Billy Joel Information

Billy Joel has seen many ups and downs in his life. He has faced suicide, lived through two failed marriages, struggled with alcohol, and confronted betrayal from those close to him. With every experience Billy Joel poured his response into his songs. That formula helped Billy Joel earn 23 Grammy nominations since 1972 and a Grammy Legend Award. Billy Joel is well known for his fundraising efforts and contributions to benefit the U.S. military, environmental issues, disaster relief, AIDS, and music education.

The many achievements of Billy Joel include Grammy Awards, a People's Choice Award, a Tony Award, a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and a spot in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He has recorded music in several genres, broken sales records, and released 33 Top 40 hits. In 2002, "Movin' Out," a Broadway musical based on music from Billy Joel, brought his many past hits back into the spotlight. So as you step on his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, realize that his work represents a lifetime of achievement and struggles.

Born in the Bronx, N.Y., Billy Joel grew up mainly on Long Island. He began to learn the piano at 4 years old. Ten years later he joined his first band. As a teenager Billy Joel took up boxing to defend himself. He boxed successfully on the amateur Golden Gloves circuit for a short time before deciding to focus more on music. Billy Joel recorded albums with his second band, The Hassles, and his third band, Attila, a heavy metal duo. After his initial ventures failed, Billy Joel was hospitalized due to severe depression and a suicide attempt.

In 1971, he recorded a solo album called Cold Spring Harbor. As a result of a contractual dispute, Billy Joel disappeared to the West Coast, where he performed in piano bars under the name Bill Martin, a variation of his real name William Martin Joel. Billy Joel married Elizabeth Weber in 1971. In 1972, a radio station in Philadelphia, started playing a tape of his new song, "Captain Jack," taken from a live concert broadcast. Billy Joel was signed to Columbia Records and released The Piano Man; its title song became the first Top 20 single for Billy Joel. By 1976, Billy Joel had recorded two more albums and was headlining . Billy Joel wrote and recorded The Stranger, his first collaboration with producer Phil Ramone. From the time of its release in 1977 until 1985, The Stranger was Columbia Records' biggest selling album.

The 1978 Billy Joel album 52nd St. became his first No. 1 album. Glass Houses duplicated the No. 1 success in 1980 producing "It's Still Rock N Roll to Me," Billy Joel's first No. 1 single. Though Billy Joel sustained serious injury to both hands in a motorcycle accident he completed The Nylon Curtain in 1982. By 1983 his marriage was on the rocks and Billy Joel and his wife and former manager, Elizabeth Weber, divorced. That year Billy Joel wrote and recorded An Innocent Man which reached No. 4 on the Billboard charts and generated six Top 40 singles, including three in the Top 10.

Two years later Billy Joel married model Christie Brinkley and the couple had a daughter. Billy Joel provided voice work as Dodger on the cartoon feature Oliver & Company, his only real acting credit. He also sang for the film. With the iron curtain falling, Billy Joel became the first U.S. pop star to bring a full rock production to the Soviet Union in 1987.

We Didn't Start The Fire,the first single from Billy Joel's Storm Front reached No. 1 in 1989. In 1992, accounting irregularities were discovered and Billy Joel sued former manager and ex-brother-in-law Frank Weber for $95 million. Billy Joel released River Of Dreams in 1993. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Album Chart. "The River of Dreams" single also spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and 12 weeks at No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary Chart, setting a new record. The following year Billy Joel tied with the Beatles as the act with the most multi-platinum albums. Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley divorced that year. And Billy Joel teamed up with Elton John in 1994 for a summer stadium tour of the U.S. The duo toured together on and off for the next seven years.

Following a pop music retirement, Billy Joel began to write and record classical music. In 2004, Billy Joel married 23 year-old Katie Lee; he was 54. Billy Joel struggled through a drinking problem which is said to have contributed to car accidents over the years and a hospitalization. Billy Joel checked into rehab in 2005. The following year a sober Billy Joel embarked on his first solo tour in years.

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