This page will contain additional articles about Billy Joel, as they become available.Billy JoelBilly Joel was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949 in The Bronx, New York), better known as Billy Joel, is a globally-recognized pianist, singer and songwriter. He was married to supermodel Christie Brinkley from 1985 to 1994. CareerFrom an early age, Joel had an intense interest in music, especially classical music. Influences on him include:
Joel joined his first band at age fourteen, and participated in many more since and also played in piano bars under the name "Bill Martin". His first solo album, Cold Spring Harbor (a reference to a Long Island town), was released in 1971, and he has been releasing albums ever since. He has also toured successfully with Elton John, playing each other's songs. Billy Joel was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. SongwritingJoel was born in the South Bronx and grew up on Long Island, an affluent region outside of New York City, in a town called Hicksville, New York, and made many references to locations in the New York City metropolitan area, particularly the Island, in his songs. Joel has always relied heavily on his experiences in writing his songs--perhaps the best example is that of "Piano Man", which he wrote out of playing regularly at a piano bar in the early 1970s. He also is known for celebrating life in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, which he tributed in one of his most popular songs, "Allentown," released in 1982. The song depicted living in industrial Allentown, Pennsylvania in the early 1980s. Joel's daughter Alexa also has been a motivation for lyrical content; he penned "Lullabye" for his daughter. Similarly, his song "The Downeaster Alexa", combined his love for his daughter with a depiction of the plight of boat captains in the offshore fishing industry. "Uptown Girl" was a love song about the seemingly mismatched romance between himself and Christie Brinkley, Alexa's mother. Joel has always had a trusting, open attitude in his relationships, both business and personal. This attitude was manifest as advice in the song "Tell Her About It", as well as in an expression of his own need in "Honesty". The song "We Didn't Start The Fire" lists historical events from his birth through the mid-eighties--the first thirty-five years of Joel's life, reflecting Joel's fascination with culture and history. The song "Leningrad" shows Joel's appreciation for the history of the Soviet Union and the feel of the Cold War in which he was raised. Before Billy went into the music business, He always wanted to become a history teacher and he has a teaching license in NY to teach history. Joel has recently been returning to his fascination with classical music and has been experimenting in that area. Fantasies and Delusions, his first album of classical pieces, got a tepid response from critics but went to Number One on the classical charts. MarriagesJoel married his business manager, Elizabeth Weber, in 1971. The marriage ended in divorce in 1982. Joel went on to marry the recently widowed supermodel Christie Brinkley in 1985. Their marriage produced one child, daughter Alexa Ray Joel in 1986. This marriage also ended with divorce in 1994. In 2004, Joel married 23 year-old Katie Lee. At the time of the wedding Joel was 54. Joel's daughter, Alexa Ray, 18, served as maid of honor. Joel's ex-wife, Christie Brinkley, attended the union and gave the couple her blessing. Lee is a recent college graduate and restaurant correspondent for the PBS show, "George Hirsch: Living it Up!". DiscographyAlbums
Hit singles
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Lee is a recent college graduate and restaurant
correspondent for the PBS show, "George Hirsch: Living it Up!". The Nicolette Larson
Memorial/Tribute Website (http://www.nicolettelarson.com/). Joel's ex-wife,
Christie Brinkley, attended the union and gave the couple her blessing. This marriage also ended with divorce in 1994. She worked as a session vocalist for Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Michael McDonald, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffett, Neil Young, Christopher Cross, Little Feat, The Dirt Band, the Beach Boys and the Doobie Brothers. Their marriage produced one child, daughter Alexa Ray Joel in 1986. Born in Helena, Montana, Larson got her start singing with Hoyt Axton's band and Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen. Joel went on to marry the recently widowed supermodel Christie Brinkley in 1985. Nicolette Larson (July 17, 1952–December 16, 1997) was a singer best known for "A Lotta Love", which peaked at #8 on Billboard Magazine's Hot 100 chart. The marriage ended in divorce in 1982. Joel married his business manager, Elizabeth Weber, in 1971. Fantasies and Delusions, his first album of classical pieces, got a tepid response from critics but went to Number One on the classical charts. Joel has recently been returning to his fascination with classical music and has been experimenting in that area. Before Billy went into the music business, He always wanted to become a history teacher and he has a teaching license in NY to teach history. The song "Leningrad" shows Joel's appreciation for the history of the Soviet Union and the feel of the Cold War in which he was raised. The song "We Didn't Start The Fire" lists historical events from his birth through the mid-eighties--the first thirty-five years of Joel's life, reflecting Joel's fascination with culture and history. This attitude was manifest as advice in the song "Tell Her About It", as well as in an expression of his own need in "Honesty". Joel has always had a trusting, open attitude in his relationships, both business and personal. "Uptown Girl" was a love song about the seemingly mismatched romance between himself and Christie Brinkley, Alexa's mother. Similarly, his song "The Downeaster Alexa", combined his love for his daughter with a depiction of the plight of boat captains in the offshore fishing industry. Joel's daughter Alexa also has been a motivation for lyrical content; he penned "Lullabye" for his daughter. The song depicted living in industrial Allentown, Pennsylvania in the early 1980s. He also is known for celebrating life in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, which he tributed in one of his most popular songs, "Allentown," released in 1982. Joel has always relied heavily on his experiences in writing his songs--perhaps the best example is that of "Piano Man", which he wrote out of playing regularly at a piano bar in the early 1970s. Joel was born in the South Bronx and grew up on Long Island, an affluent region outside of New York City, in a town called Hicksville, New York, and made many references to locations in the New York City metropolitan area, particularly the Island, in his songs. Billy Joel was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. He has also toured successfully with Elton John, playing each other's songs. His first solo album, Cold Spring Harbor (a reference to a Long Island town), was released in 1971, and he has been releasing albums ever since. Joel joined his first band at age fourteen, and participated in many more since and also played in piano bars under the name "Bill Martin". Influences on him include:. From an early age, Joel had an intense interest in music, especially classical music. He was married to supermodel Christie Brinkley from 1985 to 1994. William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949 in The Bronx, New York), better known as Billy Joel, is a globally-recognized pianist, singer and songwriter. 1993 "All About Soul" #29 US, #32 UK. 1993 "The River of Dreams" #3 US, #3 UK. from River of Dreams
1990 "And So It Goes" #37 US. 1990 "I Go to Extremes" #6 US. 1989 "We Didn't Start the Fire" #1 US, #7 UK. from Storm Front
1986 "A Matter of Trust" #10 US. 1986 "This Is the Time" #18 US. 1986 "Modern Woman" #10 US. from The Bridge
1985 "You're Only Human (Second Wind)" #9 US. 1 & 2 (1973-1985)
1984 "Leave a Tender Moment Alone" #27 US, #29 UK (double A-side with Goodnight Saigon in the UK). 1984 "The Longest Time" #14 US, #25 UK. 1983 "An Innocent Man" #10 US, #8 UK (1984 release). 1983 "Tell Her about It" #1 US, #4 UK. 1983 "Uptown Girl" #3 US, #1 UK. from An Innocent Man
from The Nylon Curtain
1980 "You May Be Right" #7 US. 1980 "Sometimes a Fantasy" #36 US. 1980 "Don't Ask Me Why" #19 US. 1980 "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" #1 US, #14 UK. 1980 "All for Leyna" #40 UK. from Glass Houses
1978 "My Life" #3 US (1979 release), #12 UK. from 52nd Street
1978 "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" #17 US, #35 UK. 1978 "Just the Way You Are" #3 US, #19 UK. from The Stranger
from Streetlife Serenade
Movin' Out Original Broadway Cast Recording (2002) (performed by the cast of Movin' Out). Essential Billy Joel (2001) (compilation) #29 US, US sales: 21,000,000 (as of November 2003, the fifth-best-selling album of all time). Ultimate Collection (2001) (compilation) #4 UK. Fantasies & Delusions (2001) (performed by Richard Joo) #83 US. 2000 Years: The Millennium Concert (Live) (2000) #40 US, US sales: 500,000. The Complete Hits Collection: 1973-1997 (1997) (compilation) US sales: 1,000,000. 3 (1997) (compilation) #9 US, #23 UK, US sales: 1,000,000. Greatest Hits, Vol. River of Dreams (1993) #1 US, #3 UK, US sales: 5,000,000. Storm Front (1989) #1 US, #5 UK, US sales: 4,000,000. КОНЦЕРТ (Live) (1987) #38 US, US sales: 1,000,000. The Bridge (1986) #7 US, #38 UK, US sales: 1,000,000. 1 & 2 (1973-1985) (1984) (compilation) #6 US, #7 UK, US sales: 21,000,000. Greatest Hits, Vols. An Innocent Man (1983) #4 US, #2 UK, US sales: 7,000,000. The Nylon Curtain (1982) #7 US, #27 UK, US sales: 2,000,000. Songs in the Attic (Live) (1981) #8 US, US sales: 3,000,000. Glass Houses (1980) #1 US, #9 UK, US sales: 7,000,000. 52nd Street (1978) #1 US, #10 UK, US sales: 7,000,000. The Stranger (1977) #2 US, #25 UK, US sales: 10,000,000. Turnstiles (1976) #122 US, US sales: 1,000,000. Streetlife Serenade (1974) #35 US, US sales: 1,000,000. Piano Man (1973) #27 US, US sales: 4,000,000. Cold Spring Harbor (1971) #158 US. Ludwig van Beethoven. Otis Redding. The Beatles. The Rolling Stones. Sam Cooke. Dave Brubeck. Ray Charles. |