After a diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) last year, Billy Joel is stepping back onto the stage.
The Piano Man chart-topping artist will participate in an onstage dialogue and may even treat the audience to a few musical moments when he visits Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton on 14 December.
FAU’s social channels outline that Billy Joel will appear for “Billy Joel: An Evening of Questions & Answers…And a Little Music” at 7 p.m. on Monday, December 14, 2026, with tickets limited to current FAU students.
This event will mark the 77-year-old’s first official appearance, though he surprised a Florida crowd in January by joining a Billy Joel cover band onstage. He entered with the aid of a cane before delivering piano-driven renditions of Big Shot and We Didn’t Start the Fire. It was his first live vocal performance before an audience since his touring hiatus began in May 2025.
His departure from touring last year was connected to his NPH diagnosis, a condition characterized by fluid buildup in the brain.
In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter last month, Joel indicated that he would need to undergo a series of tests before any decision could be made about when he might perform again. A neurologist reportedly told him that each show could feel like a concussion.
The Uptown Girl singer had previously reassured fans on SiriusXM, noting, “I’m okay. My balance isn’t very good. I’ve lost a bit of my hearing, but that may be tied to age and the rock-and-roll life with its loud volumes probably didn’t help. But I’m fine.”
