Billy Joel says he underwent surgery that he initially said no to: ‘I didn’t want to do that’

Roisin O'ConnorThu, September 10, 2026 at 7:41 AM UTC

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Billy Joel has given an in-depth update on his ongoing health struggles and explained why he has yet to announce any new shows.

Joel shared last year that he had been diagnosed with a rare brain disorder, Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, which can cause problems with vision, hearing and balance.

In a new interview with SiriusXM’s dedicated Billy Joel channel, the singer-songwriter, 77, said that he first declined to have a shunt implanted in his skull to remove the excess fluid the disorder was causing, believing it to be too extreme a measure.

“I said, ‘Nah, I think I’ll pass on that,’” he recalled. “I didn’t want to do that, but then I read up on it and I realised it can help improve your balance and can help your memory.”

He continued: “You know, I don’t want to lose my marbles. It’s hard to tell what’s age and what’s a condition, so I agreed to do the shunt and I had a surgery, and they implanted a shunt in my brain and it actually improved things.”

In the same interview Joel explained that, due to his neurological disorder, playing live shows was giving him “something like a concussion” every night, and that was behind his decision not to announce any new live dates.

“It was causing damage to my brain nerves and I could be losing more brain cells the more shows I did, and I realised that means I shouldn’t be doing this right now,” he said.

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“[I’ve] got to improve. They don’t want me to stress too much.”

Billy Joel reveals he had surgery to help improve his balance and memory (AFP/Getty)

Joel’s last full show was 22 February 2025 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, during which he fell down while performing “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”.

The musician played it off as a joke, but it later transpired it was a result of NPH. Joel went public with his diagnosis three months later and cancelled his remaining shows.

At the time, a statement from his representatives revealed his condition and explained how live performances were making it worse.

“This condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance,” his spokesperson said. “Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period.”

Joel has only performed on one occasion since, when he spontaneously got on stage with the Billy Joel tribute band Turnstiles in Wellington, Florida, for renditions of “We Didn’t Start the Fire” and “Big Shot”.

While Joel seemed unsure if he would get back to live shows, he assured fans: “I know people have heard, ‘Oh, he’s got a brain disorder,’ [but] I’m OK,” he said. “I just want people to know, don’t worry about me. I’m not going anywhere. I’m here. I’m still here.”

Earlier this week, Joel announced the death of his longtime collaborator and friend Jon Small.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”