Native New Yorker Billy Joel [ tickets ] will make history on his home turf this summer by being the last musical artist to hold a concert at Shea Stadium, home of the New York Mets, which will close its doors following the 2008 baseball season.

Dubbed "The Last Play at Shea," the event is booked for July 16, the night after Major League Baseball's All-Star Game takes place in the Bronx at nearby Yankee Stadium, which also is shutting down at the end of the 2008 season. Tickets for Joel's concert go on sale Feb. 16 exclusively via 507TIXX.com, according to a press release.

"Shea Stadium is one of the most hallowed venues in rock & roll history and it's an honor to help throw Shea the ultimate concert farewell party," Joel said in a prepared statement. "As a sports fan and a music lover, I will always have a place for Shea Stadium in my heart. I thank the Mets for giving me and my fans a chance to rock Shea Stadium one last time for the ages."

Joel's show at Shea Stadium will make him the first artist in music history to have played all four of New York City's marquee sporting venues--Shea Stadium, Yankee Stadium, Giants Stadium and Madison Square Garden--according to a press release. The performance will also bookend a history of musical concerts at the venue that began with an Aug. 15, 1965 show from The Beatles that was the first concert ever held at a major sports arena, according to concert promoter Live Nation.

"The Last Play at Shea" is the latest in a handful of concert engagements that Joel has lined up for 2008. The veteran singer/songwriter/pianist, who late last month kicked off his 2008 tour schedule by performing with the Philadelphia Orchestra, has three shows on deck later this month, as well as a single performance each in March and April. Details are included below.

Joel's most recent album release is 2006's "12 Gardens Live," a two-disc set that features performances from his record-breaking 12-night stand at Madison Square Garden in April of that year.

Last February, Joel issued his first pop song since 1993, "All My Life," which was an anniversary present for his wife; the track is streaming at Joel's website.

The latest pop song Joel penned, "Christmas in Fallujah," is an anti-war tune that is performed by emerging singer/songwriter Cass Dillon.