Early Efforts
Billy Joel’s quest for the music started when he began to learn piano at an early age. Seeking advice from music teachers like Timothy Ford and Morton Estrin, he polished his skills and nurtured his talent. After the mid-60s, Joel took music as a vocation and formed the band named Echoes. Covering some of the songs by The Beatles, the band played at small gigs. In 1967, Joel became part of the band known as The Hassles.
Within two years of his association with the group, he formed a duo with the band’s drummer, Jon Small. Calling themselves Attila, the two released an album but disbanded in 1970. With the start of the new decade, Joel decided to pursue an independent music career.
Solo Success
The release of Cold Spring Harbor marked the beginning of Billy Joel’s solo music career. The album couldn’t sell well but it introduced Joel’s voice to the listeners. He rose to prominence with his song, Piano Man which he recorded while working at The Executive Room piano bar. Soon he was signed to the Columbia Records and that song became the title of his second studio album which was released in 1973. The album hit different music charts and turned out to be a Multi-Platinum record in the US.
The following two albums, Streetlife Serenade and Turnstiles came out in 1974 and 1976 respectively and went Platinum. Joel’s 1977 album, The Stranger expanded the horizon of his music as it included layers of different genres and styles. The album proved to be an international hit and won him two Grammys. Continuous touring and headlining shows made him a successful artist.
Pervasive Fame
Billy Joel’s career thrived further with his first international chart topper, 52nd Street which was released in 1978. The album received Multi-Platinum certifications and also earned critical acclaim. The following record, Glass Houses was released in 1980 and it turned out to be another chartbuster. Billy Joel remained popular in the international music scene with his successive hit records such as The Nylon Curtain, An Innocent Man and The Bridge. Storm Front, released in 1989, marked the end of a wonderful decade full of artistic achievements.
Busier than ever before, Billy Joel toured around the world and played with many established musicians including Elton John. With the release of River of Dreams in 1993, Joel accomplished another level of brilliance as the record topped the music charts in UK, Australia and New Zealand. Throughout the decade, he released many special and compilation albums and received different awards and honors. For his Greatest Hits series, he received the RIAA Diamond Award.
Almost after 8 years of his last full length release, Joel came up with his latest full-fledged studio record, Fantasies & Delusions in 2001. The album consisted of originally composed piano pieces and was a success. During his 2006 world tour, Joel sold out many venues and set different attendance records. sales hit the roof and made his tour one of the most successful events of the year. In the recent years, Joel rereleased some of his albums along with his famous Face-to-Face Tour series with Elton John.
Billy Joel Live
Despite more than forty prolific years in the music industry and numerous achievements, Billy Joel stays up for more feats and his career shows no signs of slowing down. This is why he regularly comes on the road to please his fans. With a number of shows lined up as part of his latest tour, you can catch Joel live in one of his concerts at your nearest venue. Look out for his schedule to enjoy his greatest hits live.