It’s been nearly a year since Billy Joel had to suddenly cancel his touring plans due to receiving a diagnosis of a rare brain disorder. It appears there might be some good light at the end of the tunnel as far as his chances of returning to the road.
His daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, shared a positive update on how he’s doing as he deals with his condition, brain disorder normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH).
“He’s doing physical therapy regularly and he’s doing great. He’s lost weight as he’s on his diet,” she told the Hollywood Reporter in a new interview. “I’m so proud of him. He’s such a trooper, so resilient and committed to being healthy and proactive. He’s a fighter. He’s always been a fighter and talks in his documentary about how life’s like a fight.”
What are Billy’s Health Issues?
The legendary songwriter’s most recent full concert happened in February of 2025 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Not long after that, he announced he was postponing his tour dates at that time for four months, so he could undergo surgery and physical therapy for an unspecified “medical condition.”
Two months later, he revealed that he’d be coming off the road and canceling all of his tour dates, due to the NPH diagnosis. Doctors had said that his ongoing performances were exacerbating his condition, “leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance.”
Last July, the Piano Man was upbeat about his condition. “I feel good,” he said during an interview on Bill Maher’s Club Random Podcast. “They keep referring to what I have as a brain disorder, so it sounds a lot worse than what I’m feeling.”
READ MORE: Billy Joel: ‘I Feel Good’ Following Brain Disorder Diagnosis
Will Billy Joel Tour Again?
Fans have been anxious to see whether or not the 76-year old will be able to return to the stage. Happily, he made a surprise appearance in January, performing “We Didn’t Start the Fire” and “Big Shot” with a tribute band, Turnstiles, in Florida. “I wasn’t planning on working tonight,” he joked, during the short performance.
Alexa Ray admitted that it was heartbreaking when she watched video of a fall he suffered at the Mohegan Sun show after a microphone spin. “He played it down,” she said in the same interview. “He knows I have anxiety and am a neurotic worrier, so he was like, ‘Everything’s fine. It was just a little trip.’ When I saw the footage, I was crying. But then I went with him to the doctors, and we’re on top of everything. I just tell him to stay healthy.”
She understands his desire to get back to doing what he loves, but shared that she gave him some conditions to think about, as he continues to recuperate. “Once a performer, always a performer!” she said. “But health comes first. I said, ‘If you’re going to perform again, please stay seated at the piano. No throwing the microphone stand around!’”
Paying Tribute to Billy
While Billy won’t be on stage tonight (Mar. 12) at Carnegie Hall for The Music of Billy Joel charity tribute, Alexa Ray is happy that she can be there to play for him. She said he’s also excited to be back in the building that meant so much to him as a performer, though he wasn’t initially going to attend.
“Dad, you better be there! This is Carnegie Hall. Everyone’s paying tribute to you, and it’s an amazing group of artists,'” she told him. “He was like, ‘Let me mark that down.’ He’s very organized with his little calendar.”
“He was so excited when he first played Carnegie Hall in the ‘70s,” she added. “So it’s exciting for him to come back decades later and see amazing artists and his daughter pay tribute to him.”
Billy Joel Albums Ranked
From ‘Cold Spring Harbor’ to ‘River of Dreams,’ we run through the Piano Man’s LPs from worst to best.
Gallery Credit: Matt Springer
