William (Billy) Joel was born in New York in 1949. Joel began to study classical piano when he was four years old; he continued these lessons sporadically until he was 15. At this age, he was influenced by the Beatles, and decided then and there that he wanted to be a rock roll performer. Joel joined a local band, and quit high school to play full-time.
Within the next few years, Joel went through several bands, a break-off from playing with groups to playing solo, and an attempt to make a successful record album, which turned out to be a flop. Joel also played a stint in Los Angeles, working in a nightclub lounge as a pianist. It was here that he got the inspiration for his rock song, "Piano Man," which became the name of his first album with Columbia Records...
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