Billy Joel misses documentary premiere at Tribeca following health diagnosis
Billy Joel missed the premiere of his new documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, which opened Tribeca Film Festival on June 4th in New York.
The premiere arrived merely weeks after Joel shared that he’d been diagnosed with the brain disorder, Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH). As a result of his health issues, all of his future live commitments had been cancelled.
The ‘Piano Man’ was due to play stadium shows in the UK and US later this year as well as in 2026, with Stevie Nicks, Sting, and Rod Stewart joining him as special guests.
In a statement, the singer’s team shared that he will focus on his health for the foreseeable future while aiming for a full recovery. Meanwhile, Joel added, “I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding.”
At the premiere, the film’s directors, Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, reassured fans that Joel is expected to return to the stage in the future. Lacy told those in attendance, “He will be back.”
Additionally, Lacy also read out a message from Joel, which amusingly read, “Getting old sucks, but it’s still preferable to getting cremated.”
Robert De Niro also honoured Joel at the premiere, saying, “He’s our piano man, a wonderful, beautiful part of the heart of our city. Tonight, you get to see the man behind the music and behind the legend. You’re in for a real treat.”
Billy Joel: And So It Goes is set to arrive on HBO this summer and is described as “an expansive portrait of the life and music of Billy Joel, exploring the love, loss, and personal struggles that fuel his songwriting. With unprecedented access to never-before-seen performances, home movies, and personal photographs, along with extensive, in-depth one-on-one interviews, the documentary intimately explores the life and work of Joel, whose music has endured across generations.”
Earlier this week, Joel issued a fresh health update through his close friend Howard Stern after they met for dinner recently.
Stern told listeners of his Sirius XM show: “Yeah, he does have issues, but he said, ‘Yeah, you can tell people, you know, I’m not dying.’ You know, he wants people to know that. He just, he’s gotta deal with some medical stuff, but he was delightful. We had a great time with the wives. We had a great conversation. I was telling him, I’m enjoying playing classical music on the guitar.”
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