- Born
- Birth nameWilliam Martin Joel
- Nicknames
- The Piano Man
- Joe
- Mr. Long Island
- Height5′ 5″ (1.65 m)
- William Martin Joel is an American singer, pianist, composer and songwriter. Commonly nicknamed the "Piano Man" after his single and signature song of the same name, he has led a commercially successful career as a solo artist since the 1970s, having released 12 pop and rock studio albums from 1971 to 1993 as well as one studio album of classical compositions in 2001. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, as well as the seventh-best-selling recording artist and the fourth-best-selling solo artist in the United States, with over 160 million records sold worldwide. His 1985 compilation album, Greatest Hits Vol. 1 & 2, is one of the best-selling albums in the United States.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Bonitao
- SpousesAlexis Roderick(July 4, 2015 - present) (2 children)Katie Lee(October 2, 2004 - May 25, 2011) (divorced)Christie Brinkley(March 23, 1985 - August 25, 1994) (divorced, 1 child)Elizabeth Weber(September 5, 1973 - July 20, 1982) (divorced)
- ChildrenDella Rose JoelRemy Anne Joel
- Often writes songs about New York City
- Goatee
- New York accent
- Joel was once a successful Long Island boxer, winning 22 out of 24 fights. He had taken boxing lessons because he was frequently beaten up by neighborhood bullies. He left his boxing career and went into music when his nose was broken in his 24th fight.
- Alexa Ray Joel, Billy Joel's daughter with Christie Brinkley, was named after piano legend Ray Charles.
- One of the very few artists to have top ten hits in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.
- Classically-trained pianist.
- He played piano on The Shangri-Las' hit single, "Leader of the Pack" (1965). He was 16 years old at the time.
- I look in the mirror and I go: you're a rock star? It's funny I don't look like a rock star, I don't walk around thinking like a rock star. I'm just this shmegdorf walking around and somebody confronts me and goes BILLY JOEL! and I'm like: Right, I'm that guy.
- I have a theory as to why I've been around so long. I don't think I'm all that good, I think I'm competent, I know how to do what I'm supposed to do. I know how to play the piano, I know how to sing in key, I know how to write music & lyrics, I know how to record and I know how to perform. I'm competent. I know how to do my job.
- I'd rather laugh with the sinners, than cry with the saints.
- There's nothing better than good sex. But bad sex? A peanut butter and jelly sandwich is better than bad sex.
- I love telling stories, and I love hearing a good story being told. Songwriting is fascinating in that it incorporates two things that I love to do: create a story and write the music to it. Then I get to sing it and play the piano on top of that. My job allows me to do four things that I absolutely love. It doesn't get much better than that.
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