Joel Thurm

Since Joel tackles what happens when the unimaginable loss of a child becomes reality. Julie Schwartz introduces readers to her son Joel David Schwartz, who lived with Autism Spectrum Disorder and died by accidental overdose at age 25. Joel's unique cognition created situations where he baffled yet informed; infuriated yet endeared; lost and yet won. His mother describes how Joel was a "charming nerd", inviting us to get to know him in all his complicated detail. She ultimately asks that we maintain Joel's memory by finding small ways to be kind, and celebrating our differences instead of finding fault with them.

“This program is like an American quilt – the individual parts are unique and very different from one another, but it comes together to form one rich tapestry. I would like to give our audience a picture of some of the rich traditions that developed out of our European heritage, but flourished and grew in their own unique way in the New World.” Joel Frederiksen

Solidarity, the new collaborative LP between Joel Plaskett (arguably the East Coast's biggest-ever indie star) and his father Bill (who has a formidable legacy in his own right as the cofounder of Nova Scotia's Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival), is a joyous family affair and a must own release for fans of both artists' genres. By turns playful and melancholy, it merges Celtic folk with indie rock, and showcases the beautifully shared vision between a father and his son.

The first 50th anniversary Billy Joel package has been announced, with Billy Joel – The Vinyl Collection, Vol.1, set for release on November 21st. Focusing on Billy’s 1970's material, the set features all the albums from 1971's Cold Spring Harbor through 1981's Songs In The Attic — with the exception of 1980's Glass Houses.

Having sold more than 100 million records over the past quarter of a century, Billy Joel ranks as one of most popular recording artists and respected entertainers in the world. In the US he has had 33 Top 40 hits and 23 Grammy nominations since signing his first solo recording contract in 1972. In the UK he has had 14 top 40 hits including the number one hit “Uptown Girl” as well as the original version of “She’s Always a Woman”. In addition to his multiple awards, including Grammys and American Music Awards, his contribution to the industry saw him inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, and in 2005 he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Piano Man brings all of Billy Joel’s best loved hits together on one disc.