Billy Joel

At 75 years old, Billy Joel has this physical status:

William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and pianist.

Since his first major hit and signature song of the same name, he has had a long career as a solo artist since the 1970s, including twelve studio albums from 1971 to 1993 as well as one studio album in 2001.

He is one of the best-selling solo artist of all time, as well as the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, with over 150 million albums sold around the world.

Greatest Hits Vol. - 1985 compilation album, The Greatest Hits Vol.

1 & 2, one of the best-selling albums in the United States, was born in 1949 in The Bronx, New York, and grew up on Long Island, both places that influenced his music.

He took piano lessons at the insistence of his mother when he was growing up.

Early life, family and education

William Martin Joel was born in the Bronx, New York, on May 9, 1949. When he was one year old, his family and his cousin Judy, who his parents adopted, were relocated to Hicksville, Long Island, where he and his cousin Judy, who were adopted in a section of Levitt homes.

Howard (born Helmut) Joel (1923–2011), a classical pianist and businessman, was born in Nuremberg, Germany, to a Jewish family, uncle merchant and manufacturer Karl Amson Joel. Howard was born in Switzerland. Joel Macht Fabrik, his father's father, had established a very profitable mail order textile company. Howard's family immigrated to Switzerland in order to flee the Nazi era. His father sold his company at a fraction of its value to emigrate. Since immigration quotas for German Jews prevented direct immigration at the time, the family landed in the United States via Cuba. Howard, an engineer in the United States, became an engineer, but music has always been cherished. Rosalind (1922–2014), Joseph's mother, was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Jewish parents, Philip and Rebecca Nyman, who immigrated from England.

At a Gilbert and Sullivan performance in the late-1930s at City College of New York, Joel's parents met in the late 1970s. He said that neither of his parents knew much about World War II, which had been so dark; it wasn't until later that he learned more about his father's family that he found out more about his father's family. Howard returned to Europe after Rosalind and Howard Joel divorced in 1957, saying the people were uneducated and materialistic. He landed in Vienna, Austria, and later remarried. Alexander Joel, Joel's half-brother, was born in Europe to his father, who became a classical conductor. Alexander Joel, the chief musical director of the Staatstheater Braunschweig from 2001 to 2014.

At his mother's insistence, Joel reluctantly began piano lessons at age four. Morton Estrin, a celebrated American pianist, and Timothy Ford, a composer, were among his teachers. Joel claims he is a more effective organist than pianist. Joel started boxing as a boy to protect himself. For a short time, he boxed successfully on the amateur Golden Gloves circuit, winning 22 bouts but then stopped the game shortly after his nose was broken in his 24th boxing match.

Though Joel's parents were Jewish, he was not raised in that faith. He and his friends went to a Roman Catholic church. He was baptized in a Church of Christ in Hicksville at age 11. He now appears to be an atheist.

Joel attended Hicksville High School until 1967, but did not graduate with him. After playing a late-night show at a piano bar the evening before, he was playing at a piano bar to help support himself, his mother, and sister, and skipped a critical English exam. Joel, although he was a good student in high school, did not have enough credits to graduate at the end of his senior year. Joel decided to embark on summer school to earn his degree rather than attending summer school: "I told them, 'To hell with it.' "I'm not going to Columbia University, and you don't need a high school diploma over there." In 1992, he submitted essays to the school board in lieu of the postponement of the missed examination. They were accepted, and he was awarded his diploma at Hicksville High's annual graduation ceremony 25 years since graduating.

Personal life

Elizabeth Weber Small, Joel's first wife, was a student at the University of On the other hand, she was a child at the University of Newfoundland. She was dating Jon Small, his music partner in the short-lived couple Attila, with whom she had a son when they first met. When the affair was revealed, Weber (temporarily) severed her relationships with both men. Weber and Joel married in 1973 and she became his boss. Joel's songs "She's Got a Way" and "She's Always a Woman" were inspired by her, as had his waitress role in "Piano Man." On July 20, 1982, the two married.

In March 1985, Joel married Deborah Brinkley for the second time. Alexa Ray Joel, their daughter, was born on December 29, 1985. After Ray Charles, one of Joel's musical idols, Alexa was given the middle name of Ray. On August 26, 1994, Joel and Brinkley divorced.

Joel married chef Katie Lee, his third wife, on October 2, 2004. Lee was 23 years old at the time, and Joel was 55. Alexa Ray, Joel's daughter, was born in 1880 and served as the maid of honor. Christie Brinkley, Joel Brinkley's second wife, attended the wedding and gave the couple their blessing. They announced their separation on June 17, 2009.

Joel married Alexis Roderick, an equestrian and former Morgan Stanley executive, at his Long Island home on July 4, 2015. She was 33 years old at the time, but she was 33. The event was hosted by Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York. The couple had been together since 2009. Della Rose Joel, the couple's daughter, was born on August 12, 2015. Remy Anne Joel, the couple's second child, was born on October 22, 2017.

In 2002, Joel bought a house in Centre Island, New York, for US$22 million. He also owns a house in Sag Harbor. In November 2015, Joel's waterfront home in Manalapan, Florida, went on sale. The 3.76-acre (1.52 ha) property was auctioned for US$10.2 million on January 28, 2020.

Joel has battled depression for many years. A career breakdown and personal tragedies aggravated his moods in 1970. He left a suicide note and attempted to end his life by drinking furniture polish. "I drank furniture polish," he later said. It looked more tastier than bleach." Jon Smallwood, his drummer and bandmate, rushed him to the hospital. Joel was admitted to Meadowbrook Hospital, where he was put on suicide watch and received depression treatment.

Joel wrote "You're Only Human" in 1985 as a way to discourage teen suicide.

Joel entered Silver Hill Hospital, a drug use and psychiatric center in New Canaan, Connecticut, in 2002. He checked into the Betty Ford Center in March 2005, where he spent 30 days in the Betty Ford Center for Alcohol abuse treatment.

Source

Music career

Joel was heavily influenced by early rock and roll, rhythm, and blues artists, including bands such as The Beatles, The Everly Brothers, and Elvis Presley, a.k.a.a.l., Joel favored tightly planned pop melodies and down-to-earth songwriting, with tighter structure and down-to-earth songwriting. Joel decided to pursue a career in music after seeing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. In an interview, he discussed the company's effect on it: the group's effect on them:

Joel joined the Echoes, a British Invasion cover company that concentrated on British Invasion covers at the age of 16. The Echoes first appeared on radio in 1965. Joel appeared on several albums released by Kama Sutra Productions and on Shadow Morton's recordings. Joel appeared on "Leader of the Pack" as a demo, which became a big hit for the Shangri-Las. Joel claims he appeared on "Walking in the Sand" on the Shangri-Las' "Remember" album in 1964, but he is unaware of whether he played on the demo or master version. Artie Ripp, who later became Joel's first to sign and produce Joel as a solo artist after Michael Lang, who had granted Joel a financial advance, told Joel that he should not concentrate his attention elsewhere.

The Echoes changed their name to the Emeralds in late 1965, and then to the Lost Souls. Joel left the band in 1967 to join the Hassles, a Long Island band that had signed with United Artists Records. They released four singles and two albums in the space of a year and a half (The Hassles and Hour of the Wolf). Both were business failures. In 1969, Joel and drummer Jon Small left the Hassles to form the duo Attila, releasing an eponymous debut album in 1970. The pair disbanded the following October, when Joel began an affair with Small's wife, Elizabeth. The pair later married.

Joel signed a deal with Family Productions, which also includes his debut solo album Cold Spring Harbor, a hamlet on Long Island. Ripp claims that he spent US$450,000 on Joel; but, the album was made at a much faster rate, and as a result, it was a commercial and commercial disappointment.

Both "She's Got a Way" and "Everybody Loves You Now" were among the first songs on this album, but they were not announced until Live performances on Songs in the Attic (1981). In 1983, Columbia released a remastered version of Cold Spring Harbor, with some songs cut or re-orchestrated.

Joel began his Cold Spring Harbor tour in 1971, with his band Rhys Clark on drums, Al Hertzberg on guitar, and Larry Russell on bass guitar, opening for bands like the J. Geils Band, Badfinger, Badfinger, and Taj Mahal. Joel's appearance at the Puerto Rican Mar y Sol Pop Festival was especially well-received; and, although Joel was unable to have it published on the Mar Y Sol compilation album Mar Y Sol: The First International Puerto Rico Pop Festival was a hit. Nonetheless, his interest in his music soared.

The Philadelphia radio station WMMR-FM started playing "Captain Jack" in the spring of 1972, which became a national hit on the East Coast. Herb Gordon, a Columbia Records executive, was introduced to the company and heard Joel's music. Joel left Columbia in 1972 and went to Los Angeles, California, where he stayed for the next three years. Bill Martin, a six-month waiter, appeared on Wilshire Boulevard as "Bill Martin." He created his signature hit "Piano Man" about the bar's patrons at that time.

Despite Joel's latest employment, he was legally bound to Family Productions. Joel's first deal with Columbia was sold by Artie Ripp. Walter Yetnikoff, the president of CBS/Columbia Records at the time, reclaimed ownership of Joel's songs in the late 1970s, granting the privileges to Joel as a birthday gift. Yetnikoff also mentions in the documentary film The Last Play at Shea that he had to threaten Ripp to end the transaction.

Piano Man was Joel's first album with Columbia, and he first appeared on Columbia in 1973. Despite modest revenues, Piano Man's title track became his signature piece, with almost every concert ending. Joel's touring band changed this year. Don Evans, drummer Larry Russell, and bassist Larry Russell were both recalled by Patrick McDonald in late 1974, who stayed with Joel until 1989. As a banjoist and pedal steel player, Rhys Clark returned to play; Tom Whitehorse as a banjoist and pedal steel player; Johnny Almond joined as a saxophonist and keyboardist. The band toured extensively in the United States and Canada, appearing on popular music shows. Joel's songwriting began catching more attention in 1974; Helen Reddy of the Piano Man album "You're My Home" was released on a piano Man album.

In 1974, Joel Serenade, a Los Angeles streetlife Serenade, released his second Columbia album. Jon Troy, an old friend from Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in New York, was immediately replaced by Elizabeth, Joel's wife. Serenade is a newspaper published in the United States. suburbia and the inner city are among the suburbs and the inner city. It is certainly best known for its No. "The Entertainer," a No. 68, which is perhaps best known. In the United States, 34 people have been killed. "Piano Man" had been seriously cut for radio play, Joel wrote "The Entertainer" as a sarcastic remark: "You gotta make it fit," he said on "The Entertainer" in a sarcastic way. Despite that critics disapproving Streetlife Serenade, the collection includes the hits "Los Angelenos" and "Root Beer Rag," an instrument that was a staple of his live set in the 1970s.

Joel appeared on several tracks on Bo Diddley's The 20th Anniversary of Rock 'n' Roll all-star album in late 1975.

Joel returned to New York City in 1975 and released Turnstiles, the first album he recorded with the musicians with whom he toured. Turnstiles was first recorded at Caribou Ranch by James William Guercio (then Chicago's producer), and Elton John's band appeared on stage at Caribou Ranch. Joel re-recorded the songs and produced the album himself, dissatisfied with the result.

Ronnie Spector and Nigel Olsson, later drummer with Elton John, were minor hits, and "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" was a minor hit; Ronnie Spector appeared on a cover; then drummer with Elton John. Joel said in a 2008 radio interview that he no longer performs the song because singing it in its original key "shreds" his vocal cords; however, he did attend it live for the first time since 1982, when he performed it at the Hollywood Bowl in May 2014. Despite being never released as a single, "New York State of Mind" became one of Joel's best-known songs; Barbra Streisand recorded a cover and Tony Bennett performed it as a duet with Joel on Playing with My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues. "Summer, Highland Falls"; "Miami 2017" (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway); and "Prelude/Angry Young Man," a concert mainstay.

Joel to Phil Ramone, who produced all of Joel's studio albums from The Stranger (1977) to The Bridge (1986), was released on Columbia Records. "Just the Way You Are" (No. 10) was a massive commercial success, spawning four Top-25 hits on the Billboard charts: "Just the Way You Are" was a huge commercial success. (No. 3) "Movin' Out" is a German word that means "No one." 17) "Only the Good Die Young" (No. 178). "She's Always a Woman" (No. 24) and "She's Always a Woman" (No. (17) is a student at the University of On the seventeenth of August, the author of the poem "Independence" was present. The Stranger, Joel's debuting on the charts, debuted as multi-platinum and ranked second on the charts, outselling Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water, Columbia's new top-selling album. The Stranger also featured "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," an album-oriented rock hit that has become one of his best-known songs.

"Just the Way You Are" — written for Joel Weber's first wife, Elizabeth Weber, was inspired by a dream and has received Grammy awards for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Joel received the news late one night in a hotel room on a tour of Paris. The Stranger was named as the 70th best album of all time by Rolling Stone.

In 1978, he opened 52nd Street, naming it after Manhattan's 52nd Street, which at the time of its unveiling served as the world headquarters of CBS/ Columbia. The album's sales of over seven million copies, which boosted it to the top of the charts by the hits "My Life" (No. 1). No. 3: "Big Shot" is on the radio. (No. 14) and "Honesty" (No. (24). A version of "My Life" (sung by Gary Bennett) became the theme song for a new television sitcom, Bosom Buddies, which starred actor Tom Hanks in one of his first appearances. Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, and Album of the Year was also given Grammy honors by 52nd Street.

Joel Mellon, 1979, arrived in Havana, Cuba, to attend the Havana Jam festival that took place between March 2 and 4, alongside Rita Coolidge, Kris Kristofferson, Stephen Stills, the CBS Jazz All-Stars, Billy Swan, Bonnie Bramlett, Weather Report, and a slew of Cuban musicians such as Irakere, Pacho Alonso, Tata Güines, and Orquesta Aragón. In Ernesto Juan Castellanos' film Havana Jam '79, his appearance is captured.

In 1982, 52nd Street was the first commercially released album on the then-new compact disc format.

Some commentators like Joel "Just the Way You Are," "She's Always a Woman," and "Honesty" prompted some observers to categorize him as a "balladeer" and "soft rocker" after his popularity as a pianist. Joel thought these labels were unfair and insulting, and with Glass Houses, he tried to record an album that showed that he could rock harder than his peers deserved, referring to the style of new wave rock music that was just becoming increasingly popular at the time. Joel is depicted on the front page of the book as wearing a leather jacket and about to throw a rock at a glass house (referring to the adage that "people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

At No. 1, glasshouses lasted six weeks. "You May Be Right" was the hit on the Billboard chart and yielded the hits "You May Be Right" (used as the theme song for CBS mid-1990s sitcom Dave's World). "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me," Joel's first Billboard number one single (for two weeks) in July 1980; "Don't Ask Me Why" (No. "Sometimes a Dream" is a fictional story by 19, September 1980; and "Sometimes a Dream" is no longer a dream. (No. (November 1980): 36 people died in the fall of 1980. According to American Top 40, "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" spent 11 weeks in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, the seventh biggest hit of 1980. The Garden's Gold Ticket Award was given to him for selling more than 100,000 tickets at the Madison Square Garden in 1980.

The Grammy Award for Male Vocal Performance is given to Glass Houses. It also received the American Music Award for Favorite Album, Pop/Rock category. "Through The Long Night," the album's closing song (B-side of the "It's Still Rock & Roll to Me) collection, was a lullaby that featured Joel harmonizing with himself in a song he claims was inspired by The Beatles' "Yes It Is." Joel later recollected that he had written to the Beatles and told them how to get them started in the music business in a recorded Masterclass at the University of Pennsylvania. He was given a pamphlet about Beatles merchandise in reaction. Later, Joel's suggestion of conducting Q&A sessions around the world answering questions about the music industry sparked rumors of him.

Songs in the Attic, his next collection, was based on live performances of less well-known songs from the start of his career. In June and July 1980, it was exhibited in larger US arenas and in intimate nightclub shows. Several of Joel's earlier works were introduced here by this series, who discovered him in 1977 as a smash, in 1977. The album debuted at No. 1. "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" (No. 8) was 8 on the Billboard chart and released two hit singles: "Say Goodbye to Hollywood." (No. 17) and "She Has Got a Way" (No. 23 years old. It has sold more than 3 million copies. Joel's album was also a hit, although not as good as some of his previous albums.

Joel's next wave in his career began with the release of his upcoming studio album, The Nylon Curtain. Joel became more prolific with his songwriting, and he began to write articles such as "Allentown" and "Goodnight Saigon." Joel has stated that he wanted to highlight his thoughts about the American Dream and how shifts in American politics during the Reagan years meant "all of a sudden you weren't going to inherit [the kind of life] your old man had." He also wanted to be more adventurous in his use of the recording studio. On The Nylon Curtain, Joel said he wanted to "create a sonic masterpiece." He spent more time in the studio, making the album's sound, than he did on any previous album. The Nylon Curtain's production began in 1981 in the fall. However, production was temporarily suspended when Joel was involved in a serious motorcycle accident on Long Island on April 15, 1982, critically injuring his hands. Despite this, Joel recovered from his injury quickly, and the album was only delayed for a few months.

In 1982, he began a brief tour in support of the album. Joel made his first video special, Live from Long Island, which was shot at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, on December 30, 1982. It was one of the tour's final shows. It was first broadcast on HBO in 1983 before it was available on VHS.

The Nylon Curtain rode has soared to No. 1. On the charts, 7th on the charts, partially due to heavy airplay on MTV for the singles "Allentown" and "Pressure."

Joel's new album deviated from The Nylon Curtain's serious subject matter and a more jolly tone. Joel's album An Innocent Man was Joel's tribute to R&B and doo wop music of the 1950s and 1960s, resulting in Joel's second Billboard number-one hit, "Tell Her About It," the first single from the album in 1983. The album itself debuted at No. 10 on the charts. The chart has a 4 on the charts and No. No. In the United Kingdom, there are two. It also had six top-franked singles, the most of any album in Joel's catalog. Critics loved the album, with Stephen Thomas Erlewine, senior editor for AllMusic, describing Joel as "in peak form as a craftsman on record, effortlessly spinning out infectious, memorable melodies in a variety of styles."

WCBS-FM began playing "Uptown Girl" on regular rotation and on Doo Wop Live, at the time when the album was released. On its debut, the album became a worldwide hit. Christie Brinkley, the song's future wife who was originally written about then girlfriend Elle MacPherson, was portrayed in the song's music video, and Joel's character is on display in the gas station where Joel's character is portrayed. Joel's "grease monkey" character leaves his "uptown lady" on the back of a motorcycle at the end of the video. Joel's first word when Brinkley decided to film was "I don't dance" when she first opened his door. In the film, Brinkley was forced to lead him through the basic steps. Their work on this video shoot culminated in a friendship between the two people that culminated in their marriage in 1985.

"An Innocent Man," the title song, was unveiled in December, debuted as a single and reached No. 58. In the United States and No. 10, ten in the United States and No. No. 98. 8 people were killed in the United Kingdom early in 1984. The Longest Time" was published in March as a single, with the No. 1 soaring at No. 13. On the Hot 100 and No. 1, 14 people are ranked at 14 and No. On the Adult Contemporary Chart, there are 1st on the Adult Contemporary Chart. "Leave a Tender Moment Alone," the summer, was introduced, reaching No. 27 while "Keeping the Faith" reached its high point at No. 27. In January 1985, there were 18 people in the country. Christie Brinkley also appears in the "Keeping the Faith" video. An Innocent Man was also nominated for the Album of the Year Grammy Award, but Michael Jackson's Thriller took the top honors.

In 1985, Joel appeared in the United States as part of the Africa "We Are the World" campaign.

Joel was asked about the possibility of a collection of his most popular singles following the success of An Innocent Man. This was not the first time this topic had surfaced, but Joel had earlier considered "Greatest Hits" albums to signal the end of one's career. This time he agreed, and he was one of the first hits on Vol. 1 and 2 was released as a four-sided album and two-CD set, with the songs listed in the order in which they were released. The songs "You're Only Human" and "The Night Is Young" were recorded and released as singles to promote the album; both songs reached the top 40, peaking at No. 2nd. The number 9 and No. 1 are the same as the No. 9 in the United States. The 34th and the 39th respectively. The RIAA has designated Greatest Hits as double diamonds, with over 11.5 million (23 million units) sold. According to the RIAA, it is one of the best-selling albums in American music history.

Joel released a two-volume Video Album, coinciding with the debut of his album Greatest Hits. Joel also produced a video for his first hit, "Piano Man," for this project, as well as videos for the new singles from the Greatest Hits collection.

Joel's next album, The Bridge (1986), did not have the same success as his previous albums, but it did have the hits "A Matter of Trust" and "Modern Woman" from the film Ruthless People, a dark comedy by Airplane's designers. (Both No. 235) Neither No. 216 (both No. 5) (10) – the tenth of the century. Joel is seen in the video portraying a Gibson Les Paul, a departure from his "piano man" persona. The ballad "This is the Time" is also charted, peaking at No. 1, with a peak at No. 2. 18.

On a Season 3 episode of Moonlighting, an extended version of the song "Big Man on Mulberry Street" was used on November 18, 1986. The episode's name was also "Big Man on Mulberry Street."

After Joel's last album to carry the Family Productions logo, he severed his ties with Artie Ripp. In many interviews, Joel has also stated that he does not agree that The Bridge is a good album, most recently in a 2008 interview with a Performing Songwriter magazine.

Joel and his staff began planning a trip to the Soviet Union in October 1986. Live shows at indoor arenas in Moscow, Leningrad, and Tbilisi. Joel, his family (including young daughter Alexa) and his complete touring band all made the trip in July 1987. To reduce the expense of the journey, the entourage was filmed for television and video, and the concerts were simulcast on radio around the world. Joel's Russian tour was the first live rock radio broadcast in Soviet history. The tour was later recognized as one of the first fully staged pop rock shows to visit the Soviet Union, but Elton John, James Taylor, and Bonnie Raitt all toured in the country before Joel.

The majority of the audience took a long time to warm up to Joel's energetic performance, something that had never happened in other countries where he had appeared. Anytime the fans were struck with the bright lights, everyone who seemed to be enjoying themselves froze, according to Joel. In addition, security had taken away people who were "overreacting." Joel turned his electric piano and snapped a microphone stand while singing. He later apologised for the incident.

In October 1987, the album "Concert" was released in Russia. On his most vocally challenging songs, including "An Innocent Man," singer Pete Hewlett was brought to the top. In addition, Joel did productions of "Back in the United StatesR" and "They Are a Changin" by The Beatles. Joel has said the goodwill he displayed there was well worth it, according to the estimates.

Joel appears in a rare voice acting role in the Disney animated children's film Oliver & Company, which was released in November 1988 as the character Dodger, a sarcastic Jack Russell based on the Artful Dodger. The character's appearance is based on Joel's appearance at the time, as well as his iconic Wayfarer sunglasses. "Why Should I Worry?" Joel sang of his character. "I am a child of a long line."

Storm Front, a 1988 record, coincided with major changes in Joel's career and marked a period of significant upheaval in his company affairs. Joel dismissed his manager (and former brother-in-law) Frank Weber in August 1989, only days before the album was released, following an investigation that revealed major accounting errors in Weber's records. Joel later sued Weber for US$90 million, alleging theft and breach of fiduciary duty, and in January 1990, he was given US$2 million in a partial judgment against Weber; in April, the court dismissed a US$30 million countersuit brought by Weber.

"We Didn't Start the Fire," Joel's first single on the album, was released in September 1989 and became the country's third and most popular number one, spending two weeks at the top. Storm Front was announced in October and became Joel's first number one album since Glass Houses, nine years ago. Storm Front was Joel's first album since Turnstiles that could not be released without having Phil Ramone as the producer. He wanted a new look for this album, and he worked with Mick Jones of Foreigner on this project. Joel is also listed as one of Jones' 1988 self-titled solo album, and he appears in Jones' official video "Just Wanna Hold"; Joel is seen playing the piano while his then-wife Christie Brinkley joins him and kisses him. Joel also reformed his backing band, including multi-instrumentalist Crystal Taliefero, who slammed drummer Liberty DeVitt, guitarist David Brown, and saxophone player Mark Rivera.

"I Go to Extremes," Storm Front's second single, "I Go to Extremes," reached No. In early 1990, there were six children. The album was also known for its song "Leningrad," written after Joel encountered a clown in the Soviet city of that name on his tour in 1987; "The Downeaster Alexa" was written to emphasize the plight of fishermen on Long Island, who are unable to make ends meet. "And So It Goes" - the ballad is another well-known track from the album. (No. In late 1990, there were 37 people in the province of France. The song was released in 1983, around the time Joel was writing songs for An Innocent Man, but "And So It Goes" didn't fit the album's retro style, so it was postponed until Storm Front. Storm Front was a turbulent album, and "And So It Goes," the album's last song, portrayed the calm and quiet that often follows a violent storm.

Joel brought another US$90 million lawsuit against his former lawyer Allen Grubman in the summer of 1992, charging a variety of crimes, including theft, breach of fiduciary responsibility, malpractice, and breach of contract, but the lawsuit was ultimately settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.

Sam & Dave, a R&B musician, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. Joel began recording River of Dreams in early 1993, and the collection was completed in early 1993. Christie Brinkley's cover art was a vivid representation of scenes from each of the songs on the album. Joel's eponymous debut was the first top ten hit song he's had to date, winning No. 3 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and ranked No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and ranked No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and ranked at No. 1. The 1993 Hot 100 chart has a 21-on-the-year-end Hot 100 list. In addition to the title track, the album also includes the hits "All About Soul" (with Color Me Badd on backing vocals) and "Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)", which was written for his daughter, Alexa. On The Essential Billy Joel (2001), a radio remix version of "All About Soul," as well as a demo version on My Lives (2005).

Frank Weber, his ex-manager, was interviewed on the setlist for Joel's 2006 tour, and he was a regular on the setlist for the Chinese "Great Wall of China." "2000 Years" was a hit at the Millennium Square Garden concert in 1999, and "Famous Last Words" closed the book on Joel's pop songwriting for more than a decade.

Joel began touring extensively with Elton John on a number of "Face to Face" tours in 1994, making them the longest-running and most profitable concert pair in pop music history. During these performances, the two performers performed their own songs, covered each other's songs, and even performed duets. In a sold-out 2003 tour, they earned more than $46 million in just 24 dates. In March 2010, Joel and John began the Face to Face tour in March 2009, but it came to an end, at least for the time being. Joel denied rumors in the trade press that he had cancelled a summer 2010 leg of the tour, saying that there were no dates booked and that he intended to postpone the year off. "We'll probably pick it up again," Joel said in a Rolling Stone magazine. It's always fun to play with him."

Joel and his second wife Christie Brinkley declared on April 13, 1994 that they had split, and that their divorce was completed in August 1994. The two people were best friends.

"To Make You Feel My Love" and "Hey Girl" both charted from Joel's "Most Hits Volume III collection in 1997. Joel wrote and performed "Shameless" an album that was later released by Garth Brooks and reached No. 2. 1 on Billboard's country charts. During his Central Park concert in 1997, Joel appeared with Brooks. Joel was inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 to add to his list of achievements. Ray Charles made the induction address and spoke about Joel's "Baby Grand" (a track on Joel's album The Bridge, which was released in 1986).

Joel appeared at Madison Square Garden in New York on December 31, 1999. Joel announced that it would be his last tour and possibly his last show at the time. Two of his performances from that night, "We Didn't Start the Fire" and "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant," were shot and broadcast on ABC's special New Year's special New Year's Y2K coverage. The performance, dubbed "The Night of the 2000 Years," lasted for nearly four hours and was later titled "The Millennium Concert."

In 2001, Joel founded Fantasies & Delusions, a series of classical piano pieces. All were composed by Joel and performed by Hyung-ki Joo. Joel often uses portions of these songs as interludes in live performances, and some of them are part of the Movin' Output score. At No. 2, the album debuted at No. 1 on the classical charts. 1. On September 21, 2001, Joel performed "New York State of Mind" live in Madison Square Garden as part of the America: A Tribute to Heroes charity benefit concert, as well as "Miami 2017" (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway). He appeared on "Your Song" with Elton John that night.

Joel inducted The Righteous Brothers into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, noting that his song "Until the Night" from the album 52nd Street was a salute to the pair.

Columbia's My Lives box set, which is mainly a collection of demos, b-sides, live/alternative versions, and even a few Top 40 hits, was released in 2005. The Umixit software is also included in the set, in which people can remix "Zanzibar" and a live version of "I Go to Extremes" with their PC. In addition, a DVD of a show from the River of Dreams tour is included.

Joel began a tour around the United States on January 7, 2006, despite not having written or released any new songs in 13 years, he featured a collection of hits from his career as well as obscure ones like "Zanzibar" and "All for Leyna." During several months at Madison Square Garden in New York City, he sold out concerts at a record breaking 12 sold-out concerts. Bruce Springsteen, a New Jersey native, who appeared in ten sold-out shows at the same venue, broke a previous record set by the singer's stint at Madison Square Garden. Joel was the first retired number (12) in the arena occupied by a non-athletic. Joel has also been honoured at Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia), formerly the Wachovia Center) in Philadelphia, where a banner featuring the Philadelphia Flyers is on display honoring Joel's 48 Philadelphia sold-out shows. In addition, he received a banner in recognition for being the highest grossing act in the Times Union Center's (formerly the Knickerbocker Arena and Pepsi Arena) in Albany, New York. This award was given to him as part of the 2007 show that he did not attend. Columbia released 12 Gardens Live on June 13, 2006, a double album containing 32 live recordings from Joel's 2006 visit to Madison Square Garden during his visit to Madison Square Garden.

As part of his European leg of his 2006 tour, Joel visited the United Kingdom and Ireland for the first time in many years. He held a free concert in Rome on July 31, 2006, with the Colosseum in the background.

In late 2006, Joel toured South Africa, Australia, Japan, and Hawaii, and then toured the Southeast United States in February and March 2007, before he landed in the Midwest in 2007. Billy had recorded a new song with lyrics on January 3rd of this year, the first new song with lyrics he'd written in nearly 14 years. Joel's newest album, titled "All My Life," was released in 2007 (with the second track "You're My Home") live from Madison Square Garden's 2006 tour), and was released in stores on February 27, 2007. Joel performed the national anthem for Super Bowl XLI on February 4, becoming the first man to perform the national anthem twice at a Super Bowl. On April 17, 2007, Joel was honoured in Albany, New York, for his ninth appearance at the Times Union Center. He is now sporting the most high box office attendance of any artist to perform at the arena. In his remembrance for his achievement, a banner was unveiled.

Joel premiered his new song "Christmas in Fallujah" on December 1, 2007. Cass Dillon, a new Long Island-based musician, performed the song as Joel thought it should be performed by someone in a soldier's age range (though he himself has performed the song occasionally in concert). The servicemen, who were stationed in Iraq, were the subject of the run. After receiving numerous letters from American soldiers in Iraq, Joel wrote it in September 2007. Joel's "Christmas in Fallujah" is Joel's second pop/rock song since 1993's River of Dreams. The Homes For Our Troops Foundation was funded by the proceeds from the song.

Joel performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra on January 26, 2008, marking the Academy of Music's 151st anniversary. "Waltz No. 1" was Joel's classical work on display. 2 (Steinway Hall)" from Fantasies and Delusions arranged by Brad Ellis. He also performed some of his less well-known pieces, including the rarely performed Nylon Curtain songs "Scandinavian Skies" and "Where's the Orchestra?" "I'm a scientist."

In a ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City on March 10, 2008, Joel inducted John Mellencamp into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

From May to July 2008, Joel sold out ten concerts at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. The casino paid tribute to him by hanging in the arena with a banner displaying his name and the number 10. He appeared at the grand re-opening of Caesars Windsor (formerly Windsor Windsor) in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, to a large audience of Casino VIPs. His mood was upbeat and joke-filled, even introducing himself as "Billy Joel's dad" and claiming that "you guys overpaid to see a fat bald guy." Gordon Lightfoot, a Canadian folk-pop musician, was also responsible for "She's Always A Woman," he said.

Joel appeared at Shea Stadium for the last time on July 16 and 18, 2008. Tony Bennett, Don Henley, John Mayer, John Mellencamp, John Mellencamp, Steven Tyler, Roger Daltrey, Garth Brooks, and Paul McCartney were among his guests. The concerts were featured in the 2010 documentary film Last Play at Shea. On February 8, 2011, the film was released on DVD. Live at Shea Stadium, the show's CD and DVD were released on March 8, 2011.

During a concert at Acer Arena in Sydney on December 11, 2008, Joel performed his own version of "Christmas in Fallujah" and released it as a live single in Australia only. It's the only official announcement of Joel's "Christmas in Fallujah" as Cass Dillon performed on the 2007 studio recording and a handful of times the song was broadcast live in 2007. During Joel's December 2008 tour of Australia, he performed the song.

Liberty DeVitto, Joel DeVitto's ex drummer, filed a lawsuit in New York on May 19, 2009, arguing that Joel and Sony Music owe DeVitto over ten years of royal payments. DeVitto had never been granted songwriting or arrangement credit for any of Joel's songs, but he did help with the production of "Only the Good Die Young." Joel and DeVitto amicably ended the case in April 2010.

Cold Spring Harbor, Joel's first album, was released in 2011. According to Joel's official website, the effort was intended to commemorate this year with a definite reissue of fully restored and expanded Legacy editions of the complete Billy Joel catalog, recently curated collections of rarities from the vaults, previously unobtainable studio tracks, home video recordings, and others. In a two-disc Legacy Edition, the album Piano Man was re-released in November 2011.

Joel and its affiliate Rondor Music International have signed an exclusive worldwide publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) and its affiliate Rondor Music International in 2012. UMPG and Rondor replaced EMI Music Publishing in handling Joel's catalog outside of the United States as part of the deal. In addition, Joel's record of publishing rights in the 1980s was revived by the deal, meaning he started using an administrator to handle his catalog in the United States. The deal's goal is to increase the use of Joel's music in films, television shows, and commercials.

Joel appeared at The Concert for Sandy Relief at Madison Square Garden on December 12, 2012, a benefit for all the victims of Hurricane Sandy. To make it refer to all the harm caused by Sandy, he changed the lyrics to "Miami 2017" (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway).

On November 1, it was revealed that Joel would hold his first indoor Irish concert at the O2 in Dublin. He returned to the United Kingdom for the first time in seven years to appear in October and November for the first time in seven years. Joel performed in Manchester and Birmingham as well as London's Hammersmith Apollo. Joel held a surprise concert on Long Island at The Paramount (Huntington, New York), to raise Long Island Cares in October. The venue seats 1,555 people and sold out in five minutes. When Joel appeared at Barclays Center in New York City on December 31, 2013, he headlined a solo arena concert in New York City for the first time since 2006.

Joel announced a concert appearance at Madison Square Garden beginning in January 27, 2014. The Billy Joel in Concert tour debuted at the Amway Center (in Orlando, Florida), where Joel performed several cover songs, including Elton John's "You Can't Buy Me Love," Billy Preston's "You Are So Beautiful," and "When I'm 64," as well as AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long" (with Brian Johnson). Joel also performed an unusual set, including "Souvenir" (from 1974's Streetlife Serenade) and excluding "We Didn't Start the Fire."

In 2015, Joel appeared in 21 concerts in place of his regular Madison Square Garden residency. His appearance at Nassau Coliseum on August 4, 2015 was the last concert before the arena under US$261 million restoration. Joel performed the first concert at the newly renovated Nassau Coliseum on April 5, 2017. Joel appeared at the first concert at Atlanta's new SunTrust Park, the Atlanta Braves' suburban home.

He returned to Hicksville High School, five years after his classmates earned their diplomas, on June 24, 2017 to deliver the honorary commencement address. It was also the 25th anniversary of the High School's recognition of his own diploma.

Joel announced a concert at Camden Yards, home to the Baltimore Orioles, on March 19, the first-ever game at the baseball stadium. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Joel was forced to postpone his concerts between March 2020 and August 2021.

Source