Overview
- Billy Joel said on Friday that his neurologists have advised him not to perform on stage or drive while he completes a series of medical tests to assess his recovery.
- He was diagnosed with normal-pressure hydrocephalus in May 2025 and had a shunt placed in his brain last year, a procedure he says has improved his memory, balance and overall function.
- Doctors told him that loud sound, bright lights and the stress of concerts produce concussion-like effects for him, which is why live shows are currently off limits.
- Joel has given up motorcycle riding for safety and is selling more than 70 bikes in a late-November auction at the Javits Center, with proceeds going to his charitable foundation.
- The next steps are rehabilitation and test results that will determine whether touring is possible again, and Joel says he remains cautiously optimistic even as his daily independence is curtailed.