Billy Joels first live performance since brain…
The piano man is back.
Billy Joel, 76, stunned followers with a performance for the first time since revealing his battle with the brain disorder, regular stress hydrocephalus, last 12 months.
On Friday, Wellington, Florida, celebrated their thirtieth anniversary with a lineup of a number of bands. As The Turnstiles, who named themselves after Joel’s 1976 album, closed out the show, the group teased a particular visitor.
Billy Joel performs at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 28, 2019. Getty Images
Joel appeared, sporting a winter coat and a black baseball cap as he walked with a cane.
The “Uptown Girl” artist was accompanied by his spouse Alexis Roderick and their two daughters, Della, 10, and Remy, 8.
Joel is also dad to daughter Alexa Ray Joel, 40, with ex-wife Christie Brinkley.
The Grammy winner performed his 1989 hit, “We Didn’t Start The Fire” before launching into his 1978 music “Big Shot.”
Billy Joel performs onstage at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 24, 2022. Getty Images
During the performance, Della and Remy danced around their dad as the gang cheered.
“I wasn’t planning on working tonight,” Joel teased while seated at the keyboard before the band began to play.
The composer’s performance comes eight months after he first revealed his surprising health diagnosis in May, while promptly canceling all of his tour dates.
Billy Joel at the piano while enjoying at the Grammys in 2024. FilmMagic
The disorder happens when cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) builds up inside the cranium and presses on the brain, disrupting cognitive functioning.
Joel’s condition grew to become worse due to his live performance performances at the time, “leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance,” his prolonged Instagram announcement read.
The doctor ordered the hitmaker to “refrain from performing during this recovery period.”
Della Rose Joel, Billy Joel and Remy Joel carry out onstage during the last show of Billy Joel’s residency at Madison Square Garden on July 25, 2024. Getty Images
Symptoms are comparable to dementia sufferers and may embody problem strolling, cognitive points like reminiscence difficulties or emotional modifications, and urinary incontinence.
However, in some instances, NPH is reversible.
“I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding,” Joel told followers at the time.
Billy Joel, Alexis Roderick, Della Joel and Remy Joel at the 66th Grammy awards. Billboard via Getty Images
In July, the artist opened up how he was doing amid residing with NPH.
“I know a lot of people are worried about me and my health, but I’m okay,” Joel told People. “What I have is something very few people know about, including me, no matter how much you try to research it.”
“I’m doing my best to work with it and to recover from it,” he added.
Billy Joel is offered with the Key to the City of New York backstage before the last show of his residency at Madison Square Garden on July 25, 2024. Getty Images
Despite the “disturbing” diagnosis, Joel is optimistic about the future.
“It was scary, but I’m okay,” he told the outlet. “I just wanted to let people know, don’t worry about me being deathly ill or anything.”
A month later, Alexa shared her own update on her father.
She told Fox News Digital that Joel had been “incredibly resilient.”
Billy Joel with his spouse Alexis Roderick and his daughters Della and Remy in Rome. Billy Joel/Instagram
“Unfortunately, I didn’t get this characteristic from him because I like to express how I’m feeling always,” Alexa said. “He doesn’t whine, especially in his older age. I don’t know, maybe he did more when he was younger, and he put that angst into his music for sure, but he just doesn’t complain.”
“He’s doing his physical therapy three to five days a week, which is really, really important for him right now,” she added. “He’s adjusted his diet. We had dinner the other night. I said, ‘Dad, what are you doing? You’re not getting the steak? You’re getting chicken instead?’ Like, this is a whole new you here.”
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