Joel, Billy (1949-…), is an American rock singer, pianist, and composer known for his melodic compositions and strong lyrics. Many of his songs tell sentimental stories.
William Martin Joel was born on May 9, 1949, in the Bronx borough of New York City. At the age of 14, he joined a rock band called the Echoes, later known as the Lost Souls. In 1967, he began performing with a group called the Hassles. In about 1971, he moved to California and played piano in bars.
Joel first gained success with his album Piano Man (1973). His 1977 album The Stranger produced five hit singles—”Movin’ Out,” “Only the Good Die Young,” “She’s Always a Woman,” “The Stranger,” and “Just the Way You Are.” His album 52nd Street (1978) includes the hits “My Life” and “Big Shot.” His album Glass Houses (1980) includes the hits “It’s Still Rock ‘n’ Roll to Me” and “You May Be Right.” The album Innocent Man (1983) includes the hits “Tell Her About It,” “Uptown Girl,” and “The Longest Time.” Joel’s other hits include “The Entertainer” (1974), “Say Goodbye to Hollywood” (1981), “This Is the Time” (1986), “We Didn’t Start the Fire” (1989), and “River of Dreams” (1991). Joel was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2002, a hit musical called Movin’ Out, based on Joel’s songs, opened on Broadway. Joel became a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2013.
