The Lords of 52nd Street, Legends of The Billy Joel Band
Before they were The Lords of52nd Street, you could find them playing at local clubs in Long Island under different band names. Richie Cannata on sax and Keys Russell Javors on guitar, Doug Stegmeyer on bass and Liberty Devitto on the drums played on the NY circuit for a few years. Up and coming performer Billy Joel was looking for the “New York sound”.
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Doug Stegmeyer, Liberty DeVitto and Russell Javors joined Billy Joel in studio to record his 1976 album "Turnstiles." Billy Joel was also looking specifically for a saxophone player who can play keyboards. Al Stegmeyer, Doug Stegmeyer’s father, was a sound engineer on the album, and recommended Richie Cannata to play saxophone and keyboards on the album. Cannata walked into Ultrasonic Studios in Hempstead, New York and learned for the first time the legendary hit, “Angry Young Man.”
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The Turnstiles album was a huge success because Joel and his new recording and touring band performed the songs with such a fresh, and young driven beat. DeVitto, Javors and Cannata blew away audiences with their playing, and helped Joel sell millions of albums. The band went from playing local colleges and universities across the nation to performing at the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden.
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Fans declared that The Lords’ live performances sound just like the original recordings with Billy Joel, if not better. The Lords of 52nd Street perform regularly for live audiences in public and private events and continue to awe fans from around the world. They are New York’s favorite band, they sold more than 150 million records, they helped establish Billy Joel’s formidable sound, and they continue to perform their legendary hits still to this day. Look no further, The Lords of 52nd Street are here!