Billy Joel

The famed "Piano Man" and one-half of the Elton John-Billy Joel tours,
this guy has finally made the transition from rock & roll to classic piano.
 

REAL NAME: William Martin Joel

BIRTH PLACE: The Bronx, New York

BIRTH DATE: May 9, 1949

SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY:
    The Hassles (1967)
    Hour of the Wolf (1968)
    Attila (1970)
    Cold Spring Harbor (1971)
    Piano Man (1973)
    Streetlife Serenade (1974)
    Turnstiles (1976)
    The Stranger (1977)
    52nd Street (1978)
    Glass Houses (1980)
    Songs in the Attic (1981)
    The Nylon Curtain (1982)
    An Innocent Man (1983)
    Greatest Hits Volumes I, II (1985)
    The Bridge (1986)
    Kohuept (1987)
    Storm Front (1989)
    River of Dreams (1993)
    Greatest Hits Volume III (1997)
    Fantasies and Delusions (2001)

MARRIAGES: Elizabeth Weber, from 1974-1982.
                              Famous model/actress Christie Brinkley, from 1985-1994. They had one daughter (Alexa).
                              Kate Lee, the 23-year-old he married in October 2004.

OTHER INTRIGUING FACTS:
    Before becoming a solo artist, Billy Joel was a member of a fairly well-known Long Island band called The Hassles. Shortly after his involvement with them, he formed his own band: Attila.
    Alexa Ray, Joel's daughter with Christie Brinkley, was named after Ray Charles.
    In the summer of 1987, Joel became the first U.S. pop star to "bring a fully-staged rock production to the Soviet Union." It was considered a great cultural breakthrough at the time. Kohuept was the live double-album created from this.
    1994 marked the year when the producers of the Grammys cut Frank Sinatra off in the middle of his Lifetime Achievement Award speech. Upset by the act of disrespect, Joel led the protests. In the middle of performing "River of Dreams" later in the show, he took a long pause, checking his watch and grinning as he filled "valuable advertising time" with dead air.
    While Joel was on tour in Japan for River of Dreams in 1995, the Kobe earthquake hit. As a result, he decided to donate the proceeds of that concert to relief funds.
    Fantasies and Delusions, an album of classical piano compositions, was something Joel had wanted to do for many years. Unfortunately, his fan base seemed threatened by it. Upon its release, however, the album shot to the top of the classical charts, staying there for several weeks.
    Joel is a known contributor to the Make A Wish Foundation, as well as VH1's Save The Music.

For more information, see www.billyjoel.com