WASHINGTON (AP) ― The “Piano Man” who became one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time with such hits as “Just the Way You Are,” “Uptown Girl” and “Allentown” was awarded the nation’s highest honor Sunday for influencing American culture through the arts.

Billy Joel joined Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock, opera star Martina Arroyo and actress Shirley MacLaine in receiving the Kennedy Center Honors. All have been playing music, dancing or singing since they were children ― and never stopped.

Tony Bennett opened the tribute to Joel’s long career and his songs written so often about ordinary people. “Billy Joel is no less than the poet, performer, philosopher of today’s American songbook,” Bennett said.

Don Henley sang “She’s Got a Way” and Garth Brooks sang a medley of “Only the Good Die Young,” “Allentown,” and “Goodnight Saigon,” joined by a choir of Vietnam veterans. Joel has explained he wrote “Saigon” because he wanted to write a song about the soldiers’ experience.

Rufus Wainright sang “New York State of Mind” and led the audience in a finale of Joel’s original hit, “Piano Man.”

Joel said the honor stands apart from his six Grammys.

“This is different. It’s our nation’s capital,” he told the Associated Press. “This is coming more from my country than just people who come to see me. It’s a little overwhelming.”

The 64-year-old musician born in the Bronx has been playing the piano since he was a boy, growing up on New York’s Long Island. There was always music in the house, he said. His mother sang. His father played the piano.

Impressing girls, though, is what hooked Joel into making a career of music, he said.

President Barack Obama saluted the honorees Sunday night, and top entertainers offered tribute performances for each honoree. The show will be broadcast Dec. 29.