Billy Joel Surprises Fans With First Performance Since Brain Disorder Diagnosis
The music icon revealed he had normal pressure hydrocephalus in May 2025.
1/3/2026
The music icon revealed he had normal pressure hydrocephalus in May 2025.
Billy Joel performs at Mohegan Sun Arena on February 22, 2025 in Uncasville, Connecticut. Myrna M. Suarez/Getty Images
Billy Joel surprised fans in Florida with his first performance since revealing he has a brain disorder.
On Friday (Jan. 2), the 76-year-old music legend delivered a two-song set alongside Billy Joel tribute band Turnstiles at a village amphitheater in Wellington, Florida, which was celebrating its 30th anniversary.
In the unexpected appearance, the Piano Man joined the band onstage accompanied by his wife, Alexis Roderick, and their two daughters, Della and Remy. After asking for permission to use the microphone, Joel performed “We Didn’t Start the Fire” and “Big Shot,” while his daughters danced beside him.
Throughout the show, the tribute act teased that a special guest would appear, according to TMZ.
“I wasn’t planning on working tonight,” Joel told the enthusiastic crowd, the Palm Beach Post reports.
Friday’s performance marked Joel’s first time back onstage since revealing in May 2025 that he has normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), a type of brain disorder. Following the announcement, he canceled all scheduled concerts to begin physical therapy to manage his symptoms. His last full concert took place in February 2025.
NPH occurs when cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the skull and puts pressure on the brain, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The condition can affect thinking, memory, balance and movement, and is often treated with a surgically implanted shunt to drain excess fluid.
In a July 2025 interview on Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast, Joel said he was feeling okay but noted that his condition was ongoing. “It’s not fixed,” the singer-songwriter said, “it’s still being worked on.”
Sitting at the piano, Joel added, “I feel fine. My balance sucks. It’s like being on a boat. [My condition] used to be called ‘water on the brain.’ Now it’s called normal pressure hydrocephalus.”
Check out fan-captured footage of Joel’s surprise performance in Florida on YouTube here.
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