Joel set for a Return to the Stage (Updated April 3, 2013)

Billy Joel's break is over. The legendary performer is returning to the road after a three-year absence, set to play a few festival dates that could lead to something much, much bigger.

The sexagenarian has put a lot of thought behind what his next road show might look like, and fans could be shocked to know they might not be hearing "Piano Man," "New York State of Mind" or "Say Goodbye to Hollywood." Instead, Joel's plan is to play the songs that weren't hits. In fact, his ultimate goal is to feature entire albums on these tour stops – and he's already got a few cities in mind, including Philadelphia, New York, Washington D.C., Detroit and Chicago.

Though official plans are still very much up in the air, Joel's plan isn't to disregard the hits completely, but find a balance between the familiar songs and the ones fans don't remember. But if one thing is certain, it's that Joel certainly has a massive catalog to choose from. He hasn't produced a new album since 1993's "River of Dreams," and due to a lack of new material, has no plans for one in the near future. Still, there are 12 previous projects from which Joel can cull live material, and his aim is to make every show different than the one before.

No matter what, it will be tremendous to see a living legend like Billy Joel back on stage. This after he quietly retreated from the stage after wrapping a co-headlining tour with Elton John in early 2010. Later that year, Joel had hip replacement surgery, and he chose to devote more time to his family and a motorcycle shop in Oyster Bay, Long Island. But his five-song set at the Hurricane Sandy benefit show at Madison Square Garden seems to have scratched the itch again, and it's only a matter of time before Billy Joel is tickling the ivories once again.

Billy Joel Tickets - "This" Is a Veritable History of Music

A god of music unlike anything ever seen, you'd be surprised that one Billy Joel born on May 9, 1949, only lived in the Bronx in the suburb of Hicksville where as an adolescent teenager he joined street gangs and boxed as a welterweight. On a sidenote: he did learn to play piano as a child. That's a good thing to mention, given that was his rise to stardom as he ended up signing a record deal with Columbia Records in 1973 for his debut "Piano Man".

Billy Joel Tickets - The Piano Man From the Bronx

The obvious title track, 'Piano Man,' earned him musical acclaim, which can today be heralded as his trademark vintage defining single of his music career. He later had more hits under his belt -- such as 'Say Goodbye to Hollywood,' 'New York State of Mind,' 'Just the Way You Are,' and 'My Life.' A true musical deity of dynamic and dynamite proportions, Billy Joel cemented his standard into the Pop music arena.

Billy Joel Tickets - His Universal Sound and Appeal

He had charisma. He had unearthly talent. He had the ability to always bring the hits even when genres shifted in the music industry. All of his songs are true-blue and beautiful classics. My God, is there anything more to say about Billy Joel?