William Martin “Billy” Joel (born May 9, 1949) is a pianist, singer-songwriter, and composer. He attended Hicksville High School, in Hicksville, NY, where he participated in chorale (the school’s most advanced choral group). As a child, Joel was reluctantly urged by his mother to take piano lessons, but by high school he was already performing at piano bars to help bring money home. (In fact, his hectic late-night performing schedule caused him to miss a crucial exam at the end of his senior year, and he ended up not receiving his diploma until 25 years later.) After seeing the Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show, Joel was inspired to go ahead and pursue a career in music. He went solo in the early ‘70s and amassed 33 Top 40 hits from the 1970s through the 1990s. His first single, “Piano Man,” was a major hit and has become his signature song. Joel is now the 6th best-selling recording artist in the U.S. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.
Awards (partial list):
- Grammy Award for Song of the Year for “Just the Way You Are.” 1979
- Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for 52nd Street. 1980
- Grammy Award for Album of the Year for 52nd Street. 1980
- Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male, for Glass Houses. 1981
- MusiCares Person of the Year. 2002
Source: Wikipedia