She may be the child of musical royalty, but Alexa Ray Joel is known for her own talent and unique sound. Gayle talks to Alexa Ray, daughter of Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley, about her debut CD, Sketches.
Growing up with famous parents, Alexa Ray says she was initially apprehensive about releasing her first CD, but says she's been thrilled with the response she has been receiving. "I was just getting such good feedback, and you start to realize, 'I can do this,'" she says. "And I feel like singing and performing and songwriting is actually one of the few things that I'm good at."
Alexa Ray says she has been singing for as long as she can remember. As a child, Alexa Ray says she and her parents would have sing-alongs on the piano. "It was a routine thing, so I always loved singing." Playing the piano, however, was a little bit different—Alexa Ray says she hated practicing! "Piano playing was more of a skill that I had to hone," she says. "I will admit it's not as easy for me as singing and songwriting. It's one of those things I do have to work at."
So how much influence does the "Piano Man" himself have on his daughter's music? "Sometimes he tries to chip in and help me write the songs when I'm still in the process of writing them," Alexa Ray jokes. "And I'm like, 'Nope, you can't help me—that would be cheating!' But after I've written a song and I want feedback, he's the first person I go to. Even if he's on tour, I'll call him up and play it to him over the phone."
