Billy was born into a musical family, his Father being a pianist encouraged him to learn the piano at an early age and was taught by American pianist Morton Estrin and musician Timothy Ford.
The New York born musician decided to pursue a music career after being inspired by The Beatles. He went on to find a group named 'The Echoes' who were similar to The Beatles and specialised in British Invasion covers. The band started to record in studios in 1965, but Billy was unfortunately kicked out of the band as he refused to wear the matching outfits worn by the other members. However, Billy went on to play the piano solo for various productions and recordings.
Eventually he recorded his first solo studio album, released in 1971, named "Cold Spring Harbour". This was not as successful as he had hope however, and later signed with Columbia and released another album with them in 1973, named "Piano Man".
Finally a breakthrough for the talented pianist, since the release of his first hit song, "Piano Man", Billy Joel famously became the 6th best selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in America.
He has impressively been included into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in his music career.
Billy Joel is a legendary singer-songwriter and pianist. Since the release his 1973 hit, ‘Piano Man’, Billy Joel has become the USA’s sixth best-selling recording ever. He is currently performing monthly shows at New York’s Madison Square Gardens. These sell-out shows are grand affairs.
As expected, each gig is a sell-out. Each month the crowd gathers, bursting with anticipation. As Billy Joel takes to the piano, a deafening roar of yells, whoops and claps erupts. Despite undertaking a musical residency, Billy is careful to avoid repetition. The set list changes each month and the songwriter freely and spontaneously speaks to the audience between numbers.
April’s set opened with ‘Miami 2017.’ Always a showman, Billy began with a true crowd-pleaser. This track showcased the singer’s powerful and near-faultless vocals, setting the scene for the rest of the evening. This month’s crafted set list demonstrated Billy’s intricate understanding of what makes a good a show. The performer guided his audience through a mixture of old classics, new compositions and inventive covers. Indeed, reflecting on his long career and progressing years, Billy gave an apt rendition of The Beatles' ‘When I'm Sixty-Four.’ The concert finished on a high. The whole crowd exuberantly sang along to ‘Only the Good Die Young’ and were treated to Mark Rivera’s ever-brilliant sax playing.