Home » Music » Music Legends » Piano Man - Billy Joel

Piano Man - Billy Joel

© Ann Stanton

Billy Joel's incredible style has sustained through the 70's, 80's and 90's and his songwriting has touched listeners worldwide. From Allentown to River Of Dreams, he has managed to write his way into our lives.

The Piano Man was born William Martin Joel on May 9, 1949 in the Bronx. His parents encouraged him to take piano lessons after they noticed his overwhelming interest in music at age four. Billy studied classical music for twelve years. During his teens, he divided his time between street gangs and music. He learned to box and was soon fighting on a regular basis - a total of 22 fights during his teen years. During one of which, he broke his nose.

In 1964, after seeing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, Billy decided to pursue his musical career. He set out in search of a band to join and soon became a member of The Echoes. The band became a popular area attraction and he quit school to perform full time.

In 1965, at the age of sixteen and while still a member of the Echoes, Joel delved into playing recording sessions. I bet you didn't know that he played on the Shagrai La's "Leader of the Pack" - as we look at his past, we see that Billy Joel has been making music to live by since his youth. The Echoes changed their name to the Emeralds and later to the Lost Souls. He left the Lost Souls in 1967 to join the Hassles. And although the band released two albums, they failed to sell and broke up in 1969.

Billy later joined forces with Jon Small, and formed Attila - a drum and organ duo. They released a psychelelic-sounding album void of guitars but it failed and the duo broke up, shortly afterward. The break up, perhaps in part to Joel's affair with Small's wife, who eventually left her husband to marry Billy. Shortly after the breakup, he began a battle with depression that eventually led to a failed suicide attempt. He checked himself into the hospital and received treatment.

In 1971, he returned to music and signed contract with Family Productions. Under terms, he also signed with the parent company, Ripp - for life. The company would receive royalties from all of Billy's albums, into the late 80's. He released the defunct album Spring Harbor and went on tour, that year. But unhappy with his own performance and due to legal problems, he did not release a follow-up record.