NYC Second Chance Rescue will host a Concert for a Cause honoring Alexa Ray Joel on Friday, August 9, in East Hampton. The event will include a live performance by Fat Joe, live music by DJ Dimatteo, host Brandon Colon, and decor by Lawerence Scott Events.
The organization focuses on helping large breed dogs and animals in critical need of life-saving care. In just the past month, NYC Second Chance Rescue has taken in animals with various needs, including gunshot victims, a puppy found in a ditch, chihuahuas with chemical burns, a mom and her nine babies, and three stray puppies. Dino the cat was rescued right after the Fourth of July after being abused — someone had attached fireworks to his back, causing severe burns. These are just a few examples of the cases that the foundation is assisting with.
Nine out of 10 animals that enter NYC Second Chance Rescue were once scheduled to be euthanized at a municipal shelter. The organization provides comprehensive medical care and safe havens for pets through fostering. Additionally, it offers free food and essential medical assistance to struggling families to prevent pet surrender due to financial difficulties. All proceeds from the benefit will support the organization’s mission to prevent the unnecessary suffering of animals and pave the path for a brighter future.
We spoke to singer, songwriter, and musician Alexa Ray Joel to learn more about her love of animals, her work advocating for shelter adoptions, her music, and her life on the East End.
Congratulations on being honored at NYC Second Chance Rescue’s Concert For a Cause.
Thank you. I was so surprised that they wanted to honor me. I can only imagine it’s because I’m such a kooky cat lady (laughs). I’ve publicly posted and taken to my Instagram and social media to talk about the importance of adopting shelter animals and to “adopt, don’t shop.” And sharing so many images of me and my cat Stella because it’s just been such a rewarding experience adopting her.
It’s just such a game-changer. Once you have a shelter animal, your life is never the same. I don’t know that I’m worthy of being honored, but I’m very flattered and happy to help raise awareness for this great organization.
Can you tell us more about Stella and your adoption journey?
It’s really quite a story because I got Stella — oh my gosh, I don’t know where the time goes — when I was 23. I was living alone in the city at the time in the West Village. I wanted to get a cat. I’ve always grown up with cats my whole life.
Both my mom and dad [Christie Brinkley & Billy Joel] have dogs now, but they were major cat people when I was growing up. So we always had adopted cats around the house, and it just felt like the right time for me to adopt. I just went over to the ASPCA in New York City.
I was looking for the perfect Calico cat. I’ve always loved Calicos, as they’re known for being particularly intelligent and warm… I was about to leave, and I said, “You know what? Maybe I missed a cat. Let me just look again.” I go to the very back, and I see this tucked-away cage… I opened the doors of the cage, and her arms just literally gave me a hug. Like, she just hugged me, and she was crying so loudly, and she was the most beautiful, tiny little Calico with these big green eyes and little pink nose.
And I said, “This is the one.” You know when you know. She was it for me. And ever since then, she’s just been the sweetest, most loving cat. I can’t even imagine my life without her. When you really bond with a cat or an animal in general, but particularly with a feline, you get very attached. I know with Stella, she sleeps on me every night. I’ve been in situations where I have to be away for work or whatever, and I just can’t sleep as well because of that purring. You know, studies show, it literally elongates your life being close to a cat. It’s good for your heart. It literally adds years to your life reports are now showing.
She had an episode some years ago where she had multiple seizures. That was really, really scary. Me and my fiancé Ryan, we thought we were going to lose her. Dr. Cindy Bressler came to the house when Stella was sick, and we had to literally peel her off from under the bed because she was immobile at that point after experiencing so many seizures. Then we rushed her over to an amazing veterinary clinic in Islip. I said, “Please, please do everything you can,” because the prognosis wasn’t looking good.
By some miracle, she was there for two weeks to get her treatments and heal up from her seizures. The minute she came home, I was able to give her treatment and her medication twice a day. And a lot, it sounds cheesy to say, but just a lot of love. I feel like I was able to love her back to life in a matter of a few weeks. Nobody could believe it. Even Dr. Cindy Bressler — she’s a part of why Stella is still alive to this day. Love really does heal. In many ways, Stella has saved me and healed me. I was able to give that back to her as well. Having a gentle, loving creature in your life just changes you forever. And I think it’s made me a better person.
Can you talk about New York City Second Chance Rescue? How were you introduced to this organization?
Lately, I’ve just been spreading the word on my social media. I was told that they were interested in honoring me, that they were touched by my story that I have shared publicly about what happened with Stella. They reached out to me. I then looked into them, and I was very impressed by the organization.
This is an organization that rescues so many animals — critically injured, neglected, abused dogs and cats. Their work is so important. When you think about the fact that they’ve saved over 15,000 lives since they started doing this work in 2009, I admire them, and I’m happy to do whatever I can to help spread the word.
Hopefully, this event will inspire more people to get out there and donate and adopt. It’s about saving lives at the end of the day.
You have a new EP coming out soon. Can you tell us more about it?
I’m waiting for the right moment. I’ve been sitting on this EP that I wrote last summer, actually. And it’s all original material. It’s really, really close to my heart. And it’s called “Tales From a Winding Tower.” It’s a very personal project for me. I actually was able to record the pianos and vocals of this record with my two producer friends, Tommy Byrnes and Tony Bruno, who were amazing.
I was able to record and work on this music in my family house out here in the Hamptons. And we call our house Tower Hill, which is why I decided to name it “Tales From a Winding Tower.” So it’s a very personal project. The music is very raw. It goes way deeper than people might expect. Very eclectic. And I often say that it’s sort of like my version of Dad’s “The Nylon Curtain” because it does explore some darker undertones.
It’s deeply musically experimental, and no two songs are alike. So you get an edgy, fun pop banger, and then there’s a ’60s style torch ballad, and then there’s ’90s rock. And there’s something that almost sounds like my version of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
It’s very much me musically, just delving deep and not being afraid to explore different styles and genres. Hopefully, it will attract a very eclectic and diverse audience. I’m still sort of plugging it and slowly building momentum for the eventual drop. But hopefully, by the fall of this year, it should be coming out.
I’m really, really proud of the record. Hopefully, others will enjoy it, and it will resonate with people.
What does your perfect summer day on the East End look like?
There’s nothing better than being by the water. Me and my fiancé always love to take the Jeep out to the beach, Long Beach — or really any beach. I don’t discriminate. I love all the beaches out here — and just drive a little bit. He likes to take his fishing rod out and do some fishing, and then we go for a long beach walk by the water and watch the sunset.
I love Sag Harbor Cinema. I love how you walk in there and feel like you’re suddenly in the ’40s or ’50s. With that retro style, like a little time capsule. Go catch a great movie there, and then go up to the rooftop to have a cocktail. One of my favorite new restaurants out here is Léon 1909 on Shelter Island. I just think it’s so romantic for a great date night. You can take the ferry boat. It’s so beautiful at night to see the lights across the harbor. It’s so atmospheric. I just love that.
Follow @alexarayjoel on Instagram. To purchase tickets to the event or make a donation, visit nycscr.org.
