--- ---  # Billy Joel Wants People to Stop Killing Elephants and Rhinos for Pianos by [Laura Stampler](https://time.com/author/laura-stampler/) ## Laura Stampler Jun 18, 2014 7:14 PM UTC  Singer/songwriter Billy Joel performs at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Singer/songwriter Billy Joel performs at the MGM Grand Garden ArenaEthan Miller—Getty Images by [Laura Stampler](https://time.com/author/laura-stampler/) ## Laura Stampler Jun 18, 2014 7:14 PM UTC “Piano Man” Billy Joel has seen an ivory key or two in his day, but the musician has a message to piano aficionados: Stop killing elephants and rhinos to make instruments. In support of a [New York bill](http://www.longisland.com/news/06-17-14/bill-to-fight-illegal-ivory-and-rhinoceros-horn-trade.html) that aims to ban illegal ivory trade, Joel posted [this message on his website:](http://www.billyjoel.com/news/whom-it-may-concern-bill-fight-illegal-ivory) _To whom it may concern:_ _I wholeheartedly support the ivory sales ban bill pending in New York State._ _I am a piano player. And I realize that ivory piano keys are preferred by some pianists._ _But a preference for ivory keys does not justify the slaughter of 96 elephants every day._ _There are other materials which can be substituted for piano keys._ _But magnificent creatures like these can never be replaced._ _Music must never be used as an excuse to destroy an endangered species._ _Music should be a celebration of life – not an instrument of death._ _Billy Joel_ Listen to the piano man, everybody. Elephants are friends not musical instruments. Billy Joel Wants People to Stop Killing Elephants and Rhinos for Pianos ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/2895764/billy-joel-wants-people-to-stop-killing-elephants-and-rhinos-for-pianos/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/2895764/billy-joel-wants-people-to-stop-killing-elephants-and-rhinos-for-pianos/"},"headline":"Billy Joel Wants People to Stop Killing Elephants and Rhinos for Pianos","datePublished":"2014-06-18T19:14:27.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:10:54.868Z","description":"The Piano Man has had enough","url":"https://time.com/2895764/billy-joel-wants-people-to-stop-killing-elephants-and-rhinos-for-pianos/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Elephant","celebrity","animal"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2526cfe8c9148b12/69869828cd684830d0095457/450257280.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Laura Stampler","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/laura-stampler/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2526cfe8c9148b12/69869828cd684830d0095457/450257280.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Billy Joel And Gavin DeGraw In Concert At The MGM Grand","caption":"Billy Joel And Gavin DeGraw In Concert At The MGM Grand","creditText":"Ethan Miller—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/2895764/billy-joel-wants-people-to-stop-killing-elephants-and-rhinos-for-pianos/","name":"Billy Joel Wants People to Stop Killing Elephants and Rhinos for Pianos"}}]}] ```