The L/A Arts annual fundraiser on March 17 features a revival of the best songs from the 1970s by music legends Billy Joel and Elton John.

L/A Arts will host the fundraiser reception and performance at the Franco American Heritage Center, 46 Cedar St., Lewiston. Following the 6 p.m. reception will be a fantastic performance of the best songs of the 1970s by musical legends Billy Joel and Elton John in a performance of Piano Men featuring Joe Boucher, Chris Eastburn and the Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Robert Lehmann.

Elton John and Billy Joel have combined to sell over 350 million records worldwide. For four decades they have been a large part of the musical landscape, topping the album charts and playing to sold out audiences while continuing to receive heavy airplay on classic rock radio.

Since 1994 these two legendary performers have regularly been joining forces selling out their worldwide Face-to-Face tours.

“Piano Men” is a tribute to the amazing songs of Billy Joel and Elton John. This concert combines a four-piece rock band featuring Joe Boucher on piano and vocals, arrangements and back-up vocals with bass by Christopher Eastburn, Gary Backstrom on guitar and Steve Hodgkin on drums.

The performance includes the Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Robert Lehmann and with arrangements by Christopher Eastburn. Rarely have these songs ever been heard performed live in this way—Elton and Billy themselves have only on a few occasions performed with orchestras.

The music of “Piano Men” concentrates heavily on the recordings by Elton and Billy during their 1970s heyday, when their many hit albums featured lush orchestrations.

Songs in the first set include Prelude/Angry Young Man, Your Song, My Life, Tiny Dancer, Allentown, Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word, Moving Out “Anthony’s Song” and Scenes From an Italian Restaurant.

Act Two continues with The Ballad of Billy The Kid, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Pressure, Rocket Man, New York State of Mind, Levon and ending with the rousing Crocodile Rock and Only The Good Die Young. The Encore is Elton John’s poignant Candle In The Wind, followed by the anthem of the evening, Billy Joel’s Piano Man, which the audience sings along—and sings on their way home.

The reception is at 6 p.m., and the performance is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the performance are $25; tickets for both the performance and reception are $35. The Franco American Heritage Center is at 46 Cedar St, Lewiston.

For more information and tickets, call 782-7228 or see www.laarts.org.