Billy Joel Covers Procol Harum, Pays Tribute to Late Gary Brooker
Billy Joel took a moment during his show in Las Vegas over the weekend to pay tribute to Gary Brooker, the Procol Harum singer who passed away on February 19 at the age of 76 following a battle with cancer.
Joel covered the Procol Harum classic “Whiter Shade of Pale” during his gig at the Allegiant Arena on February 26, which was captured in the fan-shot footage below.
Ultimate Classic Rock noted that before Joel’s cover, he said to the crowd, “A great singer and piano player just passed away. Gary Brooker from Procol Harum. He was a big hero of mine. This was a song that came out during the summer of love.”
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Erica Banas is a news blogger who's been covering the rock/classic rock world since 2014. The coolest event she's ever covered in person was the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Sir Paul McCartney inducting Foo Fighters? C'mon now!) She's also well-versed in etiquette and extraordinarily nice. #TransRightsAreHumanRights