Billy Joel, also known as William Martin Joel was born on May 9 1949, in the Bronx. He grew up around many different types of music which included classical, jazz, and pop. During his childhood, Joel had begun playing the piano at the age of 4, because he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father who was a classically trained pianist.
Billy Joel began to pursue the career of music in the late 1960s. Before he went solo he was in various bands like, “The Echos” (the Lost souls) and the “Hassles” Also, he was briefly part of the heavy metal duo “Attila” He finally went out on his own in the 1970’s.
Billy Joel’s first ever recording as a solo artist was his debut album Cold Spring Harbor which was released in 1971. The album included different songs that showcased his early music styles. Moving onto 1973 he released one of his biggest hits Piano Man. Making number 25 on the top 100 in the spring of 1974. This had become an anthem which marked his rise to fame.
Throughout the years after that, Joel released many different albums including The Stranger (1977) and Glass Houses (1980). He also released songs that became big hits like Just the Way You Are and Vienna. From then to now, he has had 33 songs in the top 40 for music and has written around 122 songs throughout his career.
His last released album was The River of Dreams in 1993. Although he no longer makes albums, he still recently released a solo song. On February 1 2024 he released Turn the Lights Back On. This was his first new song since 2007.
Billy Joel is still touring and singing his music, although his 2025 tour has been postponed due to medical reasons.