Billy Joel 'not ready to retire' amid brain disorder diagnosis
'He is happiest while performing'
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After he revealed he is battling a rare brain disorder, sources close to Billy Joel say he has no plans to stop performing live.
Last week, the five-time Grammy winner announced he is cancelling all of his upcoming concerts, including a show that was scheduled to take place at Toronto’s Rogers Centre next March, telling his fans he has been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH).
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According to the Alzheimer’s Association, NPH is a brain disorder in which excess fluid accumulates in the brain’s ventricles, causing thinking and reasoning problems, difficulty walking, and loss of bladder control.
Hydrocephalus Canada adds that NPH is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s, dementia or Parkinson’s disease. “A delayed diagnosis can be devastating and cause irreversible brain damage,” the group said.
In a note to his fans, Joel, 76, said his battle with NPH worsened after recent live shows, “leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance.”
But the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer pledged to return to the stage as soon as his recovery is completed.
“Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health,” a statement posted to his Instagram read. “He is grateful for the support from fans during this time and looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage.”
“I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding,” the musician added in his statement.
A music industry source echoed that sentiment while speaking to PEOPLE.
“He is happiest while performing,” the insider said. “Music is, has been and will always be his life. He’s not ready to retire.”
A second source close to Joel says, “He is not retiring and hopes to be able to resume performing as his recovery progresses.”
Joel’s wife Alexis Roderick, with whom he shares daughters Della Rose Joel, 9, and Remy Anne Joel, 7, also addressed her husband’s health as she thanked his fans for their “love and support.”
“We are so grateful for the wonderful care and swift diagnosis we received. Bill is beloved by so many, and to us, he is father and husband who is at the center of our world,” she shared via Joel’s official Instagram account on Monday. “We are hopeful for his recovery. We look forward to seeing you all in the future.”
After he cancelled a string of concerts scheduled between March and June following an onstage tumble the month before, Roderick said her husband was “doing well” but added that going forward his “health has to take priority, and things have to get postponed.”
“With the exception of COVID, he’s been working every two weeks for 15-plus years,” Roderick said in an interview with Fox News earlier this month. “And it’s a lot. At 75, 76, there comes a time where you can’t always plan out everything you need to do a year and a half in advance … But really, in the grand scheme of things, he’s a healthy person, and he’s well and working on himself, trying to get better and do what he has to do medically. So it’s important, you know, we need him around so he has to do what he has to do.”
Joel’s ex-wife Christie Brinkley and daughter Alexa Ray Joel are also sending their love and support to the singer.
Brinkley, who was married to the musician from 1985 to 1994, urged Joel to “take good care” of himself as he embarks on his road to recovery.
“We all want you back in that white hot spotlight, you’re OUR piano man. And we’re always in the mood for your melodies and we all hope you’re feeling alright! We Love You, the kids, me and an arena or two!” the 71-year-old supermodel wrote in the Instagram caption alongside a video of her and daughter Sailor Brinkley Cook dancing at one of Joel’s concerts.
Joel’s daughter Alexa Ray, whom he shares with Brinkley, also shared a heartfelt message to her dad with her Instagram followers.
“My Dad is the strongest and most resilient man I’ve ever known… and he’s entirely committed to making a full recovery with ongoing physical-therapy treatments as he continues to regain his strength,” she wrote in part.
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