William Martin Joel, more famously known as Billy Joel, is a legendary American singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer.
Joel has been affectionately nicknamed the “Piano Man” after his hit song of the same name by fans and critics alike.
Joel is one of the most commercially successful and best-selling solo music artists of all time and is the seventh best-selling recording artist and the fourth best-selling solo artist in the United States.
The singer has sold over 160 million records worldwide, even though he only released solo albums from 1971 to 1993.
Joel is also known to be one of the best live acts in music today, and even though he is past 70, the man is known to have some of the most beloved concerts in existence.
Joel’s concerts are a thing of legend, but his albums are some of the most critically embraced pieces of recorded music too.
Across the 20-odd years of his solo career where he released new music, Joel produced 33 top 40 music and wrote all of them himself. The singer has three number 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits with “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me,” “Tell Her About It,” and “We Didn’t Start the Fire.”
Joel has been nominated for the Grammy Awards 23 times and won five. To list out all of his awards and recognitions would turn this article into a book.
Here Are Some Facts About Billy Joel
73 |
$225 Million |
Singer, Pianist, Composer, Songwriter |
American |
Rock, Pop, Soft Rock, Pop Rock |
Vocals, Piano |
May 9, 1949 |
New York City, U.S. |
Alexis Roderick |
3 |
1964 – Present |
Is Billy Joel Jewish?
Yes, Billy Joel is Jewish, as both of his parents are Jewish. Joel’s father’s name is Howard (though his born name was Helmut) Joel, and he was born in 1923.
Howard was a classical pianist and businessman born to a Jewish family in Nuremberg, Germany. Howard’s father, Karl Amson Joel, was a famous merchant and manufacturer. Howard’s early life was comfortable as he was educated in Switzerland, and his father had a highly successful textile business.
The Joel family’s prosperity changed when the Nazi regime grew in power, and they emigrated, first to Switzerland, then to the United States via Cuba.
Joel’s mother’s name is Rosalind, and she was born in Brooklyn, New York City, to Jewish parents Philip and Rebecca Nyman. The Nyman family emigrated from England.
The parents met in the late 1930s at a Gilbert and Sullivan performance in the late-1930s. Unfortunately, Rosalind and Howard divorced in 1957, and Howard returned to Europe as he never liked America.
His mother mostly raised Joel, and she was the one who told him to begin piano lessons.
Billy Joel’s Wife – Is He Married?
Billy Joel has been married four times in his life and his most recent wife is named Alexis Roderick.
Joel’s first wife was named Elizabeth Weber Small. The pair began their relationship while she was still married to Jon Small, Joel’s music partner Jon Small.
When their affair was discovered, Elizabeth severed her relationship with both men but later married Joel in 1973, becoming his manager in the process.
The pair’s relationship lasted just short of a decade as they divorced on July 20, 1982.
Joel’s second wife was named Christie Brinkley, who was a model. The two married in March 1985 and had one daughter together named Alexa Ray Joel, born on December 29, 1985. Joel and Brinkley divorced on August 26, 1994
Joel’s third wife was named Katie Lee. They had a large age difference as at the time of their wedding Joel was 55 and Lee was 23. Their marriage lasted from October 2, 2004, to June 17, 2009.
Joel’s fourth and most recent wife is Alexis Roderick, an equestrian and a former executive of the investment company Morgan Stanley. They have quite the age difference, too, as at the time of their wedding Joel was 66, and she was 33.
The couple has two daughters together named Della Rose Joel, born on August 12, 2015, and Remy Anne Joel, born on October 22, 2017.
Read more about singers here: Does Janelle Monae Have A Husband Or Partner? Dating History Of The Singer In A Frame!
How Much Is Billy Joel Net Worth?
Billy Joel is among the richest musicians in all popular music and has a net worth of $225 million.
As mentioned above, Joel is among the best-selling artists of all time in the United States and beyond, so his net worth doesn’t come as much of a surprise.
Billy Joel sits alongside such popular artists and legends as Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Drake, Beyonce, Kanye West, and Garth Brooks as one of the few who have sold 120 million to 199 million records.
Joel’s 1985 compilation album of greatest hits is one of the best-selling albums in the history of the United States.
A testament to Joel’s popularity and appeal translating to his finances is the fact that he frequently performs at Madison Square Garden, a concert venue that is usually seen as the apex of performing for most artists.
For Joel performing in the garden is a usual experience.
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