In 1970, the decline of his career and personal tragedy worsened his spirits. On July 31, 2006, he performed a free concert in Rome, with the Colosseum as the backdrop.[83]. 2 in UK. Billy Joel's music elevates self-aggrandizing self-pity and contempt for others into its own new and awful genre: "Mock-Rock." And the badness of really bad art is, I believe, always worth. Advertisement. From one of the final shows of the tour, Joel made his first video special, Live from Long Island, which was recorded at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York on December 30, 1982. Joel visited the United Kingdom and Ireland for the first time in many years as part of the European leg of his 2006 tour. "[107] In 2014, Schruers published a biography, simply titled Billy Joel, based on his extensive personal interviews with Joel. Joel has won five Grammys, including Album of the Year for 52nd Street and Song of the Year and Record of the Year for "Just the Way You Are". It looked tastier than bleach. 17). Joel's performance at the Puerto Rican Mar y Sol Pop Festival was especially well-received; and although recorded, Joel refused to have it published on the Mar Y Sol compilation album Mar Y Sol: The First International Puerto Rico Pop Festival. Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo conducted the ceremony. 2 together on Oct. 22, 2017. The song "The Great Wall of China" was written about his ex-manager Frank Weber and was a regular in the setlist for Joel's 2006 tour. William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American pianist, singer-songwriter, and composer. And when I saw four guys who didn't look like they'd come out of the Hollywood star mill, who played their own songs and instruments, and especially because you could see this look in John Lennon's faceand he looked like he was always saying: 'F--- you! Probably", "EXCLUSIVE: Billy Joel is voting for Hillary Clinton", "Syracuse University to present five honorary degrees at its 152nd Commencement", "Joel Gets Special Award at Grammy Kickoff", "Rolling Stone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time 2004 401-500", "VPA continues Billy Joel Visiting Composer Series with residency by Scottish composer Judith Weir", "Billy Joel, Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock Receive Kennedy Center Honors", "Billy Joel to receive Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from Library of Congress", "Billy Joel: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize", "Joel: 100th MSG show beyond 'wildest expectations', "1984 MTV Video Music Awards Winners and Nominees", "The 61st Annual New York EMMY Award Winners", National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, "The 63rd Annual New York EMMY Award Winners", "Billy Joel Emmy Awards, Nominations and Wins", Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born), Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip, Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Billy_Joel&oldid=1152403392, American people of English-Jewish descent, Musicians from the New York metropolitan area, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Vague or ambiguous time from October 2012, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from October 2012, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from April 2019, All articles needing additional references, Articles with failed verification from October 2012, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 30 April 2023, at 01:24. In December, the title song, "An Innocent Man", was released as a single and it peaked at No. Later, the singer discovered Frank that had secretly stolen tens of millions from him, causing Joel to sue Weber for $30 million in compensatory damages and $60 million in punitive damages, according to the Los Angeles Times. Joel's second wife, Brinkley, offered her best wishes to the couple following their surprise wedding. [146], On July 18, 2018, Governor Andrew Cuomo proclaimed the date to be Billy Joel Day in New York state to mark his 100th performance at Madison Square Garden.[147]. The . On January 3 of that year, news was leaked to the New York Post that Billy had recorded a new song with lyricsthis being the first new song with lyrics he'd written in almost 14 years. In August 1989, just before the album was released, Joel dismissed his manager (and former brother-in-law) Frank Weber after an audit revealed major discrepancies in Weber's accounting. Yet despite having his heart broken, Joel has managed to be on good terms with each of his ex-wives: Elizabeth Weber (married from 1973-1982), Christie Brinkley (married from 1985-1994) and Katie Lee (2004-2010). That was the decade when Billy first became famous. Recommended for you Kilifi: Police Bar Media from Covering Exhumation in Paul Mackenzie's Homes. The Uptown Girl singer has three ex-wives: Elizabeth Weber, Christie Brinkley, and Katie Lee. At age 16, Joel joined the Echoes,[38] a group that specialized in British Invasion covers. That night, he also performed "Your Song" with Elton John. They were accepted, and he was awarded his diploma at Hicksville High's annual graduation ceremony 25 years after leaving. On January 28, 2020, the 3.76-acre (1.52 ha) property sold for US$10.2 million. The "Piano Man" singer met Roderick, who is his fourth wife, at a restaurant in 2009 and the pair married in 2015. This decision is a result of much thoughtful consideration. So before he was hopeless in love with Alexis Roderick, one of the first women who became his salvation in his 20s and ended up leaving a deep scar in his heart is his first wife Elizabeth Weber. In 2019, Christie Brinkley revealed that she and Billy Joel still got together every Christmas season for a sing-along. It sold over 3 million copies. After nine years of marriage, Brinkley and Joel divorced in 1994. You just need one one person out of millions to know and accept and love you for being, well, just the way you are," he told Schruers. To add onto his achievements Joel was inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. His August 4, 2015, engagement at Nassau Coliseum was the final concert prior to the arena undergoing a US$261million renovation. His manager at the time was Jon Troy, an old friend from New York's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood; Troy was soon replaced by Joel's wife Elizabeth. "I'm really happy for them. [88] In April 2010, it was announced that Joel and DeVitto amicably resolved the lawsuit. The couple had no children together. Reportedly, there were many reasons for the split, including the fact that Joel was always on tour and Brinkley wanted a tighter, closer-knit family. It also boasted six top-30 singles, the most of any album in Joel's catalog. 10). That one performance changed my life Up to that moment I'd never considered playing rock as a career. All About Kylie McDevitt Kelce, CNN's Alex Marquardt Weds Amanda McClements in 'Dreamy' Mallorca Wedding: 'A Magical Joyous Moment', Who Is Theo James' Wife? [80] Joel told Rolling Stone magazine: "We'll probably pick it up again. Joel performed with Brooks during his Central Park concert in 1997. His tour included an unprecedented 12 sold-out concerts over several months at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Billy Joel has plenty of reasons to smile tonight! Singer Pete Hewlett was brought in to hit the high notes on his most vocally challenging songs, like "An Innocent Man". Storm Front was Joel's first album since Turnstiles to be recorded without Phil Ramone as producer. His mood was light, and joke-filled, even introducing himself as "Billy Joel's dad" and stating "you guys overpaid to see a fat bald guy". Three divorces later, Joel decided to walk down the aisle once again in 2015 to his fourth wife, former hedge fund manager, Alexis Roderick. Needless to say, the split cost Joel some serious cash. Even their 2015 summer wedding was a surprise to family and friends. A radio remix version of "All About Soul" can be found on The Essential Billy Joel (2001), and a demo version appears on My Lives (2005). Joel is the only performing artist to have played both Yankee and Shea Stadiums, as well as Giants Stadium, Madison Square Garden, and Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. [18] He settled in Vienna, Austria and later remarried. "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" spent 11 weeks in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and was the seventh biggest hit of 1980 according to American Top 40. She was previously married to Billy' band member Jon Small and had a child. I was thinking about that. Billy Joel's first wife was Elizabeth Weber Small. The album was well received by critics, with Stephen Thomas Erlewine, senior editor for AllMusic, describing Joel as being "in top form as a craftsman throughout the record, effortlessly spinning out infectious, memorable melodies in a variety of styles. You can have all the money in the world, you can have mansions, you can have properties, you can have yachts, you can have limousines, you can have motorcycles, .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Billy Joel told his official biographer Fred Schruers. All About Shannon Tweed, Who Is Woody Harrelson's Wife? However, she left the industry shortly before marrying Joel in 2015. The first major occurrence was when she disappeared from Billy and their mutual friends when Billy first met her back in the 70s. Joel and Stevie Nicks jointly announced plans to perform a series of concerts across the United States in 2023, tentatively beginning with SoFi Stadium outside Los Angeles on March 10. They went on to welcome daughters Della Rose and Remy Anne. On December 12, 2012, Joel performed as part of 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief at Madison Square Garden, a concert held for all the victims of Hurricane Sandy. On April 17, 2007, Joel was honored in Albany, New York for his ninth concert at the Times Union Center. The singer's stint of 12 shows at Madison Square Garden broke a previous record set by New Jersey native Bruce Springsteen, who played 10 sold-out shows at the same arena. 1 & 2 is one of the The music video of the song, originally written about then-girlfriend Elle MacPherson, featured future wife Christie Brinkley as a high-society girl who pulls her car into the gas station where Joel's character is working. Joel's next album, The Bridge (1986), did not achieve the level of success of his previous albums, but it yielded the hits "A Matter of Trust" and "Modern Woman" from the film Ruthless People, a dark comedy from the directors of Airplane! On July 16 and 18, 2008, Joel played the final concerts at Shea Stadium before its demolition. The ballad "This is the Time" also charted, peaking at No. In the end, he made the song singular, and by the time the music video rolled around, he was dating Brinkley. Billy Joel and Elizabeth Weber WireImage Joel met his first wife in 1970, through his friend and bandmate Jon Small. 17), and "She's Got a Way" (No. Della was born on Aug. 12, 2015, a month after her parents' surprise wedding. Weber and Joel later reconciled and married in 1973, she then became his manager. 9 and No. 52nd Street was the first commercially released album on the then-new compact disc format, in 1982.[59]. It is a song about personal independence and climbed to #3 on the pop singles chart. He is currently 73 years old. Joel's next album moved away from the serious themes of The Nylon Curtain and struck a much lighter tone. While they prefer to keep their daughters out of the spotlight, Joel has shared a few sweet photos of them on social media over the years. Im gonna spend a lot of time with this kid,he told Newsday in 2015. [111] Their daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, was born December 29, 1985. Joel has struggled with depression for many years. This later led to the idea of Joel conducting Q&A sessions around the world answering questions that people had about the music industry. Joel's songs 'She's Got a Way' and 'She's Always a Woman' were inspired by her, as was the waitress character in 'Piano Man'. The album 52nd Street was Billy Joel's first to hit #1 on the album chart. The recording of the album Storm Front, which commenced in 1988, coincided with major changes in Joel's career and inaugurated a period of serious upheaval in his business affairs. Joel said that he wanted to "create a sonic masterpiece" on The Nylon Curtain. "Just the Way You Are"written for Joel's first wife, Elizabeth Weber[54]was inspired by a dream[55] and won Grammy awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. It is one of the best-selling albums in American music history, according to the RIAA. So who is Billy Joel's wife? A cover of "My Life" (sung by Gary Bennett) became the theme song for a new television sitcom, Bosom Buddies, which featured actor Tom Hanks in one of his earliest roles. He has a daughter Alexa Ray, 32, with Christie, and two daughters, Della Rose, 2, and Remy, seven months, with Alexis. ", Billy Joel: The Ex-Wives and Former Fling Who Inspired His Hit Songs, Photo: David Mcgough/DMI/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images, Elizabeth Weber and Billy Joel; Photo: David Mcgough/DMI/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images, Christie Brinkley and Billy Joel in 1990.; Photo: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images. Despite the breakup, the pair remained on relatively good terms and are still friends to this day. Elizabeth Ann Weber (born 1942; Age: 81 years old) is an American lady best known as the first wife of Billy Joel, the legendary rock and roll musician. Billy Joel and wife Alexis welcomed their second daughter, Remy Anne, on Sunday, October 22nd. Being the first wife to a six-time Grammy winner, Elizabeth has been a figure of inspiration to many of Billy's top songs. , Katie Lee was a college student at Miami University in Ohiowhen she met Billy Joel. The eponymous first single was the last top 10 hit Joel has penned to date, reaching No. 8 on the Billboard chart and produced two hit singles: "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" (No. Wishing the growing family every happiness!" Joel announced a concert residency at Madison Square Garden, playing one concert a month indefinitely, starting January 27, 2014. So he spent more time in the studio, crafting the sound of the album, than he had on any previous album. He began playing at a piano bar, and it was there he met supermodels Elle MacPherson, Christie Brinkley and an up-and-coming singer, Whitney Houston. Although never released as a single, "New York State of Mind" became one of Joel's best-known songs; Barbra Streisand recorded a cover and Tony Bennett performed it as a duet with Joel on Playing with My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues. [72], Most of that audience took a long while to warm up to Joel's energetic show, something that had never happened in other countries he had performed in. Roderick was pregnant when she married Joel and gave birth to their daughter Della Rose Joel on August 12, 2015. ", "Billy Joel sees self as working homebody", "Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel headline Barack Obama midtown cash bash", "Billy Joel: Change of Heart and an Obama Endorsement", "Did Billy Joel just diss Donald Trump? 8 in the UK, early in 1984. Three years later, Billy married supermodel Christie Brinkley, and the duo welcomed a daughter named Alexa Ray Joel, 32, in December 1985. Elle was so tall that I looked like Bubbles the Chimp next to her, and I realized this was just not going to work.. Joel played piano on several records released through Kama Sutra Productions and on recordings produced by Shadow Morton. Their relationship actually started as an affair, as she was still married to Jon Small, one of Joel's musical collaborators. Andrew Cuomo for Coronavirus Pandemic Efforts, Who Is Alan Alda's Wife? 18 in January 1985. Growing up, he took piano lessons at his mother's insistence. Joel and drummer Jon Small left the Hassles in 1969 to form the duo Attila, releasing an eponymous debut album in July 1970. She accumulated massive amounts of wealth from her ex-husband's successful career, and you must be interested in knowing how much she is worth today. It also won the American Music Award for Favorite Album, Pop/Rock category. Joel was scheduled to play at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin in June 2018. She and her ex-husband Joel had a rather tumultuous nine-year marriage. [119] The couple's second daughter, Remy Anne Joel, on October 22, 2017. Joel also granted Weber power of attorney and full control over his financial affairs and career dealings. [120], Joel bought a house in Centre Island, New York in 2002 for US$22million. William Martin Joel was born on May 9, 1949, in the Bronx, New York. On December 1, 2007, Joel premiered his new song "Christmas in Fallujah". [citation needed], Joel has suffered from severe depression for most of his life. On January 7, 2006, Joel began a tour across the U.S. Having not written, or at least released, any new songs in 13 years, he featured a sampling of songs from throughout his career, including major hits as well as obscure tunes like "Zanzibar" and "All for Leyna". After his divorce from Weber, Joel went to St. Bart's for a holiday getaway. [22][23], Joel reluctantly began piano lessons at age four at his mother's insistence. Here are the love stories behind some of Joel's famous tunes: Falling in love with and marrying his first wife, Weber, was arguably the costliest relationship Joel ever had. Since then, Elizabeth has been away from the limelight as people wonder what she is up to. He and Roderick were each with a group of friends at a restaurant in Huntington, New York. Heres the inside scoop on the Piano Mans current spouse, Alexis Roderick, and his three ex-wives. "[81], Joel and second wife Christie Brinkley announced on April 13, 1994, that they had separated, and their divorce was finalized in August 1994. intelligent and not afraid to speak her mind, but could also be seductive. "Christmas in Fallujah" is only the second pop/rock song released by Joel since 1993's River of Dreams. Billy Joel is focusing on his wife and kids. He was 66, she was 33. At the time, Joel said that it would be his last tour and possibly his last concert. As is often the case with young musicians, Joel did not understand the contract, and it bound . She drove Joel back to his home on Centre Island, a peninsula on Long Island's North Shore, and when he offered to play her something on the piano, she turned him down but that didn't stop Joel. He lights up every stage he sings on, so its no surprise that Billy Joel is always in the spotlight. 37 in late 1990). Business-savvy and ambitious, Weber became Joels manager and helped him hit it big. She wasnt like a lot of the other girls I knew at that time who had taken home ec and cooking classes, he said in the book Billy Joel: The Definitive Biography. Joel's first wife was Elizabeth Weber Small. One year, for Weber's birthday, Joel wrote her the song Just the Way You Are, and after he played it for her she said, "Do I get the publishing, too?". Her. All About Film Producer Nancy Juvonen, Who Is Eugene Levy's Wife? [18] In the United States, Howard became an engineer but always loved music. The compilation also includes the Umixit software, in which people can remix "Zanzibar" and a live version of "I Go to Extremes" with their PC. Billy Joel has been married four times. According to Joel, each time the fans were hit with the bright lights, anybody who seemed to be enjoying themselves froze. The Bridge was Joel's last album to carry the Family Productions logo, after which he severed his ties with Artie Ripp. Over the next few years, Katie carved out a successful career for herself as a cookbook author, food and lifestyle writer, and occasional TV show host. He left a suicide note and attempted to end his life by drinking furniture polish. Age, Height, and Weight Being born on 9 May 1949, Billy Joel is 73 years old as of today's date 1st April 2023. The couple had no kids together. See Kevin Spacey Sing Billy Joel's 'Piano Man'! Brinkley famously appeared as the love interest in Joel's "Uptown Girl" music video, so everyone naturally assumed the song was inspired by her. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. However, Joel and Brinkley's marriage had major challenges. It has been estimated that Joel lost more than US$1million of his own money on the trip and concerts, but he has said the goodwill he was shown there was well worth it.[46].