Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel (born May 9, 1949)[3] is an American singer-songwriter. He produced successful pop songs for two decades, from 1973's Piano Man to 1993's River of Dreams which marked his retirement. As well as writing classical music, he has frequently been on the road, usually with Elton John.
Billy Joel | |
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 Billy Joel at the opening night of the 2009 season at the Metropolitan Opera | |
| Born | William Martin Joel May 9, 1949 The Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Hicksville High School |
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| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Weber (m. 1973; div. 1982) Christie Brinkley (m. 1985; div. 1994) Katie Lee (m. 2004; div. 2009) Alexis Roderick (m. 2015) |
| Children | Alexa Ray Joel Della Rose Joel Remy Anne Joel |
| Parent(s) | Howard Joel Rosalind Nyman |
| Musical career | |
| Also known as |
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| Origin | Hicksville, New York, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1965–present |
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| Website | billyjoel |
Joel was born in the Bronx, New York City. He grew up in Hicksville, New York. He joined his first band The Echoes (Later known as The Lost Souls) at age fourteen, and in the late 1960s he teamed up with The Hassles. The Hassles when on to release two albums. In 1970 After parting ways with The Hassles Joel and Hassles Drummer Jon Small Formed a two-man duo Attila. In 1971 his solo debut, Cold Spring Harbor, was released. (The title takes its name from a town in Long Island.)
He is good friends with both Donald trump and Hilary Clinton. However, Joel is a Democrat. He kept his political views private for many years but became more vocal during Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign, even performing at events to support him. However, he generally prefers not to mix his music career with politics, believing that fans come to his shows for the music, not political opinions [4]
Friendships with the Politicians
Billy Joel has had interactions with both Donald Trump and the Clintons, but it's more about mutual respect than close friendships. He described Trump's campaign as "very entertaining" and has dedicated songs to him at concerts2. However, he downplays the significance of his political opinions, emphasizing his role as an entertainer. As for the Clintons, Billy Joel has a friendly rapport with them. Bill and Hillary Clinton have attended his concerts, and he has dedicated songs to them as well4. They seem to share a mutual appreciation for each other's work. So, while he isn't necessarily "good friends" with either, he maintains a respectful and cordial relationship with both.
Acting
In 1988, Mr JoeL played a New York City dog named Dodger in the Disney animated movie, Oliver & Company.
Joel has been married four times. The first three ended in divorce. His first marriage was from 1973 to 1982. His second marriage, from 1985 to 1994, was to supermodel Christie Brinkley. Their daughter, Alexa Ray Joel (born 1985) is one of his three children. His daughter's middle name is taken from one of his musical influences, Ray Charles. His third marriage began in 2004. His fourth marriage with Alexis Roderick began in 2015. They had one child; Della Rose Joel, who was born on the 12th of August 2015. Baby Remy was born 2017. He released his first song in years, called Turn the Lights Back On.
Discography
- Studio albums
- Cold Spring Harbor (1971)
- Piano Man (1973)
- Streetlife Serenade (1974)
- Turnstiles (1976)
- The Stranger (1977)
- 52nd Street (1978)
- Glass Houses (1980)
- The Nylon Curtain (1982)
- An Innocent Man (1983)
- The Bridge (1986)
- Storm Front (1989)
- River of Dreams (1993)
- Fantasies & Delusions (2001)
Billy JoelDiscography Media
Joel performing in September 1972
Joel (second row, second from left) with other musicians for the recording of "We Are the World", January 1985
Joel performing in June 1994
Joel performing in June 1994
Joel performing at Madison Square Garden, c. 1995
Joel performing in Jacksonville, Florida in February 2007
A banner at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, commemorating Joel's 48 consecutive sold-out concerts at the Philadelphia venue as of 2008
Joel performing at Madison Square Garden in April 2016
Joel at Madison Square Garden in June 2019
Joel performing at a British Summer Time concert in Hyde Park in July 2023
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References
- ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2006). "Billy Joel Biography". AllMusic.com. Retrieved December 7, 2008.
- ↑ Johnstone, Andrew (6 February 2015). "A General Guide to Soft Rock". Rip It Up. Archived from the original on September 28, 2015. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
- ↑ nndb.com
- ↑ "Billy Joel's campaign donations". NewsMeat.com. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved December 8, 2008.