An unforgettable night of music and family is coming to Playhouse Square’s Hanna Theatre in Cleveland on Friday, August 8! father-son duo, Terry and Nick Davies bring their acclaimed show “Piano Men: Generations.” This dynamic duo takes center stage to celebrate the legendary music of Billy Joel and Elton John, blending heartfelt storytelling with their genuine connection as family.
Having toured around the globe for over a decade, the Davies share a special bond that transcends the typical entertainer-audience dynamic. Their performances are not just about the music; they capture the essence of their relationship, built over years of shared experiences and mutual love for the craft.
In this recent interview, Terry and Nick reflect on their journey together, recounting how Nick’s early fascination with music evolved into a lifelong passion. From spontaneous moments on stage to cherished memories off stage, they invite fans to witness the magic that happens when two generations come together in harmony.
Tribute acts aren’t new, but they have been gaining significant momentum over the past decade. Cleveland’s House of Blues has a tribute-heavy calendar, and many small, local venues opt for tribute acts over original music.
“We don’t pretend to be Billy and Elton when we go on stage. We don’t go out of our way to look or dress exactly like they did when they were on stage. We let our relationship as father and son kind of speak for itself,” Nick said. “There isn’t one of us that does mainly Billy Joel and one of us who mainly does Elton John. Although at the end of the show, a lot of people kind of see me as Billy and my dad as Elton. But we just love the music, and the goal of the show is to celebrate all that they’ve done in their career. And, in a way, because we’re both taking equal parts, Billy and Elton songs in the show, it does kind of feel like a recreation of one of those face-to-face tours that Billy and Elton used to do. The music speaks for itself. But I think the relationship between my dad and I is what really puts the cherry on top of this show.
Nick & Terry’s relationship began when Nick was born in 1993. 15 years later, they joined forces to plant the seeds for what would eventually become ‘Piano Men: Generations.’
“About 11 years ago, we did our first Piano Men gig,” Terry said. “It started when Nick was three, so obviously I’ve been doing this all my life. Nick comes along 30 years ago and obviously followed music lessons and so on and so forth, and watched his mom, who was a performer, until a few years ago when she retired. When Nick was 16, so I guess about 15 years ago, I was doing a show called Piano Man, and he was playing keyboards in it, just kind of getting into the industry and playing keyboards. It literally fell to pieces as I was walking on stage, and I can’t play the piano and hold the harmonica at the same time. And I said, ‘Shit! I can’t do ‘piano, man.’Piano Man.’ We’ve got to do ‘Piano Man.’ And Nick said, ‘Give me the harmonica, I’ll learn how to play it in the intermission. He literally taught himself to play the harmonica, and the piece in the space of about four minutes, came home and played the harmonica. It was shortly after that.”
After joining forces on stage for the first time, it was still a while before the show that fans see today came to fruition.
“We wanted to kind of ease into it, obviously. So we did half the show as Piano Man, and then we put the curtain down for an intermission, and then when we came back on stage, we’d rolled another piano out and hooked it all up and did the rest of the show as both of us. And from there, I don’t think there’s ever been a Piano Man show. It’s always been Piano Men from then on,” Nick said.
As for the father-son dynamic, it has been well-received by audiences. Oftentimes, keeping it in the family is dismissed as nepotism, with the prevailing opinion being that performers such as Wolfgang Van Halen (son of Eddie), Lukas Nelson (son of Willie), and Jakob Dylan (son of Bob), did not “earn” their gigs. Terry & Nick have a strong relationship, and both deserve not only to be onstage, but to share the stage!
“It’s easy to dwell on it because there’s nepotism and bias when you’re talking about your son,” Terry said. “But I know just with the amount of time I’ve been on the planet, that I’m extremely lucky to have the relationship that I have. Yes, we love each other and the normal parent thing, but there’s something else that’s different about it. Don’t know what it is. Don’t know why we got so lucky. He’s 31, married, and lives in Canada. I’m 66, married, live in Dubai most of the year. And we go on tour, and yet we somehow managed to spend at least four or five months of solid time with each other. We did vacation together and we hang out at each other’s houses. If we’ve got spare time, I’ll do a 16-hour flight with my wife to Canada, or he’ll do the same back to Dubai. It never changes. I know Nick values that, but I don’t think he knows any different because that’s how we’ve been. But for me, I know I look at it and go, Wow, I’m lucky. I just watched the Billy Joel documentary, and there’s a big common thread about how depressing it’s been for him that his father was a piano player. And he didn’t have the relationship. And you can see the pain in his eyes when he is talking about it. And for me, it’s the antithesis of that. So despite everything we do, that’s more valuable than anything.”
One of the fun elements of Piano Men: Generations is the interaction with the crowd. Unlike Billy and Elton, who stick to a crafted setlist for an entire tour, Nick & Terry like to mix it up, often with help from the audience!
Often, we will take a selfie with the audience and tell them to go on and request their favorite Billy Joel and Elton John song in the middle of the show. There have been shows where we’ve gotten 250 requests, but we have a lot of fun with the audience,” he continued. “And obviously, this show for us, especially, is all about family, love, and nepotism, and we’re trying to bring even the next generation into this as well. We’re all about family. We’re all about love. My mom used to be in the show as a backing vocalist. My wife was in the show as a backing vocalist. We really keep it tight-knit, and the whole band, even though we’re not directly related, we’re all a huge family as well. And you’ll be able to tell that when you see the show as well. Our relationship with each other on stage; it’s hard to fabricate something like that.”
Don’t miss your chance to experience “Piano Men: Generations” on August 8 in Cleveland. Join Terry and Nick as they create a memorable evening that celebrates not only the music of Billy Joel and Elton John, but also the enduring bond of family. Be prepared for a night filled with laughter, nostalgia, and unforgettable melodies!
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