Billy Joel (left) with The Hassles

William Martin "Billy" Joel (born May 9, 1949)

A New York band called The Echoes, a group that specialized in British Invasion
covers, recruited a young piano player named Billy Joel. They played at the Holy
Family Church teenclub on a regular basis.The quartet would play songs under
the names The Lost Souls, The Commandos and The Emerald Lords before Billy
left two years later to join The Hassles (above). Joel made his breakthrough in
1973 with "Piano Man".