Billy Joel has returned to the stage for the first time since revealing he has a neurological disorder. On January 2, he performed a surprise two-piece with a tribute band playing his music in Wellington, Florida. They're called Turnstiles and Joel sang with them We Didn't Start the Fire And Big Shot.
“I wasn't planning on working tonight,” Joel joked, reports the Palm Beach Post. While Joel stood at the piano alongside the Turnstiles, his daughters Della and Remy danced on stage alongside him.
The surprise performance marked Joel's return to the stage since May 2025, when the singer made public a diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus and canceled all scheduled concerts. His last performance was on February 22, 2025.
“His condition has been aggravated by recent live performances, leading to hearing, vision and balance problems,” Joel's team said in a statement at the time. «Following the doctors' indications, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period. Billy is grateful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health.”
Despite his disturbingly named disorder, Joel insisted that “I'm not dying.” “I feel fine,” he told Bill Maher in a July 2025 interview. “They keep referring to what I have as a brain disorder, so it seems a lot worse than I feel.”
Joel added that although his condition was not yet resolved, “they are working on it.” It's currently unclear whether Friday's surprise performance indicates Joel is ready to return to the stage permanently.
From Rolling Stone US.
