Billy Joel Biography

Fast Facts

• In 1992, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame
• Was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Ray Charles in 1999
• Joined his first band, The Echoes, in 1963, which later changed its name to The Lost Souls
• Quote: "It's a struggle to fit words onto music, and I want it to be really, really good, so I take a long time․ I love having written, but I hate writing․"
• Quote: "I'm not going to just stick to one kind of music; I'm going to do all kinds of music․ I like it all․"
• A singer-songwriter, pianist and composer, his singles "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" and "My Life" achieved RIAA Platinum Status
• His breakout song, "Piano Man," was his first top 20 single and his first gold album
• A boating enthusiast, he helped design a custom commuter yacht and founded the Long Island Boat Company
• Opened a shop for manufacturing custom-made retro-styled motorcycles and accessories in 2010
• Was the first U․S․ pop star to perform in a full rock production in the Soviet Union, performing in Moscow and Leningrad