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NH Girl Helps Piano Man Get Into Boston State Of Mind

SALEM, N.H. (CBS) – School is out and summer is here. It doesn't get any better when you're 13 years old.

That is unless you are Emma Stanganelli from Salem, N.H., who got to perform on stage with Billy Joel at Fenway Park Thursday night.

To top it off, the Piano Man accompanied Emma as she sang "Boston State of Mind," her own localized version of Joel's classic tune, "New York State of Mind."

Emma Stanganelli
Emma Stanganelli performs at Fenway Park with Bill Joel. (YouTube image)

And the Fenway crowd loved it.

"It was crazy I was wicked nervous," Emma said. "There was like 60,000 people there at Fenway Park. I was sitting right next to a legend but I was wicked happy about the experience."

It all started about a year ago when Emma got together with some friends and made a YouTube video of the song trying to raise money for the One Fund.

"I was hoping that I could help support the cause. Help people to donate toward the One Fund, and then it just kind of spiraled," Emma recalled.

Joel and his sax player got wind of it, and invited Emma and her family to Fenway.

Billy-Joel-playlist
Billy Joel added Emma Stanganelli's 'Boston State of Mind" to this playlist for his Fenway Park show, June 26. (WBZ-TV)

They rehearsed it during the sound check and Joel added it by hand to the concert playlist.

"He said I did a good job. He stood up and applauded me," Emma said of Joel's response to her performance.

"It was an incredible experience."

As you might expect, mom is very proud of Emma.

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