New York Dash Got Mccartney To Shea Before The Wrecking Ball

MCCartney was on a plane bound for New York from London when Joel took the stage for the historic show on 18 July (08) - and he still can't believe he made the show.

He says, "Billy had asked me if I could join him a while back when he was planning the show. The thing is that I already had my own show in Quebec City that weekend. With all the rehearsing and travelling it didn't look logistically possible."

But the importance of the show at Shea Stadium, where the Beatles played in 1965, was not lost on MCCartney and he did all he could to be there.

He adds, "I'd been on a plane for hours and had no idea how far into the show Billy was... We found out later that air traffic control had worked hard to ensure we landed on time.

"But then there was still going to be the traffic to negotiate in order to make it for the show."

But a police escort made sure MCCartney's drive from JFK airport to Shea Stadium took just 11 minutes, allowing the Brit to surprise Joel and his audience towards the end of his concert.

MCCartney adds, "I didn't have a chance to soundcheck or warm up in any way and Billy had no idea I was there. We had just about enough time to find me a guitar strap as I walked on to the stage. I heard the band count the song in and bang there I was, in front of thousands of people playing away."

MCCartney joined Joel and his band for renditions of the Beatles' I Saw Her Standing There and Let It Be.

Shea Stadium will now be demolished.