THE BUZZ

Joel and drummer settle royalty lawsuit

Billy Joel's longtime drummer has settled a lawsuit accusing his former boss of depriving him of royalties from many of his biggest albums, the singer's lawyer said Wednesday, according to Reuters. Liberty DeVitto was Joel's principal drummer from 1975 to 2005. In his May 2009 lawsuit, DeVitto alleged that Joel breached agreements to pay him unspecified royalties based on sales of 11 albums that were recorded between 1975 and 1990. "The case has been amicably resolved," said Paul LiCalsi, a partner at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP in New York, who represents Joel. He declined to discuss settlement terms.

'Regis and Kelly' hosts Letterman visit

Late night will meet morning again when David Letterman drops in next week on "Live with Regis and Kelly," The Associated Press reports. "Live" officials say the CBS "Late Show" host will join Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa on April 30. That will be his first visit since Philbin returned to the air after heart surgery in April 2007. During that appearance, the two compared scars and swapped stories about their bypasses.

Holbrook celebrates Twain in Elmira

Hal Holbrook has already performed on stage as Mark Twain a dozen years longer than Twain himself did. His 56 years of one-man "Mark Twain Tonight!" shows hit a milestone in Elmira, N.Y., Wednesday, the centenary of the author's death. At 85, though, the Emmy Award-winning actor isn't sure how long he'll continue his famous channeling act. "I don't know - 'til I drop dead on the stage, I guess," Holbrook said before his show last night. Elmira is where Twain wrote most of his best-known works, including the "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" masterpiece.