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Billy Joel to return to stage after brain disorder

Billy Joel is set to return to the stage after being diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) last year.

The singer will take part in an on-stage discussion and may play some music when he visits Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton on 14 December. A social media announcement billed the event as Billy Joel: An Evening of Questions & Answers...And a Little Music, starting at 7 p.m. on Monday, December 14, 2026. Tickets are available only to current FAU students.

This will be the 77-year-old's first official event, though he did make a surprise appearance on stage in January with a Billy Joel cover band in Florida. Walking on with a cane, he sang and played piano on renditions of Big Shot and We Didn't Start the Fire. That was his first time singing live in front of a crowd since he stepped back from live shows in May 2025.

His departure from touring last year was linked to the NPH diagnosis, which involves a build-up of fluid in the brain.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter last month, Joel said he would "have to take a series of tests before" he knows when he can perform again. A neurologist reportedly told him that "every time you do a show, it's like you're getting a concussion".

The Piano Man singer had earlier reassured fans on SiriusXM: "I'm okay. My balance isn't that good. Lost a little bit of my hearing, but that may have to do with my age, too, and the rock and roll life and the loud volume probably didn't help. But I'm fine."

Photo: Cover Media
Source: Muzland
Added by Frank
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