Billy Joel Doc Director Gives Update on Singer’s Health: ‘He’s Doing Physical Therapy, He’s Healing’
The "Piano Man" singer canceled a number of summer shows after being diagnosed with the brain disorder normal pressure hydrocephalus.
Billy Joel in 1980 in "Billy Joel: And So It Goes"
One of the directors of the upcoming two-part Billy Joel documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, gave an update on the singer’s health two months after the 76-year-old “Piano Man” legend revealed that he’d been diagnosed with the brain disorder normal pressure hydrocephalus.
Co-director Susan Lacy told Good Morning America on Wednesday (July 16) that Joel has been “doing physical therapy, he’s healing, he’s working on getting better.” In May, Joel canceled all his planned summer shows due to the condition, which can affect vision, hearing and balance.
At the time of the cancelations, Joel said that the decision came after the condition was “exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance. Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period. Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health.”
According to Cleveland Clinic, the condition occurs when cerebrospinal fluid builds up inside the skull, pressing on the brain, affecting the ability to think and concentrate, as well as impacting memory and movement; treatment can involve implanting a shunt to drain the excess fluid.
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer had first delayed a number of shows planned throughout the summer to undergo treatment following surgery and originally planned to resume his dates on July 5 with a show in Pittsburgh. But in May he canceled all his shows for 2025, which had included stops at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field in New York and MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, as well as shows in Cincinnati, New Orleans, Santa Clara, Calif., Hollywood, Fla. and Washington D.C.
The first part of the documentary — which was co-directed by Jessica Levin — is slated to debut on HBO Max on Friday (July 18); the second part will debut on July 25. The film follows Joel’s path from his childhood through his rise to fame, chronicling a number of difficult periods in the singer-songwriter’s life, as well as telling the stories behind such beloved songs as “River of Dreams” and “New York State of Mind,” among others.
Check out a preview of the doc below.
