Billy Joel is finally revealing one of the “most traumatic” decisions of his legendary career, and it involves turning down a Beatles icon who could have changed everything.
In his new two-part HBO documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes, the 76-year-old Piano Man opens up about the opportunity that still haunts him decades later.
The shocking revelation centers around George Martin, the legendary producer known as "the fifth Beatle" for his integral role in shaping The Beatles' sound. After watching Joel perform live, Martin approached him with an offer that would seem like a dream come true for any musician.
"That was one of the most traumatic things I went through, was deciding not to work with George Martin, who was one of my heroes," Joel confessed during a recent appearance on Bill Maher's “Club Random” podcast.
For Joel, Martin represented everything he admired about music production. "I thought he was an integral part of The Beatles, and I love The Beatles more than anybody. And he was the fifth Beatle," he explained.
The opportunity seemed perfect, especially since Joel admits his biggest challenge at the time was finding the right producer to elevate his sound.
However, Martin's offer came with one non-negotiable condition that would ultimately derail the collaboration. The acclaimed producer insisted on using his own hand picked musicians in the studio, completely replacing the band Joel had been touring and recording with since 1975.
Joel's internal struggle becomes clear as he recalls his thought process during that pivotal moment. "Wait, you're not gonna have George Martin produce you? Your big problem is production. You need a good producer," he remembers thinking.
But loyalty won out over opportunity. "I know, but he wants to not use my band, and that's part of my sound," Joel reasoned with himself.
Instead of Martin, Joel ultimately chose Phil Ramone, a staff producer at his label Columbia Records, to develop what would become his breakthrough album The Stranger.
The decision proved a commercial success for the rising performer. The record dominated the charts, spending six weeks at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and became Joel's best-selling studio album of all time.
Songs like "Just the Way You Are," "Movin' Out" and "Only the Good Die Young" became timeless classics that still resonate today. Yet despite the album’s massive success, Joel can't help but wonder about the "what if" scenario.
Hence then, the article about billy joel s most traumatic career regret still haunts him 50 years later was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Billy Joel's 'Most Traumatic' Career Regret Still Haunts Him 50 Years Later )
Also on site :
- Timothee Chalamet Shows Subtle Support for Girlfriend Kylie Jenner
- From collapse fears to resilience: How Russia reshaped its economy by the end of 2025
- Russian MOD shows map of Ukrainian drone attack on Putin’s residence