『Billy Joel - Audio Biography』のカバーアート

Billy Joel - Audio Biography

Billy Joel - Audio Biography

著者： 2024 Quiet Please
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 Billy Joel - The Piano Man Childhood & Early Inspiration William Martin Joel was born in the Bronx on May 9, 1949. His father Howard was an accomplished classically trained pianist, while his mother Rosalind was an admirer of pop music stars. Introduced to the piano at age 4, young Billy took quickly to his father's intense classical training regimen while also soaking in his mother’s pop tastes from stars like Ray Charles and The Beatles. Billy's parents split when he was just shy of his teen years, profoundly impacting the shy boy. He channeled feelings of sadness and anger into piano playing. By age 16, his musical tastes had evolved into blues, soul and rock, with masters like Paul McCartney and John Lennon as heroes. In supporting himself, Joel took up boxing for a short period under the name Billy Martin. He continued nurturing his piano skills by performing at local events and bars. Early Career & Struggles Quitting high school to pursue a career in music full-time, Joel joined various pop groups through the mid-1960s. In 1970 at just 20 years old, he signed his first solo record deal with Family Productions, releasing his debut Cold Spring Harbor the next year. The terms of the Family Productions deal swindled Joel out of royalties, as the album was mastered incorrectly to play at too high a speed. Devastated and embarrassed by the results, Joel fled to Los Angeles where he began playing piano bars under the pseudonym Bill Martin to make ends meet. After 6 months out west, Joel returned to New York with a newfound appreciation for songwriting craftsmanship while performing live. Breakthrough Success Joel's fortunes changed in 1972 when Columbia Records signed him after seeing a local club performance. His 1973 album Piano Man, captured Joel’s tales of struggle and characters encountered during his Los Angeles piano bar stint. The heartfelt title track became his first major hit single, earning Joel national television appearances and widespread fame at last. Over his next albums Streetlife Serenade and Turnstiles, Joel honed his fusion of pop, rock, blues and Tin Pan Alley into a signature sound while continuing to draw influence from his personal life. Songs like "The Entertainer" and "Say Goodbye to Hollywood" cemented his reputation as an insightful chronicler of the triumphs and pitfalls chasing artistic dreams. Superstardom Joel’s 1977 album The Stranger launched him into iconic stardom on the wings of hits “Just the Way You Are,” “Movin’ Out” and “Only the Good Die Young.” It garnered him the first two of six career Grammy awards. He quickly followed up with 52nd Street in 1978, containing chart-toppers “My Life,” “Big Shot,” and “Honesty.” By the end of the decade, Joel ranked as one of the highest-selling music artists in America. He captivated audiences with marathon concerts showcasing his impeccable piano playing and voice. Joel also began collaborating with other superstars like Paul McCartney as his prestige soared. 1980s Peak The 1980s saw Joel unleash some of popular music’s most ubiquitous songs, catapulting him to widespread fame beyond just rock circles. His fusion of classical compositional styles with pop melodicism hit new highs with the release of Glass Houses in 1980. Upbeat rockers like “You May Be Right” and “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” became anthems that connected strongly with youth. Later songs explored deeper themes, with the ballad “Just the Way You Are” earning Joel his first two Grammy awards in 1979. The Nylon Curtain album tackled pressing social issues like Vietnam veterans’ struggles and American factories shuttering. Chart smash “Uptown Girl” off the follow-up An Innocent Man album became emblematic of Joel's revival of pop standards styles. Joel's concert appeal also swelled enormously during the 1980s prime. Backed by his reliable band, shows stretched over 3 hours nightly, treating crowds to electric performances of hits alongside album cuts and improvised jams. His month-long residency touring the Soviet Union in 1987 also made history as the first American rock act ever to perform there, helping thaw Cold War tensions through music. 1990s – Present Legacy While the 1990s saw Joel release his final pop album River of Dreams, the decade kicked off with his highest honor - induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. He became one of the youngest solo artists ever enlisted, affirming his body of work's stature and influence. In 2013, Joel received Kennedy Center Honors for enriching American culture through music. Though no longer recording new albums, Joel continues performing sold-out shows annually at New York’s Madison Square Garden, celebrating his decades of hits. In 2014, he played his record-setting 65th consecutive MSG monthly gig, outdoing even The Grateful Dead’s previous house act record there. Now over 50 years into his illustrious career, Billy Joel’s catalog stands ...2024 Quiet Please 政治・政府 音楽
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  • Billy Joel's Farewell Era: Motorcycle Shop Closes, Mansion for Sale, Music Lives On

    Billy Joel's Farewell Era: Motorcycle Shop Closes, Mansion for Sale, Music Lives On
    2025/08/16
    Billy Joel BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.

    Billy Joel has been everywhere this week—and not just in the music headlines. His private world just got a lot more public with the news that his beloved Long Island motorcycle shop, 20th Century Cycles, is closing down after nearly 15 years. According to the Associated Press and Newsday, the shop in Oyster Bay, famed among motorcycle fans and home to over 75 of Billy’s bikes, is shuttering its doors in September. The reason hits hard: his publicist confirms it’s due to his “recent medical issue,” namely the brain condition Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, which led him to cancel his tour earlier this year. Billy is set to auction off his prized motorcycle collection later in 2025, a moment that’s bound to attract collectors and sentimental fans alike. The shop—beyond just being a business—was a touchstone for fans, with Oyster Bay even renaming part of the street Billy Joel Way in his honor last year.

    But he’s not going quietly into that Florida sunset. Billy’s Long Island mansion is up for grabs at just under $30 million, though he assures fans he’s keeping a foothold in Sag Harbor, joking that he just plans to join the rest of the “old Jewish guys from Long Island” in Florida and enjoy a slower pace. Even with these transitions, Billy Joel’s financial status remains undented; Men’s Journal reports his net worth is still a jaw-dropping $250 million, a figure reflecting not just his record sales but the unmatched Madison Square Garden residency he wrapped in 2024.

    The music is very much alive—if not always live. While the Piano Man himself has taken a step back from performing due to his health, his songbook is still packing venues. The Cleveland Orchestra, under Stuart Chafetz, headlined a well-received tribute at Blossom Music Center on August 10, revisiting Billy’s classics and keeping his catalog front and center for new generations.

    Meanwhile, the Billy Joel-Sting stadium powerhouse continues: tickets are flying for their massive Citi Field co-bill in Queens on August 21, and fan chatter is hot on social media, speculating if this could be one of Joel’s last NYC performances. Madison Square Garden is already feeling the gap; Billboard reports a notable drop in MSG Entertainment’s profits without Joel’s steady box office magnetism.

    Even his personal life made an affectionate blip, with his daughter Della Rose Joel celebrating her 10th birthday this week—a moment sweetly marked on Instagram by the family’s heartfelt message.

    Headlines this week hammer one point home: even as he faces personal health changes, Billy Joel’s business moves, treasured possessions, and enduring music legacy are defining a new chapter, with the public just as fascinated as ever.

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  • Billy Joel's HBO Doc, Florida Move, and Enduring Legacy | 2-Minute Music News

    Billy Joel's HBO Doc, Florida Move, and Enduring Legacy | 2-Minute Music News
    2025/08/12
    Billy Joel BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.

    This is Biosnap AI. Here is what is verifiably new on Billy Joel in the past few days, weighted for lasting significance. The most consequential development is the sustained media attention around the new two-part HBO documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes, which is being discussed as a major, candid career retrospective with Joel on camera and contemporaries weighing in; Barrett Media highlights it as a fresh cultural touchpoint for classic rock audiences while noting it’s a Playtone production that is broadly sympathetic, and Connecticut Public’s The Colin McEnroe Show devoted an episode to the film and Joel’s complicated critical reputation, underscoring its biographical relevance for the long term, including renewed focus on his early manager and first wife Elizabeth Weber and his family history as a German Jewish refugee lineage according to Modern Daily Knitting’s review and discussion of the doc, which aligns with widely known biography. According to Barrett Media and Connecticut Public, the documentary is landing as a five-hour reassessment moment that will likely shape how new audiences encounter Joel’s story.

    On news and business activity, a wave of event listings and promotions is orbiting around Joel’s brand. BizBash reports a historical note being resurfaced in current coverage cycles: Billy Joel once opened The Show at Agua Caliente back in February when the venue launched; that piece is being re-circulated in recent days as venues leverage Joel’s name in programming narratives. The Lords of 52nd Street, Joel’s classic band alumni, announced another Legends of Billy Joel Band date for October at the Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, reinforcing catalog vitality and brand presence without Joel’s direct participation, per the Ruth Eckerd Hall listing. Tribute traffic remains brisk, with regional concerts like River of Dreams in Denville and a Piano Man tribute in Roswell on community calendars amplifying his footprint, according to Shop Morris County and Roswell 365. These are not Joel appearances but reflect enduring demand.

    On social media and personal life chatter, an Instagram real estate post notes Joel is officially a Florida resident and has his longtime Centre Island property on the market for 29.9 million; that real estate storyline has trended before and is now being re-upped in the past 24–48 hours via listing-flavored posts, per Instagram. This aligns with previous reporting over the past year about his Florida move, and while not career-defining, it is a public-facing personal update with long-term biographical relevance as it marks a residency shift.

    Unconfirmed or speculative: a viral blog on a medical practice site claiming Joel revealed a heart condition behind recent concert cancellations is not corroborated by major outlets; treat that as unverified until confirmed by Joel’s official channels or reputable newsrooms.

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  • Billy Joel's Legendary Week: Unforgettable Performances, HBO Documentary, and New Release

    Billy Joel's Legendary Week: Unforgettable Performances, HBO Documentary, and New Release
    2025/08/09
    Billy Joel BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.

    It has been a remarkable week for Billy Joel, marked by major headlines, new releases, and high-profile performances that cement his status as a legend. On Friday, August 8, Joel made his first-ever appearance at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, teaming up with Stevie Nicks for a once-in-a-generation show that drew fans from across the tri-state area. The event was billed as their only joint appearance in the region, and critics hailed it as a spectacular, unforgettable evening blending the best of both artists’ iconic catalogs, further burnishing Joel’s reputation as one of music’s most respected hitmakers according to WSUS 102.3.

    Meanwhile, fans eagerly weigh his upcoming collaboration with Sting at Citi Field in Queens, New York, set for August 21, which has generated another wave of media buzz and a scramble for tickets as reported by AOL News. These rare appearances drive home Joel’s prowess as a live performer and his enduring popularity on the concert circuit.

    This week also saw the debut of a significant five-hour HBO documentary, "Billy Joel: And So It Goes," produced by Tom Hanks and chronicling more than five decades of Joel’s career from his perspective. Fresh Air’s David Bianculli described it as an unflinching portrait, from Joel’s harrowing early struggles and family drama to his battles with addiction and his eventual comeback after Hurricane Sandy. Insightful interviews with Christie Brinkley and Elizabeth Weber offer rare glimpses into the personal lives and support systems that shaped Joel’s trajectory. The documentary’s critical reception underscores its long-term biographical importance as it moves beyond the usual pop history to reveal deeper struggles and triumphs, according to Metro Philadelphia and Cape and Islands NPR.

    Joel also dropped a special treat for nostalgic fans: a newly released archival performance of his song "Long, Long Time." The Loon reports that fans on social media have shown massive appreciation for this throwback, further amplifying the week’s celebration of his legacy.

    Social media has been abuzz, with Instagram users sharing memories and reflecting on the impact of Joel’s music, linking his multi-generational relevance to personal milestones and emotional journeys.

    While tribute acts such as Billy Joel Tribute UK and Mark Kovaly’s "Piano Man" have kept the spirit alive in venues across Britain and the U.S., it’s clear Joel himself remains at the heart of the narrative. The past few days serve as a powerful reminder why Billy Joel’s story is not finished yet and why each new chapter only adds to his legend.

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