HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILLY!
He's 74 and shows NO SIGN of slowing down.
Happy birthday to Billy Joel! William Martin Joel was born May 9,1949 in New York City. He released 12 studio albums from 1971 to 1993, with hits like “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me,” “Just the Way You Are,” “We Didn’t Start The Fire,” and “River of Dreams.”
Joel, nicknamed the Piano Man after his signature 1973 song, is one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time. He was named a Grammy Legend in 1990. He’s been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He also received Kennedy Center Honors in 2013.
Joel is also one of the world’s best entertainers. He started a residency at Madison Square Garden in 2014 and said he’d play one show every month as long as demand was there. In 2023, he’s still playing the Garden and is on track to perform his 100th show there later this year! Oh, and he’s also touring the country right now with Stevie Nicks. (Here’s how to win your tickets!)
Joel just played MSG over the weekend and paid tribute to Gordon Lightfoot by performing his hit song “Sundown.” Lightfoot was a Canadian singer-songwriter who is credited with helping define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 70s. He died May 1 at age 84.
Joel splits his time between New York City and Florida, where he lives with his fourth wife, Alexis Roderick, and their two young daughters. His oldest daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, is 37, and following in her father’s footsteps as a singer, songwriter, and pianist.
