Billy Joel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Billy Joel
Joel in 2023
Born	William Martin Joel (1949-05-09) May 9, 1949 (age 76) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Singer songwriter pianist
Years active	1965–present
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Weber Small ​ ​ (m. 1973; div. 1982)​ Christie Brinkley ​ ​ (m. 1985; div. 1994)​ Katie Lee ​ ​ (m. 2004; div. 2009)​ Alexis Roderick ​ (m. 2015)​
Children	3, including Alexa Ray
Relatives	Alexander Joel (half-brother) Karl Amson Joel (grandfather)
Musical career
Origin	Hicksville, New York, U.S.
Genres	Rock soft rock pop rock
Instruments	Vocals piano
Labels	Columbia Family Productions Sony Classical
Signature

William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is known as the "Piano Man" after his famous 1973 song of the same name. Joel has had a very successful music career since the 1970s.

Between 1971 and 1993, he released 12 pop and rock albums. In 2001, he released an album of classical music he composed. Joel is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold over 160 million records around the world. His 1985 album, Greatest Hits – Volume I & Volume II, is one of the best-selling albums ever in the United States.

Joel was born in the Bronx, New York City, and grew up in Hicksville on Long Island. His mother encouraged him to take piano lessons. He left high school to follow his dream of becoming a musician. He was in two bands, the Hassles and Attila, before starting his solo career.

His first solo album was Cold Spring Harbor (1971). In 1972, a live radio performance of his song "Captain Jack" became popular in Philadelphia. This got the attention of Columbia Records, who signed him to a new record deal. His second album, Piano Man (1973), made him a star.

After a few more albums, Joel had a huge success with The Stranger (1977). It sold over 10 million copies and had hit songs like "Just the Way You Are" and "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)". His next album, 52nd Street (1978), was his first to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Throughout his career, Joel has had 33 Top 40 hits in the U.S. He has won six Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.

Early Life and Family

William Martin Joel was born on May 9, 1949, in the Bronx, New York. When he was one, his family moved to Hicksville, a town on Long Island.

His mother, Rosalind, was born in Brooklyn to a Jewish family who came from England. His father, Howard, was a classical pianist and businessman born in Germany. Howard's family escaped Nazi Germany and moved to the United States. In the U.S., Howard became an engineer but always loved music.

Joel's parents divorced in 1957, and his father moved back to Europe. Joel has a half-brother, Alexander Joel, who became a classical conductor in Europe.

At his mother's request, Joel began piano lessons at age four. As a teenager, he also took up boxing to defend himself. He was a successful amateur boxer for a short time.

Joel attended Hicksville High School but didn't graduate with his class in 1967. He was playing at a piano bar to help support his family and missed an important English exam. Instead of going to summer school, he decided to focus on his music career. Twenty-five years later, in 1992, he submitted essays to the school and was awarded his diploma.

Music Career

1964–1970: Early Bands

Joel was inspired by early rock and roll artists like Elvis Presley and the Beatles. After seeing the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, he knew he wanted to be a musician.

At 16, he joined a band called the Echoes, which played covers of popular British songs. The band later changed its name to the Lost Souls. In 1967, Joel left to join the Hassles, a band from Long Island. They released two albums, but neither was a commercial success. In 1969, Joel and drummer Jon Small formed a duo called Attila. The group broke up a year later.

1970–1974: Cold Spring Harbor and Piano Man

Joel signed his first solo record deal with Family Productions and released the album Cold Spring Harbor in 1971. Unfortunately, there were technical problems with the album's production, and it was not a success at first. Songs like "She's Got a Way" and "Everybody Loves You Now" from this album later became popular.

Joel performing in September 1972

In 1972, a Philadelphia radio station started playing a live recording of Joel's song "Captain Jack". It became a local hit, which led to him signing a new contract with Columbia Records. He moved to Los Angeles and worked for six months at a piano bar. This experience inspired him to write his famous song "Piano Man".

A 1973 promotional photo of Joel for Piano Man

His first album with Columbia was Piano Man (1973). The title track became his signature song, and he plays it at almost every concert.

1974–1979: Rise to Stardom

In 1974, Joel recorded Streetlife Serenade. The album included the hit song "The Entertainer". Upset that "Piano Man" had been shortened for the radio, Joel wrote "The Entertainer" as a sarcastic response.

Feeling homesick for New York, Joel returned in 1975 and recorded Turnstiles (1976). This album featured songs that became fan favorites, like "New York State of Mind" and "Prelude/Angry Young Man".

Joel performing in December 1977

His big breakthrough came with the album The Stranger (1977). It was a huge success, with four Top-25 hits: "Just the Way You Are", "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)", "Only the Good Die Young", and "She's Always a Woman". The album sold millions of copies and became Columbia Records' best-selling release at the time. "Just the Way You Are" won two Grammy Awards.

A 1978 promotional photo of Joel for 52nd Street

Joel followed this success with 52nd Street in 1978. It was his first album to reach number one on the charts and included the hits "My Life", "Big Shot", and "Honesty". The album also won two Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.

1979–1988: A Decade of Hits

With the album Glass Houses (1980), Joel wanted to show he could play rock music. The album went to No. 1 and featured his first-ever Billboard number-one single, "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me".

His next album, The Nylon Curtain (1982), had more serious themes. It included songs about the American Dream and the lives of factory workers, like "Allentown" and "Goodnight Saigon".

Joel (second row, second from left) with other musicians for the recording of "We Are the World", January 1985

In 1983, Joel released An Innocent Man, an album that paid tribute to the R&B and doo-wop music he loved as a kid. It had many hits, including "Tell Her About It", "Uptown Girl", and "The Longest Time". The music video for "Uptown Girl" featured model Christie Brinkley, whom he would later marry.

In 1985, Joel released a collection of his biggest songs, Greatest Hits Vol. 1 and 2. It became one of the best-selling albums in American history.

His next album was The Bridge (1986). In 1987, Joel became one of the first American rock artists to tour the Soviet Union. The tour was filmed, and a live album called КОНЦЕРТ (Russian for "Concert") was released.

1988–2001: Final Pop Albums and Classical Music

In 1988, Joel was the voice of the character Dodger in the Disney animated film Oliver & Company. He also sang the song "Why Should I Worry?" for the movie.

His 1989 album, Storm Front, also reached number one. It featured the hit single "We Didn't Start the Fire", which lists over 100 historical events from 1949 to 1989.

Joel's last pop-rock studio album was River of Dreams, released in 1993. The title track was a top 10 hit. The album also included the song "Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)", which he wrote for his daughter, Alexa.

After this album, Joel mostly stopped writing new pop songs. In 2001, he released Fantasies & Delusions, an album of classical piano pieces he composed.

2002–Present: Touring and New Music

Joel performing in June 1994

Even though he wasn't releasing many new albums, Joel continued to tour and perform live. Starting in 1994, he did many "Face to Face" tours with Elton John. They were some of the most successful concert tours in music history.

In 2006, Joel played 12 sold-out concerts in a row at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This set a record for the venue. To honor him, a banner with the number 12 was raised to the rafters, like a retired number for a sports player.

Joel performing in Jacksonville, Florida in February 2007

In January 2014, Joel began a monthly residency at Madison Square Garden, playing one show every month. This successful run ended in July 2024 with his 150th lifetime performance at the venue.

In February 2024, Joel released "Turn the Lights Back On", his first new pop single in 17 years.

In May 2025, Joel announced he had a health condition called normal pressure hydrocephalus, which affected his balance and vision. He canceled his concerts to focus on his health. By July 2025, he reported that he was feeling much better.

Personal Life

Joel's eldest daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, born to Joel and Christie Brinkley in 1985

Joel has been married four times. His first wife was Elizabeth Weber Small. They married in 1973 and their marriage ended in 1982.

In 1985, he married model Christie Brinkley. They have a daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, who is also a musician. Joel and Brinkley's marriage ended in 1994, but they have remained friends.

He was married to chef Katie Lee from 2004 to 2009.

In 2015, Joel married Alexis Roderick. They have two daughters, Della Rose (born 2015) and Remy Anne (born 2017).

Besides music, Joel loves boating. In 1996, he co-founded a company that builds custom boats. He also opened a shop in Oyster Bay, New York, that makes custom-styled motorcycles.

Awards and Honors

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry with the 2013 Kennedy Center Honors recipients, including Billy Joel (center).

Joel receiving an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from Syracuse University in 2006

Billy Joel has received many awards for his contributions to music and culture.

• He has won six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for 52nd Street and Song of the Year for "Just the Way You Are".
• In 1992, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
• In 1999, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
• In 2004, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• In 2013, he received the Kennedy Center Honors, one of the highest awards for an artist in the United States.
• In 2014, the Library of Congress awarded him the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

Many universities have given him honorary doctorates in recognition of his work.

Discography

Images for kids

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  Joel performing in June 1994

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  Joel performing at Madison Square Garden, around 1995

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  A banner at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, honoring Joel's 48 sold-out concerts there as of 2008

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  Joel in 2009

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  Joel performing at Madison Square Garden in April 2016

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  Joel at Madison Square Garden in June 2019

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  Joel performing at a British Summer Time concert in Hyde Park in July 2023

See also

In Spanish: Billy Joel para niños