By Megan Fitzgerald, Ph.D.

On Friday, February 27, 2026, the Coral Springs Center for the Arts will celebrate two of music’s most iconic “Piano Men” with Yellow Brick Joel, a high-energy tribute show honoring the legendary catalogs of Billy Joel and Elton John.

Blending faithful musicianship with crowd-pleasing showmanship, Yellow Brick Joel recreates the spirit of the duo’s famed face-to-face performances, delivering a hit-packed night designed for sing-alongs, nostalgia, and fun. Ahead of the South Florida stop, Billy Joel tribute artist David Clark spoke about his lifelong connection to the music, how the show came together, and why audiences keep coming back for more.

Q: What first drew you to Billy Joel’s music, and what made you decide to start performing as him?
David Clark: “The Stranger album came out in 1977. Now, I was 10 when that album came out. I had already been taking piano lessons for about three to four years, but my discovery of Billy Joel’s music back then is probably similar to what Billy’s was when he discovered the Beatles… ‘That’s what I want to do!’ That’s what happened to me. ‘Just the Way You Are’ was the very first song I learned how to play on the piano.”

He adds, “It changed how I played, it changed everything I became as a musician at that moment. It was very influential.”

Q: How did the Billy Joel and Elton John pairing come together?
Clark: “Around 2020, during COVID, I was offered a show on Long Island… and the promoter wanted an Elton guy, and that’s how I found Bill Connors.”

After trying several performers, Clark says, “He ended up being my favorite. He’s a great guy, his vibe is great, he’s really good with the audience, his costumes are just spectacular… and we have a really good partnership.”

Q: What do you love most about the dynamic between Billy Joel and Elton John when they come together?
Clark: “They’re similar, but not. It’s a unique thing… I appreciated the fact that Billy did everything himself, whereas Elton had Bernie Taupin writing lyrics with him.”

He adds, “Billy sometimes rocks a little more, but that contrast… it was a really good yin and yang. It worked really well.”

Q: With so many songs to choose from, how do you build the set list?
Clark: “When I started this thing, we delved more into album cuts, and I kind of got away from that, because the audience sort of tells you that.”

Ultimately, he says, “The audience wants that. They want to hear ‘Crocodile Rock,’ they want to hear ‘Uptown Girl,’ they want to hear ‘Still Rock and Roll to Me.’”

Q: What’s the biggest challenge of performing as Billy Joel?
Clark: “The challenge was, and no longer is a challenge, don’t try so hard to make the audience think you’re him.”

He explains, “I don’t say that I’m Billy. He doesn’t say that he’s Elton. They know we’re not. But we want to have enough of a party with it.”

Q: How would you describe the show in three words?
Clark: “Lots of fun.”

He adds, “Don’t be pretentious. Be fun. Smile. Sing along with them. Give them what they come for.”

Q: What is the typical audience like at your shows?
Clark: “It trends older, my age… Gen Xers and the Boomers are always there.”

But he loves seeing younger fans, too: “You’ll see a 13-year-old know all the words… and that’s super cool.”

Q: What would you say to someone on the fence about coming out to see a live performance?
Clark: “It’s not that expensive, it’s super fun, and at that time of the year in Florida, the weather will be perfect.”

He jokes, “Billy Joel retired, Elton John retired, so we were a much cheaper ticket than the real guys.”

Q: What do Florida audiences mean to you?
Clark: “We love coming to Florida. I love the audiences down there. I cannot wait when any Florida show shows up on my schedule.”