On any given Tuesday night, when standing on the corner of Goodwin avenue and Oregon street in Urbana, anyone listening closely can hear the faint echoes of piano music cascading out of the Canopy Club. If listening very closely, maybe even the distant audience renditions of out-of-tune singing. This is the Piano Man’s home turf, and Tuesday nights are his night to shine.

Started in 2008 by Shay Thiele, Piano Man Tuesdays at the Canopy Club was a tradition that centered around playing enjoyable, popular music for audience members to sing along to. When Thiele left the gig in 2012 to become a minister, Ben Montalbano, senior in FAA, took over.

When Montalbano first started, he decided to make changes to the set list, which have since become crowd favorites.

“Shay and I just approached the gig totally differently,” Montalbano said. “I started playing classical music when I learned piano, so I had to pick up a ton of hit, pop songs. But Shay was just amazing — he was like a walking song book.”

Other differences between the two are the rituals Montalbano has during performances. For example, he always takes three tequila shots while performing “Tequila” and, of course, makes sure to play Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” This year, he also decided to add a band for part of his performances. This supporting ensemble, made up of his talented jazz musician friends, consists of drums, guitar, bass, saxophone, fiddle, tenor saxophone, trumpet and a vocalist who usually play from 11 p.m. to midnight with Montalbano.

However, this Tuesday will be Montalbano’s last performance.

Though the Canopy Club is auditioning for a new Piano Man, Tuesday could be their last Piano Man show if they don’t find a replacement.

“I go to Piano Man Tuesday every couple of months, and I’ve always had so much fun because you can sing along or dance,” said Jackie Zhou, sophomore in LAS. “Ben is just absolutely wonderful and I don’t think it’ll be the same without him.”

After his time at the University, Montalbano will be heading to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music to continue his studies in music composition.

“I just want to continue writing good music. Most people call the stuff I write ‘art music,’ which is basically classical music,” he said. “But I’d love to just keep doing that for the rest of my life.”

No matter what he ends up doing, Montalbano knows that music will always be in his life.

“I couldn’t ever remember not being a musician. I know it’s a part of me and always will be,” he said.

Montalbano said he will make sure his last show is memorable.

Though he didn’t want to give away the unique acts he and his band have planned, he did hint that he would be playing some popular mash-ups.

Auditions for a new Piano Man will be at 9 p.m. at the Canopy Club on Tuesday and are open to the public to watch. Montalbano will begin his last show of the semester at 10 p.m. and his supporting band will join him at 11 p.m.

Jolie can be reached at [email protected].