Singer-songwriter, piano man William Martin Joel was born on
May 9, 1949 in the Bronx section of New York City. As a teenager,
influenced by the Beatles, he performed with local bands and on
numerous recording sessions before signing with Columbia Records
and moving to Los Angeles.

Yearning for his native New York, Billy returned there in 1975
after a song written about his job playing in a Los Angeles piano
bar, “Piano Man” formally introduced him to radio and the
Hit Parade, but it was “Just The Way You Are” in 1977 that
earned him a million selling gold record. “My Life” followed
a year later, with “You May Be Right” giving him more gold
and a #1 hit, “It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me” in 1980.

Another #1, “Tell Her About It” in 1983 with “Uptown Girl” and
“An Innocent Man” adding additional gold for Billy Joel. Among his
other hits were, “Only The Good Die Young,” “She’s Always A
Woman,” “Honesty,” “ Don’t Ask Me Why,” “She’s Got A Way,”
“Leave A Tender Moment Alone,” “You’re Only Human,”
“Modern Woman,” “A Matter of Trust,” “We Didn’t Start The Fire”
and “I Go To Extremes.”

With his albums selling in the millions, “New York State of Mind”
became a signature song for Billy Joel.

A Grammy winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of
Fame in 1999 and honored with a star on the Hollywood
Walk of Fame in 2005.

Visit the Billy Joel website here.