Billy Joel Biography

Songwriter, Singer (1949)

391
SHARES
265
0
0

QUICK FACTS

NAME
Billy Joel

OCCUPATION
Songwriter, Singer

BIRTH DATE
May 9, 1949 (age 67)

PLACE OF BIRTH
The Bronx, New York

AKA
Billy Joel
Bill Martin

FULL NAME
William Martin Joel

ZODIAC SIGN
Taurus
SYNOPSIS
EARLY LIFE
EARLY CAREER
CAREER BREAKTHROUGH
AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
LATER CAREER
CITE THIS PAGE
Singer Billy Joel topped the charts in the 1970s and '80s with
hits like "Piano Man," "Uptown Girl" and "We Didn't Start the
Fire."
IN THESE GROUPS
QUOTES
Music is an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are
all touched by. No matter what culture we're from, everyone loves
music.
Billy Joel
Synopsis

Born on May 9, 1949, in New York, Billy Joel bounced back after a disappointing first
album, Cold Spring Harbor (1971), with 1973's Piano Man, featuring hits like "Piano
Man" and "Captain Jack." He went on to make successful albums like Streetlife
Serenade (1974), The Stranger (1977) and 52nd Street (1978). In the 1980s, Joel
married supermodel Christie Brinkley, and topped the musical charts with "Uptown
Girl" and "We Didn't Start the Fire." By 1999, his worldwide song sales had topped
$100 million, and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Several years
later, in 2013, he received the Kennedy Center Honors.

Early Life

Singer-songwriter William Martin "Billy" Joel was born in the Bronx, New York, on
May 9, 1949, to Howard and Rosalind Joel. Shortly after he was born, the family moved
to a section of America's famous "first suburb," Levittown on Long Island. Although his
father was an accomplished classical pianist, it was Joel's mother who pushed the young
boy to study piano. He began playing at the age of four and showed an immediate
aptitude for the instrument. By the time he was 16, Billy Joel was already a pro, having
joined his third band before he could drive.

Early Career

It wasn't long before the artist, inspired by the Beatles' iconic Ed Sullivan
Show performance, committed heart and soul to a life in music. He dropped out of high
school to pursue a performing career, devoting himself to creating his first solo
album Cold Spring Harbor, which was released in 1971. The terms of Joel's contract
with Family Productions turned out to be onerous and the artist was unhappy with the
quality of the album they released. It wasn't a commercial success.

Disillusioned with trying to make it as a rock star, Joel moved to Los Angeles to fly
under the radar for a while. In early 1972, he got a gig working as a lounge pianist
under the pseudonym Bill Martin. His time playing at The Executive Room on Wilshire
Boulevard would later be immortalized in his song "Piano Man," which describes a no-
name lounge's down-and-out patrons.

By late 1972, an underground recording of Joel's "Captain Jack" had been released on
the East Coast and was garnering positive attention. Executives from Columbia Records
sought out the lounge player and gave Joel a second chance to become a rock star.
Career Breakthrough

With the momentum of a Top 20 single ("Piano Man") to his name, Joel began
recording new songs and albums, coming out with Streetlife Serenade in 1974. Many of
his songs related to a growing frustration with the music industry and Hollywood,
foreshadowing his exit from Los Angeles in 1976. As the years passed, Joel's style
began to evolve, showing his range from pop to the bluesy-jazz stylings that are now
closely associated with his name. The Stranger (1977) was Joel's first major commercial
breakthrough, landing him four songs in the Top 25 of the U.S. Billboard charts. By
1981, Joel had collected a slew of awards, including a Grammy for Best Male Rock
Vocal Performance and a People's Choice Award.

Awards and Achievements

Through the 1980s, Joel would be crowned a hit-maker with smashes such as "Tell Her
About It," "Uptown Girl," "Innocent Man" and "The Longest Time." He would release
two volumes of Greatest Hits and become the first American performer to unleash a
full-scale rock production in the Soviet Union. While churning out hits, Joel would also
frequent the benefit circuit, performing with stars such as Cyndi Lauper and John
Mellencamp to raise money for various causes.

In 1989, on the heels of the successful single "We Didn't Start the Fire," Joel was
presented with the Grammy Legend Award. His professional success continued
unabated into the early 1990s, although his personal life became somewhat dramatic.
After the release of River of Dreams (1994), Joel slowed his studio recordings but
continued to tour alone and in combination with fellow artists such as Elton John. In
1999, the worldwide sales of his songs passed the 100 million mark. Also that year, Joel
was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by his idol, Ray Charles. Several
years later, in 2013, Joel received the Kennedy Center Honors.

Later Career

In the early 2000s, Joel found himself in and out of rehab, struggling with an ongoing
alcohol addiction. In 2007, Joel released the single "All My Life," his first song with
original lyrics in 13 years. Though semi-retired in terms of recording new pop songs,
Joel has continued to tour and branch out as an artist. He has composed a number of
classical songs and even reworked older ballads with an orchestral backing.

Throughout the years, Joel's songs have acted as personal and cultural touchstones for
millions of people, mirroring his own goal of writing songs that "meant something
during the time in which I lived... and transcended that time."

When Joel's residency at Madison Square Garden was announced in 2013, his devoted
fans proved how much the singer's music resonated with them. As the first music
franchise in MSG's history, Joel broke records; his monthly concerts have sold out
every time, and as of October 2015, he has grossed over $46 million in sales.
Personal Life

In 1982, Joel split with his first wife, Elizabeth Weber Small, who had been his partner
since 1973. In 1984, Joel would famously meet and marry supermodel Christie
Brinkley. Soon after, their daughter Alexa Ray (named after Ray Charles) was born on
December 29, 1985.

Joel divorced Brinkley in 1993. In 2004, he married the television personality and
journalist Katie Lee. They would eventually divorce after five years of marriage.

In 2015, Billy Joel and his girlfriend of six years, Alexis Roderick, announced they
were expecting a baby together. That summer, Joel and Roderick tied the knot at the
couple's annual Fourth of July party at his Long Island estate. New York Governor
Andrew Cuomo presided over the nuptials. Their daughter Della Rose Joel was born on
August 12, 2015.