Billy’s camp says his shows through July 3, 2026, are canceled and tickets will be refunded.
We’re told Billy is on a boat with his wife today in Florida … and he’s already undergone surgery.
Our source says Billy is NOT retiring … and he hopes to be back onstage at some point.
Last year I was at one of his last concerts of his Madison Square Garden residency. He was great. I hope he can get better.
Turn the lights back on! Get well soon, Mr. Joel.
Seems strange to name a disease normal if it anything but normal. Hope its not life changing serious and can be treated. He is one of the few old timers I would still enjoy seeing.
IANAD yet my understanding of “normal” is his brain / personality and such are intact though in some peril, esp. as he must have had some of the listed symptoms and if excess fluid on the brain isn’t visible with ultrasound, CAT or MRI would show it.
Thus the “normal” suggests there’s viable treatment for it. I hope so - the progression of this sounds like a bad way to go.
It’s been several years, but I’ve had the opportunity to see him twice. Absolutely amazing. I didn’t really “discover” Billy Joel until my high school years (late 80s/early90s). I knew who he was, of course, and had a few songs that I liked, but never gave him much of a real listen until Storm Front.
I got to see him in the late 90s, but it was easily one of the high points of my concert-going life, and some of my favorite memories in general.
Here’s hoping for a quick and complete recovery.
A story from the AP on the news – TMZ is often amazing at breaking celebrity news, but their coverage is often a little breathless.
From the AP story:
I am a fellow NAD. The terminology isn’t too inscrutable. He has a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in his brain but not a corresponding rise in intracranial pressure. Hence the “normal pressure.” The upshot is, whatever his symptoms, he didn’t have any migraine-like complaints.
My mom has NPH. The fact that it’s called “Normal” can be confusing, yes, but otherwise it’s not that hard to understand.
Here’s a website about it:
She’s had the shunt implant surgery for it, as described on that page.
My aunt had something like this. At any rate, she had too much cerebrospinal fluid, and it needed to be drained. She might not have had normal pressure.
Her symptoms were severe, the treatment took a while and was scary, and she ultimately recovered fully.
I wish Billy Joel an easier path to a similar outcome.
My father has this, too. His speaking style and memory improved quite a bit after he has a shunt implanted.
It’s had to be adjusted several times, and we think there may be something going on with it right now. CT scan and neurology appointments have been scheduled.
Hopefully Joel does well with it - I’ve been a big fan of his for a long time.
I was supposed to see him in Toronto in March before his fall when it was rescheduled to March 2026. Now I just get $1600 back for my 5 tickets.
We did manage to see him at MSG in New York in 2018, that was a great show.
IANA neurologist, but would guess that the ‘normal’ comes from this. (italics mine)
Hydrocephalus is caused by an imbalance between the amount of fluid produced and its absorption rate. Enlarged ventricles put increased pressure on the adjacent cortical tissue and cause myriad effects in the patient, including distortion of the fibers in the corona radiata. This leads to an increase in intracranial pressure (ICP). The ICP gradually falls but remains slightly elevated, and the CSF pressure reaches a high normal level of 15 to 20 cm H2O. Measurements of ICP, therefore, are not usually elevated. Because of this, patients do not exhibit the classic signs that accompany increased intracranial pressure such as headache, nausea, vomiting, or altered consciousness, although some studies have shown pressure elevations to occur intermittently.
Was his driving into trees caused by this disease or was the disease caused by his driving into trees?I know he was cited for drunk driving but could the brain problems have been the underlying cause?
One of my all-time favorite musicians.