Podcast Summary: Almost Live... Nashville — Steve Cohen: Behind the Scenes of Billy Joel's 'And So It Goes' HBO Documentary

Overview

In this engaging episode of Almost Live... Nashville, host Tony Mantor sits down with Emmy award-winning producer and Billy Joel’s longtime creative director, Steve Cohen. The conversation centers around the highly anticipated HBO documentary "Billy Joel: And So It Goes," set to premiere July 18th and 25th, 2025. Cohen shares the backstory of the film’s creation, intimate insights into Joel’s career and personality, and reflects on his own transition from concert production to filmmaking. The episode is a blend of personal anecdotes, industry wisdom, and a deep dive into what it takes to produce an honest, definitive portrait of a music legend.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Genesis of the Documentary

• Project Announcement: The documentary is a two-part series, chronicling Billy Joel’s life and career from the early days to the present. Steve Cohen, having worked with Joel since 1974, acts as executive producer and the critical liaison between Joel and the filmmakers. [03:18]
• Joel’s Hesitation: Billy Joel repeatedly declined documentary offers, believing his story was already within his music. “His life is in his music. And you get all you need to know about me and my songs...” (Steve Cohen, 04:56)
• Change of Heart: As Joel neared 75, ending his historic Madison Square Garden run, he decided to open up: “At one point he just woke up and said, yeah, I think it's okay to do now.” (Steve Cohen, 05:19)

2. Assembling the Creative Team

• Director Selection: Susan Lacy, acclaimed for her work on American Masters and major artist documentaries, was chosen for her gravitas and outsider perspective. Her HBO connection and lack of overt fandom were seen as assets for objectivity. [05:19–07:14]
• The Role of Collaborators: Hazy Mills (Sean Hayes, Todd Millner) and Tom Hanks’ company became production partners. Jessica Levin, with encyclopedic knowledge of Joel’s career, joined as co-director to complement Lacy’s approach. [07:26–09:44]

3. Approach to Storytelling and Editorial Integrity

• No Self-Promotion: Joel refused to have editorial control, telling Lacy, “Just tell the truth. If you're honest, I got nothing to hide.” (Steve Cohen paraphrasing Joel, 08:36)
• Connecting Life and Music: Lacy’s focus was exploring direct links between Joel’s experiences and his songwriting, ensuring a fresh, music-first perspective—especially valuable for both superfans and newcomers. [09:40–12:32]
• Unique Interview Conditions: Every Joel interview was filmed at a piano—his “security blanket”—to foster comfort and spontaneous musical illustration. Most sessions took place in Cohen’s own home for uninterrupted candor. [13:16–14:21]

4. Production Challenges

• Logistics of Access: Scheduling, emotional readiness, and the ideal setting were vital to capturing genuine reflections from Joel. [12:51–14:21]
• Archival Complexity: Joel’s extensive archives were in disarray after a key archivist’s passing; Cohen’s own institutional memory and hands-on involvement proved essential to the project’s authenticity. [14:27]
• Walking a Fine Line: Cohen had to balance his deep connection to Joel with respecting the filmmakers’ vision: “...the other biggest challenge was keeping my mouth shut, because I have an opinion...I had to be mindful of how I delivered the message and that...I delivered it without agenda.” (15:16)

5. Personal Revelations and Emotional Impact

• Discovery Through Vulnerability: Even with decades of friendship, Cohen was struck by Joel’s newfound willingness to openly discuss private motivations and emotional truths behind his songs:
  “He was never that kind of guy...my biggest aha moment...was observing him becoming so willing to talk about things that he never talked about throughout all those years.” (16:36)
• Living Legacy: The film not only recontextualizes Joel’s catalog—including 120 songs featured in the documentary—but is designed to introduce audiences to lesser-known tracks and deepen appreciation of the hits. “What I'm hoping people walk away from is an introduction to a lot of the songs that they may not have known...and that the songs that they really know...they get a deeper understanding of those songs as they relate to your life.” (18:18)

6. Reception and Reflections

• Premiere: Part one debuted as the opening film at the Tribeca Film Festival in NYC—a “magical, magical evening” befitting Joel’s New York legacy. [20:21]
• Editing and Regrets: While much was left on the cutting room floor, Cohen believes the final cut powerfully condenses Joel’s “Shakespearean” life into an accessible, emotionally rich story. [20:55]
• Emotional Response: Despite repeated viewings, Cohen and those close to him found the film moving every time: “It affected me emotionally, every single time I watched it. I was almost shocked...But I never got that ‘aha’...every time I watched it, it was like, wow.” (22:57)
• Dual Narrative: Cohen acknowledges this is "not just Billy Joel's story. This is also your story. Too true.” The film embodies his own 50-year creative journey as well. [23:59]

7. Hopes for Viewers and Filmmaking Team

• Challenging Preconceptions: Cohen urges audiences to be surprised by how the film reframes Billy Joel as an artist and individual, and to appreciate the meticulous craftsmanship of the documentary. [25:13]
• Tribute to Team: He highlights the editors, research staff, and archive producers whose unseen efforts shaped the final product. “I just hope people walk away—go, you know, that's a damn good movie. Like one that you can watch again, even though you know the story.” (25:13-26:07)

8. Steve Cohen’s Next Chapter

• New Creative Focus: At 71 and after 50 years in live music, Cohen is embracing film and television storytelling as his “second act” with several projects in development:
  “My second act is telling stories. I have the energy for it. I have the joy. I got a couple of Billy Joel related projects...So we'll see what lands. You'll be seeing me somewhere.” (26:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On objectivity in storytelling:
  “It can't have any reek of self. It can't be a self-promotional tool. Otherwise people won't take it seriously. And then what's the point?” (Steve Cohen, 07:42)
• Billy Joel’s directive:
  “Just tell the truth. If you're honest, I got nothing to hide.” (Steve Cohen paraphrasing Joel, 08:36)
• On Billy Joel as an interview subject:
  “Billy is not comfortable in a room until he sits behind a piano. It's not to perform. It's because that's his security blanket.” (Steve Cohen, 13:16)
• On personal attachment:
  “If there was any challenge on top of all those challenges, it was to imagine if I wasn't there, how would this affect me.” (Steve Cohen, 24:23)
• On Billy Joel’s life:
  “His life is Shakespearean. There's no two ways about it. When you see this film, you'd be like, whoa, this is the stuff that great theatrical stories are made of.” (Steve Cohen, 24:37)
• On hopes for viewers:
  “I just hope that through this film, people get that their preconceived notions about what Billy Joel is and who Billy Joel is get confounded a little bit, that they're surprised and that they see that the songs...sound fresh and new to them.” (Steve Cohen, 25:13)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:18] — Steve Cohen describes the origins of his decades-long creative partnership with Billy Joel and how the documentary came together.
• [04:56] — Billy Joel’s longstanding reluctance to do a documentary.
• [07:26–09:44] — The process of assembling the creative team, including director Susan Lacy and co-director Jessica Levin.
• [08:36] — Billy Joel’s only stipulation: to tell the truth.
• [13:16] — The pivotal decision to film interviews at a piano for Joel’s comfort and authenticity.
• [16:36] — Steve Cohen discusses being surprised by Joel’s new openness during interviews.
• [18:18] — Hopes for what viewers will take away after watching the documentary.
• [20:21] — World premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.
• [24:23] — Cohen reflects on separating himself as a participant from his role as a storyteller.
• [26:20] — Cohen discusses his shift to film/TV production and upcoming projects.

Final Thoughts

This episode is a heartfelt exploration of legacy, artistic honesty, and the unique responsibilities of translating a musical icon’s life to film. Both diehard Billy Joel fans and newcomers will leave with a renewed appreciation not just for Joel’s work, but for the artistry behind capturing a legend’s truth on screen.