Billie Joe Armstrong was just 17 years old when he formed Green Day, the Bay
Area punk band whose wide-ranging success — including 75 million album sales, 20
Grammy nominations, a Broadway musical, and a spot in the Rock & Roll Hall of
Fame — would make him one of the most successful frontmen in American history.
Born in Oakland, California, on February 17, 1972, he formed his first band at
15 years old and recorded Green Day's debut EP, 1,000 Hours, while still in high
school. It was 1994's Dookie that transformed Green Day from an underground
success into a mainstream act, with...