presents
Billy
Joel's
Time-Line
1949-William Martin Joel was born in the Bronx, NY. on May 9. The family moves to the Levittown section of Hicksville on Long Island where he spends his childhood and young adult years.
1953-Begins studying piano.
1963-Joins his first band, The Echoes, later known as The Lost Souls.
1967-Joins The Hassles, a Long Island-based band, and records the The Hassles, the first of two albums for United Artists.
1968-The Hassles record their second album Hour of the Wolf.
1970-Forms Attila, a heavy metal duo with Hassles' drummer, Jon Small. Attila records one album on Epic Records.
1971-Signs a solo recording contract and releases his first album, Cold Spring Harbor.
Disappears to the West Coast as a result of a contractual dispute, where he performs in piano bars under the name Bill Martin.
1972-WMMR-FM, a radio station in Philadelphia, starts playing a tape of a new song, ‘Captain Jack,’ taken from a live concert broadcast.
1973-He is signed to Columbia Records and records the album Piano Man in Los Angeles.
1974-The song ‘Piano Man’ becomes his first top 20 single & first gold album.
1975-Records Streetlife Serenade in Los Angeles. The album garners the first of many music industry awards to come, including a Cashbox award for Best New Male Vocalist.
1976-Returns to New York, assembles a new band and records Turnstiles
1977-Writes,records and releases The Stranger, his first collaboration with producer Phil Ramone. From the time of its release in 1977 until 1985, The Stranger is Columbia Records’ biggest selling album
1978-The song ‘Just the Way You Are’ captures two Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
Releases 52nd St. which becomes his first #1 album.
1979- Travels to Cuba for Havana Jam, an historic three day event at the Karl Marx Theater.
Headlines a benefit concert for the Long Island based Charity Begins At Home.
1980-Glass Houses reaches #1 on the Billboard Album Chart and remains there for six weeks.
Receives an American Music Award for Album of the Year.
1981-Wins Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male at the 1981 Grammy Awards, as well as a People's Choice Award for Favorite Male Pop Performer.
Releases a live album, Songs in the Attic,
1982-Sustains serious injury to both hands in a motorcycle accident while recording the The Nylon Curtain. After a two month recovery period, the album is completed. earns a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year.
1983-Writes and records the album An Innocent Man which reaches #4 on the Billboard charts and is nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of the Year. The album generates six Top 40 singles,
Columbia Records re-releases Cold Spring Harbor.
1985-Greatest Hits Volume I and Volume II is released and becomes
Joins fellow musicians John Mellencamp and Randy Newman for Farm Aid I, and participates in USA For Africa.
Marries model Christie Brinkley. Their daughter Alexa Ray is born at the end of the year.
1986-The Bridge album is released featuring collaborations with Ray Charles, Cyndi Lauper, and Steve Winwood.
1987-Becomes the first U.S. pop star to bring a full rock production to the Soviet Union. He performs in Moscow and in Leningrad. The two-disc live album Kohuept (the Russian word for concert) is released in October.
1988-Performs at Radio City Music Hall with Hall & Oates and Cyndi Lauper at a concert to benefit the New York Police Athletic League.
1989-Begins working with Producer Mick Jones and records Storm Front. The first single ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’ reaches #1 on Billboard singles charts.
1990-Presented with the Grammy Legend Award.
Performs The Concert for the Bays and the Baymen at the Jones Beach Amphitheater to benefit marine-related groups.
1991-Performs two USO concerts in the Philippines at Clark Air Force Base and Subic Naval Base during the Persian Gulf War.
Headlines Back At the Ranch, a concert to benefit Long Island environmental groups and joins Don Henley and Sting at Madision Square Garden atThe Concert for Walden Woods.
1993-Records River Of Dreams which debuts at #1 on the Billboard Album Chart.
Joins a star-studded cast for a performance to benefit AIDS Project Los Angeles.
1994-Receives four Grammy nominations including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male for the song ‘The River of Dreams’ and Album of the Year for River of Dreams.
Teams up with Elton John for an historic summer stadium tour of the U.S.
Marriage to Christie Brinkley ends.
The RIAA certifies Songs in the Attic and The Nylon Curtain for sales of 2 million units which moves him into a tie with the Beatles as the act with the most multiplatinum albums.
Presented with the Billboard Century Award.
1995-Experiences the disastrous Kobe earthquake while on tour in Japan. Donates proceeds from two concerts in Osaka to local earthquake relief efforts.
Performs with Sting and others at the Rainforest Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall.
1996-Hits the college lecture circuit with “An Evening of Questions, Answers...and a Little Music.” He speaks at 32 different schools.
Starts The Long Island Boat Company to build the Shelter Island Runabout 38’, a classic powerboat designed by Joel. By 1999, 20 boats are sold.
1997-Releases Greatest Hits Volume III.
Presented with the prestigious ASCAP’s Founder’s Award for lifetime achievement.
1998-Commences a solo tour of the United States and Canada, and reprises the ‘Face to Face’ tour with Elton John in Japan and Australia.
Performs with Sting and others at the Rainforest Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall.
1999-Presented with the American Music Awards’ Award of Merit.
Worldwide sales top the 100 million unit mark.
Reunites with Sting and others at the Rainforest Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall.
Received the RIAA Diamond Award for Greatest Hits Volume I and Volume II. The Diamond Award is presented for albums that have sold over 10 million copies. Greatest Hits Volume I and II is the highest certified greatest hits album by a male artist with over 20 million albums sold.
Ray Charles inducts Billy Joel into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
played a sold out millennium concert at new york's madison squere garden
2000-Presented with The James Smithson Bicentennial Medal from The Smithsonian Institution.
Releases Billy Joel 2000 Years - The Millenium Concert.
Received an Honorary Doctorate of Music from The Long Island University - Southampton College.
sung the national anthem at yankee stadium game 1 of the subway series of the world series(YANKEES WON!)
peforms one song with elton john and anounces that he will tour with elton in 2001
2001-Joins forces with Elton John to kickoff the Face to Face 2001 Tour beginning in San Diego, CA on January 19, 2001.
peformed on the tonight show with jay lenno
On June 14, Billy is awarded the Johnny Mercer Award at the Songwriter's Hall of Fame Dinner in New York City.
Joel performed "New York State of Mind' on the America: A Tribute To Heroes special that aired on 31 networks simultaneously on September 21, 2001. He also performed at the Concert for New York City on October 20, 2001 playing "Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)" and "New York State of Mind" as well as performing a poignant duet of "Your Song" with Elton John and participating in the all-star finales "Let It Be" and "Freedom". The concert raised millions of dollars for the September 11th relief fund.
2001 also saw Billy release two new albums. Fantasies and Delusions, his long awaited album of solo piano compositions was released on October 2nd, along with a 36 track compilation album, The Essential Billy Joel. Fantasies and Delusions shot to the top of the classical charts and held the number one position for weeks.
In the fall of 2001, Billy Joel appeared at college campuses for a series of Master Classes. Joel answered questions from the audience and, along with pianist Richard Joo, performed selections from Fantasies and Delusions as well as songs from Joel's extensive song catalog. One of the Master Classes was recorded in Philadelphia and aired nationally on the A&E special "Billy Joel: In His Own Words".
2002-Billy Joel is named Music Cares Person of the Year 2002.
Movin' Out opens on October 24.
Billy Joel and Toots Thielemans perform at the Blue Note on October 29.
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