In 1970, as part of the group Attila, Joel wore a Hun outfit on the cover of their album. When Attila failed to make it, Joel took factory jobs and wrote a commercial for pretzels to get by. Joel checked himself into a mental hospital when he had trouble dealing with his depression. However, the following year he released his first solo record Cold Spring Harbor. In 1973, Piano Man drew Joel much attention and he was named Cashbox magazine’s best new male vocalist in 1974.

Joel married Elizabeth Weber in 1973 and she became his manager in 1976. He then hit the commercial big time with The Stranger in 1977. It was his first platinum record and eventually sold more than seven million copies. His “Just the Way You Are” single won the Grammy award for Best Song.

Over the next five years, Joel enjoyed incredible success. His albums sold in the millions and he won numerous awards including a Grammy for Best Album with 52nd Street. Then in 1982 he broke his wrist in a motorcycle accident and divorced his wife. The ensuing album, The Nylon Curtain, failed to sell as many copies as his previous records.

Joel then met model Christie Brinkley and married her in 1985. An Innocent Man, released that same year spawned many hits, including “Uptown Girl,” written about Brinkley. For the next several years, Joel was a major video star as he exploited the new medium.

In 1989, Joel fired his long-time manager and former brother-in-law Frank Weber after he found that there were major accounting problems. He then sued Weber for 90 million dollars, claiming fraud and breach of fiduciary duty. In 1991, Joel was awarded 2 million dollars. A subsequent suit against his lawyer was settled out of court. Also in 1991, he was given the Grammy Living Legend award. Throughout the 1990s, Joel remained a top concert draw and consistent seller. Joel divorced Brinkley in 1994. The couple had one daughter, Alexa Ray.