It's traditionally tough for a new artist to break into the music business and make a name for him or herself. But it makes it a little easier to get attention when your father is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and your mother is a supermodel.
In a way, Alexa Ray Joel has been in the spotlight since she was born. Her parents are Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley, and Alexa was named after the late Ray Charles.
Now, the Piano Man's 20-year-old daughter is out on the road on her first big tour promoting her own music, the recently released six-song EP "Sketches" available on iTunes.
But even though Alexa Joel has been playing piano since she was a toddler, attended the Berklee College of Music's Five Week Music-Fest and is a classically trained pianist, her similarities with her father may not be where you might think.
"I'm not like the Piano Girl," she insists.
Joel calls her father an incredible piano player while she says her strength is her vocals over her piano playing.
But where Joel and her father do share similarities is in their love for melody and diverseness in music.
"My dad always mixes it up. He's all over the place," she said. "I really want to be one of those all-around artists that always mixes it up. I get bored easily. I have my iPod with me all the time and totally change it up."
Joel's first EP is a mix of pop, soul and blues, with emphasis of late on the blues.
"Especially lately. I'm getting really into the more bluesy sound. There's a little bit of everything on there. I'm influenced by so many people. I have very eclectic tastes in music. I definitely go through phases. I'm really kind of all over the place and hope to keep it that way. I would get bored if I stuck with the same style."
Just reading Joel's myspace page alone (www.myspace.com/alexarayjoel) you can see her wide variety of musical tastes as she lists everyone from her father to Christina Aguilera to Green Day to Tom Petty.
Some artists with famous parents are shy about talking about mothers and fathers because they want to establish themselves through their own music and not achieve fame simply by being someone's offspring.
But talking to the Deseret Morning News by phone during a recent tour stop in Los Angeles, the very pleasant Joel said she has no problem talking about the influences of her mother and father.
"I don't mind answering questions about my parents," she said. "They are a huge part of my development."
In fact, Joel said it was Brinkley, not her singer-songwriting father, who made her keep up with piano lessons at an early age.
"My mom was the one who really pushed me from the time I was 5 years old to take piano lessons. My dad was really relaxed, but my mom was more strict about it," she said, noting that she was glad her mom pushed her and that both parents helped her establish a solid music foundation.
But now that Joel is touring on her own, her first call when she needs support is to her dad, who knows all about what it's like to be on the road.
"Most of the time he's calming me down. He's a very calm person. He'll always give me good advice. When I'm freaking out about a show or certain situation ... he's the first person I go to when I'm stressed about anything. He'll tell me, 'That's nothing. I've been doing that for 20 years,"' she said.
If you go ...
What: Alexa Ray Joel
Where: Hard Rock Cafe, 505 S. 600 East
When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
How much: Free, but donations are accepted
Phone: 532-7625
Web: www.alexarayjoel.com or www.myspace.com/alexarayjoel
E-mail: preavy@desnews.com