Billie Joe Armstrong born February 17, is an American musician and actor. He is best known for being the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Green Day , which he co-founded with Mike Dirnt in He is also a guitarist and vocalist for the punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder , and provides lead vocals for Green Day's side projects Foxboro Hot Tubs , the Network , the Longshot and the Coverups.
Armstrong has been considered by critics as one of the greatest punk rock guitarists of all time. Armstrong developed an interest in music at a young age, and recorded his first song at the age of five. He met Dirnt while attending elementary school, and the two instantly bonded over their mutual interest in music, forming the band Sweet Children when the two were 14 years old. The band later changed its name to Green Day. Armstrong has also pursued musical projects including numerous collaborations with other musicians.
In addition to co-writing the book and lyrics for American Idiot , a jukebox musical featuring several of Green Day's songs, Armstrong portrayed the role of St. Jimmy in the show for several weeks during its run on Broadway. Armstrong's business ventures include founding Adeline Records to help support other bands in , coinciding with the release of Nimrod.
The record company shut down two decades later in August Armstrong was born in Oakland, California , [ 7 ] on February 17, , [ 8 ] the youngest of six children of Ollie Jackson born [ 9 ] and Andrew Marsicano Armstrong — His father, a jazz musician and truck driver for Safeway , died of esophageal cancer on September 10, , when Armstrong was 10 years old.
Armstrong has five siblings, including three older sisters, Marci, Hollie, and Anna, and two older brothers, David and Alan. Armstrong attended Hillcrest Elementary School in Rodeo, where a teacher encouraged him to record a song titled "Look for Love" at the age of five [ 12 ] on the Bay Area label Fiat Records.
