Billy Joel kicked off the New Year with a surprise performance in Florida — his first since having to cancel a string of shows in 2025 due to a neurological condition.
The 76-year-old “Piano Man” returned to form on Friday night at an amphitheater in Wellington, Fla., where he hopped onstage to play “Big Shot” and “We Didn’t Start the Fire” as part of the village’s 30th anniversary celebration, according to video published by TMZ.
The footage also shows Joel’s youngest daughters — Della, 10, and Remy, 8, both of whom he shares with wife Alexis Roderick — grooving beside the piano to their dad’s storied tunes.
After rocking the house, Joel received cheers from the crowd as he was escorted offstage while using a cane.
In May, Joel canceled all forthcoming shows, announcing that he’d been diagnosed with a brain disorder known as normal pressure hydrocephalus. The National Institutes of Health describes the condition as “an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid deep within the brain,” with symptoms including vision problems, difficulty walking and memory loss.
Joel at the time said that his “hearing, vision and balance” had been affected by the disorder, and had only been been exacerbated by performing live.
It’s unclear when Joel intends to return to the stage full-tilt, he said he hopes to back this year to play previously postponed gigs.
