When I was a young musician, the only option available to pursue secondary education in music was to attend a classical conservatory. — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
I am no longer afraid of becoming lost, because the journey back always reveals something new, and that is ultimately good for… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
I started taking piano lessons when I was about four years old. My parents were both musicians. So I took piano lessons.… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
I had a melody and a rhythm and chords, but nothing to talk about. I remember reading about how the decline of… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
Musicians know all about unemployment. You're unemployed a lot, and I think there's a great deal of empathy between musicians and people… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
I never stopped writing music, I just stopped writing songs. I've been writing music continually ever since the last album of original… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
We are living in a time when American popular music is finally being recognized as one of our most successful exports. The… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
I guess some people in classical music can keep going until they kick (die) and the (Rolling) Stones are definitely pushing the… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
Hope you don't think this is Billy Joel unplugged. I'm a piano player. I'm already unplugged. — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
I look at some of the songs I wrote years ago and I can't believe I wrote such crap. — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
I work with musicians whose opinions I respect and if they don't like something they don't hold back. They'll say, 'That really… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
A typical day in the life of a heavy metal musician consists of a round of golf and an AA meeting. — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
Most people you'd tell "I'm gonna be a musician," they'd say, "you're crazy, you're gonna starve, you're gonna be poor, a drug… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
I'm probably writing music now for the same reason as I started writing songs when I was 14 - to meet women. — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
If you make music for the human needs you have within yourself, then you do it for all humans who need the… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
When I was 19, I made my first good week's pay as a club musician. It was enough money for me to… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
For whatever reason, not all people are born with the particular gift of being able to express ourselves through music. And, believe… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
Everybody is different. Some writers can write reams of great books and then J. D. Salinger wrote just a few. Beethoven wrote nine symphonies.… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
In a way, we are magicians. We are alchemists, sorcerers and wizards. We are a very strange bunch. But there is great fun in… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
I don't want some pretty face to tell me pretty lies, all I want is someone to believe. — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
I've always said about 50% of what happens at a concert has to do with the audience. If you play for a dead audience… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
Don't make music for some vast, unseen audience or market or ratings share or even for something as tangible as money. Though it's crucial… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
Usually when I'm writing, I try to write fairly quickly. If a song sits around too long, it starts to take on a stink.… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
My daughter sent me on a mission to get as many autographs as possible. — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
I was listening to stuff and I realized that I've had a lot of different lives. You know the theory [that says] every seven… — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
If you said good-bye to me tonight, There would still be music left to write. — Billy Joel Copy Share Image
