Billy Joel

Billy Joel was born on May 9, 1949, in the Bronx, New York, to Howard Joel, a German-Jewish immigrant and pianist, and Rosalind Nyman, a homemaker. His family moved to Hicksville, Long Island, where Joel began piano lessons at age four, influenced by his father's playing and early rock 'n' roll. At 14, he started boxing as a hobby while performing in local bands, joining his first group, the Echoes (later the Lost Souls), at age 16 in 1965, covering hits by the Beatles and Rolling Stones. In the late 1960s, Joel played with bands like the Hassles and Attila before going solo. He signed with Family Productions in 1971, releasing Cold Spring Harbor (1971), followed by a deal with Columbia Records after 'Captain Jack' gained radio traction in Philadelphia. His 1973 album Piano Man, inspired by bar performances in Los Angeles, became his signature, though early albums like Streetlife Serenade (1974) and Turnstiles (1976) had modest success. Joel's commercial breakthrough came with The Stranger (1977), produced by Phil Ramone, yielding Top 25 hits like 'Just the Way You Are' (Grammy winner) and selling over 10 million copies. 52nd Street (1978) topped Billboard, won Album of the Year Grammy, and was the first U.S. album on CD. The 1980s saw stylistic shifts: Glass Houses (1980) rocked harder with his first #1 single 'It's Still Rock and Roll to Me'; An Innocent Man (1983) paid homage to R&B, featuring 'Tell Her About It' (#1 hit) and video star Christie Brinkley, whom he married. He toured the Soviet Union in 1987 as one of the first Western rock acts and released The Bridge (1986). Post-1993, Joel largely stopped releasing pop albums, issuing a classical work Fantasies & Delusions (2001). He focused on touring, including Madison Square Garden residencies starting 2014, and battled personal issues like depression and substance abuse. Married four times—Elizabeth Weber (1973-1982), Brinkley (1985-1994), Katie Lee (2004-2010), and Alexis Roderick (2015-present)—he has two daughters. Joel's later honors reflect his legacy, though no new search results indicate activity in business or health industries beyond music-related philanthropy.