A classical piano prodigy, William Joseph was awarded a scholarship at age eight from the Boys Club of America that put him under the tutelage of Russian instructor Stella Saperstein. From that point on, the Phoenix, AZ, native performed and wrote music through to his early teens. After a brief period away from the stage Joseph returned to piano performance, releasing two independently recorded CDs, and by his early twenties he had garnered a loyal following. In 2003, while attending at a local charity event for legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, Joseph was introduced to successful producer David Foster. An impromptu performance of an original composition by Joseph caught Foster's attention and he invited the young talent to perform that evening. The performance was such a success that soon after Foster began work with Joseph on what would become his major-label solo debut. Released on Reprise in 2004, Within features a mix of original compositions, reworked rock songs, and classical pieces.