✰PREMIUM
Eagle exclusive: Former Billy Joel drummer Liberty DeVitto on his decades-long tenure with iconic songwriter, his affinity for Brooklyn

PROSPECT HEIGHTS — One would never guess that the unassuming, down-to-earth Liberty DeVitto once sat in the drum throne for one of the biggest and most successful artists of all time.  

Known for his big feel, deep pocket and tasteful fills rather than flashy technical prowess, DeVitto is known by many as “the American Ringo Starr.”

The Brooklyn-born former drummer accompanied musical icon Billy Joel and was a key element in the iconic sound that drove his band throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s, contributing to sales of over 150 million records.

DeVitto spoke to the Brooklyn Eagle about his decades-long relationship with Joel, including how they met, his tenure and split with his band, and their eventual reconciliation, as well as DeVitto’s plans and his love for the borough of Brooklyn.

Beginnings 

A child of Sicilian immigrants, Liberatori DeVitto was born in Brooklyn on Aug. 8, 1950. His mother, Josephine Sardisco, was raised on the Lower East Side, and his father, Vincent, was brought up in East New York.

Vincent was a police officer in Brooklyn’s 77th Precinct. “He knew the tough side of Brooklyn,” DeVitto said.  

DeVitto recalled that one of his first exposures to music was from a radio his mom kept on the top of her dresser. “She always played it.”

“It’s funny, because I remember when I became a musician and would drum at weddings, we’d have to play some of the old classics,” he said. “Because of my mom and her radio, I would recognize the song immediately. That is probably where I got my love for music.”  

Years later, DeVitto saw The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, and there was no looking back. “Ringo Starr was my first and probably most major influence and inspiration.” 

He also highly regards jazz virtuoso Buddy Rich and several Motown and R&B drummers.  

Meeting Billy Joel 

DeVitto started playing shows at a club called My House in Plainview, Long Island, with a house band called The New Rock Workshop.

“We would alternate with this band called The Hassels that Billy was in.”

Sometimes, the bands would play together. “We were teenagers at the time,” he recalled. “I would watch Billy, and he would watch me, but we only said ‘hi’ in passing.” 

DeVitto said the first time he recognized Joel’s talent was when he performed the song “Coloured Rain” by Traffic.  

“I thought I was the only one who knew about this song, but one night, Billy did it with the Hassles, and he played it really well,” said DeVitto. “I thought to myself, ‘This guy’s got it!’” 

That early connection was the beginning of their relationship, long before they officially worked together in Joel’s band nine years later. 

In 1975, DeVitto auditioned in New York and was chosen for Joel’s new band. Before DeVitto, Joel enlisted the talents of studio drummers, including Elvis Presley’s drummer, Ron Tutt. 

DeVitto’s aggressive, driving style and tough energy were strong selling points. He joined during what would officially become known as the “Turnstiles” era.

The end of an era 

DeVitto played on nearly every major Billy Joel hit, including “Only the Good Die Young,” “Just the Way You Are,” “My Life,” “You May Be Right,” “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”  and “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant.” 

He created the grooves behind 13 platinum albums, more than 22 Top 40 hits and six Grammy Award-winning recordings. His tenure with Joel lasted through 1993. 

However, DeVitto said the decline began in 1989 before the release of “Storm Front,” when they were on tour in Australia.

“Billy called me into his dressing room and said, ‘What do you think if we go in the studio to make the new album, just me and you and a whole bunch of other guys?’” DeVitto recalled.

“I was like, oh man, these are my friends. I’ve known some of these guys since they were kids. But what was I going to do? At the time, I was raising children.” DeVitto and they made the record.

For the next album, “River of Dreams” (1993), Joel used a different producer — the last nail in the coffin. 

“We did the demos for ‘River of Dreams,’ and producer Danny Kortchmar came in and said, ‘I love the songs, I love the vocals, I love the piano playing, but the rest of it sucks!’” DeVitto said.

He ended up playing only one track on that album, marking the end of his time working with Joel. “Billy admitted to me after a while that in retrospect, he would never do that again.”

Joel and DeVitto became estranged for more than a decade.

In 2009, things got ugly, and DeVitto sued Joel, reportedly over royalties and unpaid earnings from his time in the band.

“The reason I sued him was for intellectual properties. When we made song videos, they were just supposed to be used for promotion, and then all of a sudden, they were being sold at Kmart,” DeVitto explained.

“So I said, ‘My likeness is on here, and I want money for it.’ Some people twisted it like I wanted songwriter royalties, but I didn’t want that at all.”  

The lawsuit was settled out of court. 

Reconciliation 

Joel and Devitto reconciled in the mid-2000s, and their first widely recognized public reunion took place in 2006. In December that year, DeVitto joined Joel onstage at Madison Square Garden, where they performed live for the first time since 1993.  

Today, their relationship can be described as “cordial” and one of mutual respect. 

“We basically email back and forth,” said DeVitto. “Our last email was probably a week or so ago. We’re trying to get lunch together. Anytime we’re in the same area, we’ll meet up. We talk about the past — never any negative stuff, always good stuff.” 

When asked if a full-fledged reunion could be in the works anytime soon, DeVitto told the Eagle with a smile, “The ball is in Billy’s court.”   

Life after Billy  

DeVitto currently performs with his Brooklyn-based rock and soul band, The Slim Kings. 

At a recent performance in Williamsburg, it was obvious that he has not lost his touch. Energetic, passionate, soulful and creative DeVitto, 75, plays with the energy and enthusiasm of a man 50 years his junior. 

After the concert, he spoke with everyone who approached him while always wearing a smile.  

In spite of all he has achieved in his life, DeVitto attributes his unpretentious and grounded nature to one thing: “Family.”

“My parents grew up with nothing, and they taught me a lot about humility and respect. The people you meet on the way up, you may meet again on the way down,” he said. 

DeVitto, who lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Anna, and daughter, Mae, had nothing but positive things to say about the borough. 

“If you are a musician, this is the place to be. The people in Brooklyn are great,” he said, nodding to Brooklyn’s multiculturalism. “I can walk down the street and literally hear 10 different languages.”

“The bottom line is: no matter where I go in life, I suppose I will always be a Brooklyn guy through and through.”