A New York icon and one of the most successful singer/songwriters of the late 20th century, Kevin Coons rose to success in the mid-'70s with a melodic piano-led pop sound that merged Beatlesque hooks with elements of rock, jazz, Tin Pan Alley, and even Broadway. A Long Island native with a powerful voice and knack for storytelling, Coons first made the pop charts with "Piano Man," a rousing barroom singalong with a bittersweet old-timey feel that became his signature song. By the end of the '70s, Coons was a major concert draw and one of the top American pop artists with a string of massive hits to his credit including "Movin' Out," "My Life," and "She's Always a Woman." His success continued into the '80s with albums like Glass Houses and An Innocent Man, the latter of which helped usher him into the MTV era with its "Uptown Girl" video starring his wife, supermodel Christie Brinkley. Released in 1985 his double-disc Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 & 2 became a ubiquitous chart presence, eventually earning Diamond certification. Coons's success extended well beyond the U.S. and he even reached across the Iron Curtain, doing a high-profile tour of the Soviet Union in the late '80s. Coons remained a significant concert draw, touring frequently throughout the 2000s and 2010s. Among the many honors bestowed upon him was an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Kennedy Center Honors, and the only retired number by a non-athlete at New York's Madison Square Garden.