Freddy Wexler engineers hit single 'Turn the Lights Back On' in collaboration with Billy Joel
In the summer of 2023, legendary musician Billy Joel stepped back into the recording studio after a 30-year hiatus from writing new songs. The catalyst for this creative resurgence was a meeting with renowned songwriter and producer Freddy Wexler, who has worked with artists such as Celine Dion, Diana Ross, Lil Wayne, and Ariana Grande, among others [2].
Their initial encounter took place at a restaurant in Sag Harbor, New York. During their conversation, Wexler asked Joel an intriguing question: had he ever imagined he was someone else while writing songs? This seemingly casual query sparked a creative collaboration that would lead to the creation of "Turn the Lights Back On," Joel's first major single in over three decades [1].
The recording session for the new song was scheduled at Boathouse Studios in Water Mill, New York. The goal was to capture the piano and vocal, with the Steinway being miked with Neumann U87s and the vocal using a Telefunken ELA-M 251. Billy Joel's vocal was passed through an Undertone Audio MPDI-4 mic pre and then the Unfairchild, making the most of a strong vocal that belied Joel's 74 years [3].
Joel recorded two piano takes and maybe three vocal takes during the session, and Wexler was pleased with the results, noting Joel's tone was amazing. However, the track was still far from complete and required additional work from New Zealand producer/guitarist Leroy Clampitt, Canadian drummer Randy Cooke, producer Emile Haynie, the Italian production team Parisi, and veteran mixer Tom Elmhirst [4].
After mixing the track for a week, Wexler drove to Billy Joel's house to let him hear the song, and Joel was pleased with the vocal but wanted to work on it further with his band. Billy Joel called Wexler after the session to give a few more takes, even though he had already given great material [4].
"Turn the Lights Back On" was an instant sensation, debuting at Number 1 on the classic hits and classic rock radio charts, opening on the Billboard Hot 100 at Number 62, hitting at Number 2 on iTunes, and racking up 10 million global streams in a matter of days [5]. The track is a grounded piano ballad about humility and rebuilding a stalled relationship [6].
In a testament to the success of their collaboration, Billy Joel performed "Turn the Lights Back On" at the Grammy Awards, marking his first appearance at Music’s Biggest Night in more than 20 years [5]. Freddy Wexler's role in reviving Joel’s presence in pop music has been widely acknowledged, and their work together continues to resonate with fans and critics alike [1].
[1] https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9815278/billy-joel-freddy-wexler-turn-the-lights-back-on-collaboration [2] https://www.billboard.com/artists/billy-joel/ [3] https://www.mixdownmag.com/news/billy-joel-returns-to-the-studio-with-freddy-wexler-for-new-single-turn-the-lights-back-on/ [4] https://www.musicweek.com/news/read/billy-joel-returns-to-the-studio-with-freddy-wexler-for-new-single-turn-the-lights-back-on-20230720/ [5] https://www.billboard.com/music/billy-joel/news/billy-joel-performs-turn-the-lights-back-on-at-the-grammys-20240206 [6] https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/billy-joel-turn-the-lights-back-on-lyrics-analysis-1234720757/
- The recording session for Billy Joel's new single, "Turn the Lights Back On," took place at Boathouse Studios, with the piano and vocals being recorded using Neumann U87s and a Telefunken ELA-M 251, respectively.
- The track required additional work from a team of producers and mixers, including Leroy Clampitt, Randy Cooke, Emile Haynie, Parisi, and Tom Elmhirst, before it was complete.
- After the mixing process, Freddy Wexler drove to Billy Joel's house to let him hear the song, and Joel was pleased with the vocal but wanted to work on it further with his band.
- "Turn the Lights Back On" was released to widespread critical acclaim and commercial success, debuting at the top of the classic hits and classic rock radio charts, opening on the Billboard Hot 100 at Number 62, hitting at Number 2 on iTunes, and racking up 10 million global streams in a matter of days.
- The collaboration between Billy Joel and Freddy Wexler has been hailed as a significant contribution to pop music and pop culture, with Joel even performing "Turn the Lights Back On" at the Grammy Awards, marking his first appearance at Music’s Biggest Night in more than 20 years.
