Billy Joel has played live for the first time since his brain disorder diagnosis last year, appearing alongside his own tribute act.
Joel last performed on stage in February 2025, but last night (January 2), he made a surprise appearance alongside the Billy Joel cover band Turnstiles in Wellington, Florida in front of a crowd of thousands at a show to mark the town’s 30th anniversary.
The legendary singer-songwriter joined them for two songs – ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’ and ‘Big Shot’ – and was joined on stage by his daughters Della and Remy.
“I wasn’t planning on working tonight,” Joel quipped from the stage during his 12-minute cameo. Watch video footage of the event here:
Last May, Joel cancelled all of his scheduled concert dates after revealing that he had been diagnosed with the brain disorder normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH).
A statement at the time said that the condition had been “exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance”.
“Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period,” the statement added. “Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health.”
His daughter Alexa Ray later said that her father was “entirely committed to making a full recovery with ongoing physical-therapy treatments as he continues to regain his strength”.
Joel later missed the premiere of his documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes at the Tribeca Film Festival in June, but he clarified that month that he was “not dying”.
His friend Howard Stern also told his radio listeners that “he’s doing fine” after having dinner with him. “He does have issues, but he said, ‘Yeah, you can tell people: I’m not dying’. You know, he wants people to know that,” Stern said.
In July, Joel appeared on Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast, saying that he feels “fine” but his “balance sucks”, likening it to “being on a boat”.
When Maher mentioned that Joel looks good despite the diagnosis, the singer responded: “I feel good. They keep referring to what I have as a brain disorder. It sounds a lot worse than what I’m feeling.”
