“From the bar-ballad power of ‘Piano Man’ to the soulful nostalgia of ‘New York State of Mind,’ the cool arrogance of ‘It’s Still Rock & Roll to Me’ and the barbershop charm of ‘The Longest Time,’ Joel’s versatility is unrivaled.” — Danielle Ohl

Two hours, 32 minutes, 43 seconds. For two hours, 32 minutes and 43 seconds, I’ve been staring at a blank Word document, wracking my brain for some inkling of how to start this herculean task. How do I condense the legend that is Billy Joel into a few hundred words?

I now realize the two hours, 32 minutes and 43 seconds spent idly listening to Mr. Long Island’s grew up there greatest works were not wasted. The beauty of Joel, who often spoke out against imposing personal beliefs at shows, is that few expository words are needed. For most, “Piano Man” would suffice. There is something to be said, however, for the far-reaching influence of the man behind the music.

In December, Joel received the nation’s highest honor for influencing American culture through art, the Kennedy Center Honors. Along with this accolade, Joel is the proud owner of six Grammys and 33 Top 40 hits. He has sold more than 150 million records, been inducted into three different halls of fame and been awarded honorary doctorates from six different universities.

All that is just on paper.

From the bar-ballad power of “Piano Man” to the soulful nostalgia of “New York State of Mind,” the cool arrogance of “It’s Still Rock & Roll to Me” and the barbershop charm of “The Longest Time,” Joel’s versatility is unrivaled. Sure, plenty of artists are multitalented, but unadulterated skill sets Joel apart. He’s a virtuoso without doubt, but there is a spirit in Joel’s music no classically trained mind can reproduce.

At age 16, Joel condemned a pedestrian education and moved on to a place that didn’t require a high school diploma: the recording studio. He did it on his own, with only gall and a gift — no academy required.

His cool, brash Long Island swagger does little to obscure the thoughtful, personal and, frankly, tortured artistry Joel pours into his lyrics. Yes, his lyrics. Joel wrote all of them, and they come from a place that knows struggle and depression, a place that has seen hardship. The songs are uniquely his. Unlike similar musician Elton John — not to diminish Sir Elton’s formidable acumen — Joel is both master and commander, composer and poet. When he sits down at that piano, his rivals are few.

Billy Joel is his own man — but he’s also America’s man. Not a product of the British Invasion, he is a homegrown treasure. As American as baseball and burgers, his distinctive flair has a place in the concert hall and the backyard barbecue. He almost always closes his regular set list with “Piano Man” — as do dances, weddings and parties across the country.

His influence is international, but the one and only Billy Joel is our genius.