Billy Joel is an American singer-songwriter and pianist, born on May 9, 1949 in the Bronx, New York. He began his musical career in the 1970s, releasing his first album, "Cold Spring Harbor", in 1971. He gained notoriety with his 1977 album, "The Stranger," which produced several hit singles such as "Just the Way You Are," "Only the Good Die Young" and "She's Always a Woman." Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Billy Joel released a series of hit albums such as "52nd Street," "Glass Houses," "The Nylon Curtain," "An Innocent Man" and "The Bridge. His songs often deal with themes of love, heartbreak and personal struggles, and he became one of the most popular solo artists of his time.
In addition to his successful musical career, Billy Joel has also been involved in various charitable and philanthropic endeavors. He has been a strong advocate for music education and has supported organizations such as the Long Island Music Hall of Fame and the Heckscher Museum of Art, as well as helping to establish the Long Island High School for the Arts, which provides students with the opportunity to study music, dance, theater and visual arts. In 1999, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and in 2013, he received the Kennedy Center Honors. Billy Joel continues to perform and tour and is considered one of the best selling musical artists of all time.
