Meta Description: Discover how Billy Joel’s vocal style was deeply influenced by Ray Charles. Explore Joel’s musical evolution from background pianist to iconic solo artist.
Billy Joel’s Vocal Journey: Inspired by Ray Charles
Billy Joel has never claimed to be the best singer in the world. Unlike many rock frontmen who attempt insane vocal runs or rely on sheer bravado, Joel focuses on his incredible gift for melody. His awareness of delivery, inspired by the soulfulness of Ray Charles, got him hooked as a singer in the first place.
Billy Joel’s Early Career and Solo Venture
In his early career, Joel was convinced he would be a background pianist for life, lacking the star power of a frontman. After leaving his proto-metal band Attila, Joel’s first solo songs displayed more soulfulness. Albums like Cold Spring Harbor are dominated by ballads, showcasing Joel’s talent closer to R&B than rock and roll.
Ray Charles: The Ultimate Influence
Ray Charles didn’t need to sound rock and roll to have a foot in both worlds. As a pioneer of soul music, Charles had songs that rocked, like ‘What’d I Say,’ famously covered by The Beatles. Charles’s ability to cross over to country music with Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music and deliver performances like ‘Georgia On My Mind’ showcased his extraordinary talent.
Joel admired not just Charles’s piano skills but his unique vocal quality. Joel recalled in his biography, “From the moment that I heard him, I wanted to sing like him. There’s something going on inside the larynx with Ray that creates the sound you’d get out of a speaker if you hooked up a Leslie Tone cabinet to a Hammond organ: he’s got a slow swirl that sounds growly but always so musical.”
Billy Joel’s Vocal Style and Collaboration with Ray Charles
While Joel often sang earnestly, he infused some of Charles’s swagger into his voice. This was evident in their duet, ‘My Baby Grand,’ where there seemed to be a healthy competition between Joel and his idol in terms of soulfulness.
Competing with Ray Charles in soulfulness is no easy task. Charles’s vocals, filled with grit and experience, set a high bar for soul singers. Until his death, Charles’s voice carried more depth than most soul singers achieve in their entire careers.
