Billy Joel is an American singer-songwriter, composer and pianist. Commonly nicknamed the "Piano Man", he has been making music since the 1960s. His first hit song, "Piano Man", was released in 1973. Billy Joel has since released thirteen studio albums and three live albums. He is one of the best-selling artists of all time, having sold over 150 million records worldwide. Billy Joel has won six Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He has also been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Billy Joel was born in Brooklyn, New York on May 9, 1949. His father, Howard Joel, was a Jewish refugee from Germany. His mother, Rosalind Nyman Joel, was born in England to Jewish parents who had immigrated from Poland. Billy Joel has an older sister, Judith, and a younger brother, Alexander Joel. Billy Joel started playing piano at an early age. He showed an interest in music and began taking piano lessons at the age of four. When he was nine years old, his family moved to Levittown on Long Island. Billy Joel attended Hicksville High School, where he played drums in the school band. After graduating from high school in 1967, he enrolled at Syosset High School. Billy Joel began his musical career in the 1960s as a member of the band The Hassles. The band released two albums, "The Hassles" (1967) and "Hour of the Wolf" (1968). Billy Joel then formed the duo Attila with fellow Hassles member John Bongiovanni. The duo released one album, "Attila" (1970). Billy Joel's first solo album, "Cold Spring Harbor", was released in 1971. The album was not a commercial success and did not chart. His second album, "Piano Man", was released in 1973. The title track became his first hit single and the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Billy Joel's next three albums, "Streetlife Serenade" (1974), "Turnstiles" (1976), and "The Stranger" (1977), were all certified platinum by the RIAA. "The Stranger" was Billy Joel's first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The album's lead single, "Just the Way You Are", won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year. Billy Joel's next album, "52nd Street", was released in 1978 and became his first album to be certified diamond by the RIAA. The album won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year. It also produced three hit singles: "My Life", "Big Shot", and "Honesty". In 1980, Billy Joel released his ninth studio album, "Glass Houses". The album reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified platinum by the RIAA. The album's lead single, "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me", became Billy Joel's first and only number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Billy Joel's next album, "The Nylon Curtain", was released in 1982. The album reached number seven on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified platinum by the RIAA. The album's lead single, "Allentown", peaked at number seventeen on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 1983, Billy Joel released his eleventh studio album, "An Innocent Man". The album pays tribute to the pop music of the 1950s and 1960s. It features cover versions of songs by artists such as The Beatles, The Drifters, and Dion. The album reached number four on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified platinum by the RIAA. It also produced five hit singles: "Tell Her About It" (number one), "Uptown Girl" (number three), "An Innocent Man" (number ten), "The Longest Time" (number fourteen), and "Leave a Tender Moment Alone" (number nineteen). In 1985, Billy Joel released his twelfth studio album, "The Bridge". The album reached number seven on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified platinum by the RIAA. It also produced four hit singles: "A Matter of Trust" (number ten), "Shameless" (number twelve), "This Is the Time" (number eighteen), and "Baby Grand" (number twenty-seven). In 1986, Billy Joel released his thirteenth studio album, "The Bridge". The album is a concept album about New York City. It features the singles "New York State of Mind" and "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)". The album reached number seven on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified double platinum by the RIAA. In 1989, Billy Joel released his fourteenth studio album, "Storm Front". The album reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA. It also produced five hit singles: "We Didn't Start the Fire" (number one), "I Go to Extremes" (number six), "The Downeaster Alexa" (number eight), "Leningrad" (number nineteen), and "State of Grace" (number twenty-two). In 1993, Billy Joel released his fifteenth studio album, "River of Dreams". The album reached number three on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified triple platinum by the RIAA. It also produced four hit singles: "The River of Dreams" (number three), "All About Soul" (number sixteen), "No Man's Land" (number eighteen), and "Two Thousand Years" (number thirty-eight). Billy Joel has released sixteen studio albums, seven live albums, five compilation albums, and three greatest hits albums. He has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time. He has received six Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Legend Award. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2013, he received the Kennedy Center Honors. Billy Joel is one of the best-selling artists of all time.