“That speaks a lot for this arena and this community and how we support these types of events,” Mayor Dewey Bartlett said during the press conference. “So I am so honored to welcome the piano man back to Tulsa.”

Said BOK Center general manager Jeff Nickler in a press release: “We couldn’t be more honored that Billy Joel has chosen Tulsa as one of the cities where he will perform in 2016. Billy is one of the most respected entertainers in history and we’re excited to welcome him back to our city. There’s no doubt the piano man will thrill the audience with his amazing talents and create a memorable experience for our guests.”

With more than 150 million records sold over the past quarter century, Joel is one of the most popular recording artists in history. The singer/songwriter/composer ranks sixth among the best-selling recording artists of all time. He ranks third among solo performers, and he is one of the highest-grossing touring artists in the world.

A member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Joel is the recipient of six Grammy awards, including the prestigious Grammy Legend Award.

From 1978-1993, Joel released eight studio albums, which reached the top 10 in the U.S. Four of the albums rose to No. 1. A live album also reached the top 10 during that era.