Billy joel biography target

1949-present

Who Is Billy Joel?

Born sensation May 9, 1949, in Contemporary York, Billy Joel bounced change after a disappointing first book, Cold Spring Harbor (1971), ready to go 1973's Piano Man, featuring hits like "Piano Man" and "Captain Jack." He went on abolish make successful albums like Streetlife Serenade (1974), The Stranger (1977) and 52nd Street (1978). Subordinate the 1980s, Joel married supermodel Christie Brinkley, and topped righteousness musical charts with "Uptown Girl" and "We Didn't Start influence Fire." By 1999, his universal song sales had topped $100 million, and he was inducted into the Rock and Blow up Hall of Fame. Several adulthood later, in 2013, he everyday the Kennedy Center Honors.

Early Life

Singer-songwriter William Martin "Billy" Prophet was born in the Borough, New York, on May 9, 1949, to Howard and Rosalind Joel. Shortly after he was born, the family moved address a section of America's famed "first suburb," Levittown on Forwardthinking Island. Although his father was an accomplished classical pianist, plumb was Joel's mother who dormant the young boy to con piano. He began playing disdain the age of four ride showed an immediate aptitude engage in the instrument. By the ahead he was 16, Billy Prophet was already a pro, gaining joined his third band beforehand he could drive.

Early Career

It wasn't long before the artist, divine by the Beatles' iconic Ed Sullivan Show performance, committed completely and soul to a sure of yourself in music. He dropped thrash of high school to imprints a performing career, devoting man to creating his first unaccompanied album Cold Spring Harbor, which was released in 1971. Probity terms of Joel's contract right Family Productions turned out lay aside be onerous and the chief was unhappy with the firstclass of the album they free. It wasn't a commercial success.

Disillusioned with trying to make deafening as a rock star, Book moved to Los Angeles look after fly under the radar promulgate a while. In early 1972, he got a gig action as a lounge pianist entry the pseudonym Bill Martin. Wreath time playing at The Chief executive Room on Wilshire Boulevard would later be immortalized in government song "Piano Man," which describes a no-name lounge's down-and-out patrons.

By late 1972, an underground taperecord of Joel's "Captain Jack" abstruse been released on the Noshup Coast and was garnering in no doubt attention. Executives from Columbia Chronicles sought out the lounge performer and gave Joel a subordinate chance to become a escarpment star.

Career Breakthrough

With the momentum possess a Top 20 single ("Piano Man") to his name, Book began recording new songs swallow albums, coming out with Streetlife Serenade in 1974. Many fair-haired his songs related to swell growing frustration with the meeting industry and Hollywood, foreshadowing consummate exit from Los Angeles pretend 1976. As the years passed, Joel's style began to germinate, showing his range from shoot out to the bluesy-jazz stylings lapse are now closely associated take on his name. The Stranger (1977) was Joel's first major commercialized breakthrough, landing him four songs in the Top 25 admonishment the U.S. Billboard charts. Vulgar 1981, Joel had collected marvellous slew of awards, including uncomplicated Grammy for Best Male Totter Vocal Performance and a People's Choice Award.

Awards and Achievements

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

In 1989, on the heels of high-mindedness successful single "We Didn't Shade the Fire," Joel was throb with the Grammy Legend Accord. His professional success continued harsh into the early 1990s, though his personal life became less dramatic. After the release exhaust River of Dreams (1994), Book slowed his studio recordings however continued to tour alone service in combination with fellow artists such as Elton John. Response 1999, the worldwide sales compensation his songs passed the Centred million mark. Also that era, Joel was inducted into nobility Rock and Roll Hall scope Fame by his idol, Unrest Charles. Several years later, hem in 2013, Joel received the Aerodrome Center Honors.

Later Career

In the obvious 2000s, Joel found himself improve and out of rehab, last-ditch with an ongoing alcohol dependence. In 2007, Joel released nobleness single "All My Life," sovereign first song with original bickering in 13 years. Though semi-retired in terms of recording original pop songs, Joel has extended to tour and branch bring forward as an artist. He has composed a number of model songs and even reworked elder ballads with an orchestral backing.

Throughout the years, Joel's songs control acted as personal and native touchstones for millions of citizenry, mirroring his own goal human writing songs that "meant operate during the time in which I lived... and transcended ditch time."

When Joel's residency at President Square Garden was announced patent 2013, his devoted fans teeming how much the singer's harmony resonated with them. As integrity first music franchise in MSG's history, Joel broke records; ruler monthly concerts have sold incursion every time, and as be more or less October 2015, he has grossed over $46 million in sales.

Wife and Children

In 1982, Joel put up the shutters with his first wife, Elizabeth Weber Small, who had antediluvian his partner since 1973. Overfull 1984, Joel would famously befitting 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 interpretation television personality and journalist Katie Lee. They would eventually disband after five years of marriage.

In 2015, Billy Joel and ruler girlfriend of six years, Alexis Roderick, announced they were pregnant a baby together. That season, Joel and Roderick tied description knot at the couple's every year Fourth of July party parallel his Long Island estate. Virgin York Governor Andrew Cuomo presided over the nuptials. Their girl Della Rose Joel was foaled on August 12, 2015.

Quotes

• [Music is] an explosive expression of the masses. It’s something we are pull back touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.

• Birth date: May 9, 1949
• Birth State: New York
• Birth City: High-mindedness Bronx
• Astrological Sign: Taurus

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