’ve never heard ‘Piano Man’ played with quite so much passion as when a six-year-old autistic boy named Ethan pounds it out in a truly touching duet.
As we said when the song entered our Top 100 Classic Rock Songs list at No. 63, ‘Piano Man’ is a key component in the musical wallpaper that surrounds our daily lives — on the radio, in grocery stores, at the piano bar. It’s so everpresent that it’s not surprising that a six-year-old piano prodigy would want to learn it.
It’s Ethan’s clear love of music that makes this performance so special. The way he bandleads as the song goes — “Together!” — is bittersweet and beautiful.
In an era of Walmart exclusives, $250 concert tickets, and toothless singing competitions on TV every night of the week, it’s easy to view rock music from a cynical remove. Watching Ethan jam on ‘Piano Man’ reminds us all why we started loving music in the first place.
Watch Six-Year-Old Ethan Nail ‘Piano Man’