The next contains references to alcohol habit.

Billy Joel revealed in early 2025 that he had been identified with a uncommon mind situation known as regular stress hydrocephalus, or NPH, marking the newest in a string of well being considerations for the legendary musician. He shared the information in a press release throughout his social media platforms, asserting the cancellation of all his scheduled exhibits each within the U.S. and overseas. “Below his physician’s directions, Billy is present process particular bodily remedy and has been suggested to chorus from performing throughout this restoration interval,” learn the assertion. “He’s grateful for the assist from followers throughout this time and appears ahead to the day when he can as soon as once more take the stage.”

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Johns Hopkins Medication describes NPH as a situation the place the conventional movement of fluid across the mind and spinal twine will get blocked or disrupted. This may occur as a result of various elements, together with, however not restricted to, a previous harm, bleeding, or an infection — however usually, the precise trigger is unknown. In Joel’s case, his latest performances had been mentioned to have aggravated his situation, inflicting imaginative and prescient, listening to, and steadiness issues. NPH usually impacts folks of previous age and might trigger signs just like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s ailments. “I am sincerely sorry to disappoint our viewers,” Joel mentioned in a short assertion. “Thanks for understanding.”

“I actually perceive,” “Depraved” star Kristine Chenoweth, who was identified with an ear situation often called Ménière’s illness, wrote in response to Joel’s assertion on Instagram. “Very related [to mine]!! Sending love.” Elton John’s guitarist, Davey Johnstone, additionally supplied phrases of encouragement, writing, “Love you Billy, finest needs in your full restoration.” Over time, Joel has handled a string of medical issues, all the things from NPH to again ache to a congenital dysfunction.

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The tragic reality about Billy Joel is that he is struggled with alcohol habit. He hung out in rehab at varied factors in his life as he labored to get his consuming below management. His first stint was in 1992 towards the tip of his marriage to mannequin Christie Brinkley. “I had gone by means of a breakup and was actually damaged up about it, and I made a decision I am consuming an excessive amount of,” he instructed The New York Instances Journal in 2013, although Brinkley claims his alcoholism was what drove them to divorce. He went again to rehab in 2005 after experiencing extreme gastrointestinal misery associated to his alcohol use. Alongside his struggles, Joel has additionally been candid about coping with melancholy.

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“I went right into a deep, deep melancholy after 9/11,” the singer recalled. “9/11 simply knocked the wind out of me, and I do not know even now if I’ve recovered from it.” By 2013, he had in the reduction of on consuming and was permitting himself only one glass of wine sometimes throughout meals. By 2021, he had give up alcohol for good and was fully sober.

“It wasn’t a giant AA kick,” Joel clarified to the Los Angeles Instances. “I simply bought to a degree the place I might had sufficient.” Wanting again, he mentioned, “I did not get pleasure from being fully inebriated, and it in all probability created extra issues in my life than I wanted.” 

In case you or anybody you realize wants assist with habit points, go to the Substance Abuse and Psychological Well being Providers Administration web site or contact SAMHSA’s Nationwide Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

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In 2010, Billy Joel underwent corrective surgical procedure as a result of a congenital dysfunction affecting his hips. In his New York Instances Journal interview, the five-time Grammy winner revealed that he was born with hip dysplasia, a situation the place the bones in his hip joint aren’t aligned correctly. “Method again within the early ’70s, I used to do somersaults, flips off the piano. I’d climb up the cables and dangle the wrong way up, something to get consideration,” he mentioned. Ultimately, all that stomping and horsing round caught as much as him. “By the point I completed the tour with Elton in March 2010, I used to be in a variety of ache,” Joel recalled. “And over that 12 months it bought worse and worse and worse.”

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Unable to stroll with out cane assist, Joel underwent double hip-replacement surgical procedure at a Lengthy Island hospital in 2010. On the time, a consultant for Joel instructed Web page Six in a press release, “He is doing rather well, he’s in good spirits and he is feeling properly.” Reflecting on his well being, Joel mentioned going by means of with the operation modified his life for the higher. “I bought a double hip alternative, and now I am twice as hip as I was,” he joked throughout a SiriusXM City Corridor interview with Howard Stern in 2014 (through Consequence). 

Along with present process hip surgical procedure, Billy Joel revealed on “The Howard Stern Present” that he additionally had again surgical procedure in 2021. The process left him in a lot ache that he ended up dropping over 50 kilos. The topic got here up when Stern seen Joel’s substantial weight reduction throughout the interview. “I had again surgical procedure early this 12 months and the ache afterwards was so dangerous I misplaced my urge for food,” Joel defined. “I embraced that. I mentioned, ‘Okay, I will not eat as a lot,’ and I ate much less and fewer and fewer and fewer after which there was simply life aggravation and that tends to, you realize, impression your urge for food, too.”

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Though the burden loss was certainly not intentional, Joel admitted he did not thoughts the end result. “I had gotten sort of chunky,” the legendary pianist admitted. He confirmed off his outstanding transformation throughout his return to the Madison Sq. Backyard stage months later for the primary time since 2019.

Simply days earlier than he was set to carry out, Billy Joel introduced the postponement of his Madison Sq. Backyard live performance after falling unwell with a viral an infection in 2022. In a short assertion on X, he shared that he was ordered by his docs to bear vocal relaxation and deliberate to reschedule the present for June 2023. “I am so sorry to let you realize so shut to point out day, however I hoped to be nearer to a full restoration by now. Sadly, that hasn’t occurred,” Joel mentioned. “I sit up for seeing you within the New 12 months,” he added.

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By January the next 12 months, he was again performing stay. Addressing his well being after present process yet one more surgical procedure in March 2025, Joel mentioned he at all times appears ahead to performing for his followers. “Whereas I remorse suspending any exhibits, my well being should come first,” pressured the “Piano Man” on his web site. “I sit up for getting again on stage and sharing the enjoyment of stay music with our wonderful followers. Thanks in your understanding.”