Mike DelGuidice

Mike DelGuidice (born March 9, 1971) is an American musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter, best known as rhythm guitarist and vocalist of Billy Joel's band, and as the lead vocalist and pianist for the Long Island Band Big Shot. Mike was born in Miller Place Long Island where he still resides today, father of 4, and married. He has performed with many rock bands and musicians, ranging from local New York/Long Island (Kid Gloves) - area artists to international groups, throughout his prolific career.

Mike started his music career performing on Long Island piano bars and saloons. He struggled for many years to pay the bills pushing and performing his original music and finally releasing 2 CDs, "Miller Place" and "My Street." So having mouths to feed, in the year 2000 Mike started the band Big Shot, which is a tribute to the music of Billy Joel. Mike thought to himself, ‘My God, I’ve been playing Billy Joel my whole life. Maybe I should focus on just doing that and put together a Billy Joel tribute band.’”

Big Shot played its first gig at the Village Pub in Port Jefferson in 2000. With DelGuidice on lead vocals and piano, it drew big crowds from the start. By 2011, some of Big Shot’s members were burnt out from playing over 100 gigs a year. DelGuidice’s solution was to call Billy Joel’s long-time lead guitarist, Tommy Byrnes. “Billy was off the road so it was a good time to ask guys to play. “We knew each other from years ago and Tommy immediately said yes.” Before too long, Joel’s drummer, Chuck Burgi, followed suit and joined Big Shot.

Byrnes and Burgi joined regular bassist Nick Dimichino, keyboardist Carmine Giglio and saxophonist John Scarpulla in filling out Big Shot’s lineup and DelGuidice continued to make a living singing songs like “You May Be Right,” “A Matter of Trust,” and the epic “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.” Having Billy Joel's band members Tommy Byrnes and Chuck burgi in Mike's band Big Shot in 2011 is what started the progression into the whole process of getting Mike involved with Billy Joel's band.

When Billy Joel decided to do a string of UK shows in 2013, Byrnes and David Rosenthal pitched the idea to have DelGuidice stand-in for Joel at rehearsals. Joel agreed to bring in “Mike from Big Shot” and, three days into the rehearsals at The Paramount in Huntington LI, DelGuidice was asked if he had a passport and could play Joel’s catalog on acoustic guitar. “We rehearsed without Billy for the first three days and the band sounded really tight,” recalled DelGuidice. “When Billy showed up, he asked me to play a little guitar and sing during the rehearsal. Then later that afternoon he asked to talk to me alone. We walked into the back behind the curtain and he asked me to go on the road and join the band full time.”

Mike DelGuidice was 13 years old when he started playing Billy Joel’s music, but he never imagined he’d be playing alongside him one day. Growing up on the North Shore, DelGuidice spent a lot of time watching Joel’s Live from Long Island concert video and hanging out in the music room at Miller Place High School where he practiced the songs of Joel, Elton John and Paul McCartney.

During all of this time, DelGuidice has never stopped writing his own music. He recently played a set in Billy's backyard at a 4th of a July Party, and last August he warmed up the crowd at Nassau Coliseum. Comedian Kevin James came out that night to play "Miami 2017." Months later, James texted DelGuidice to see if he had a song they could use as the theme to his new CBS show Kevin Can Wait. DelGuidice sent over "Ordinary Guy," a tune he wrote for a 2011 reality show about tribute bands that never made it to air. "Fifteen minutes later I got a text back saying, 'Love it, absolutely love it. Everyone loves it,'" says DelGuidice. It became the show's official theme. "I'm freaking out," he says. "Just beyond elated. It's because this is actually me."

Mike is a member of the Billy Joel Band playing rythm guitar and vocals. He has been with Billy Joel since 2013 Mike continues to tour the world with Billy Joel including monthly show at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City.