Billy Joel performs at Mohegan Sun Arena on Feb. 22, 2025, in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Myrna M. Suarez / Getty Images)
By Michael Austin October 17, 2026 at 3:15am
Billy Joel announced that he has new limitations on his health, leading the legendary singer-songwriter to drastically change his lifestyle.
Joel, 77, revealed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he needs to “take a series of tests” before deciding whether he can perform.
“I can’t drive right now. I’m not allowed to drive,” Joel told the outlet.
Joel is not only getting older, but also suffers from hydrocephalus — a condition where fluid builds up in the brain’s ventricles, affecting balance and potentially damaging brain tissue.
He underwent surgery back in 2025 and canceled his performances last May.
His doctors advised him against performing.
“What the neurologist told me, every time you do a show, it’s like you’re getting a concussion,” Joel explained.
The loud volume and bright lighting, as well as stress and high energy levels, may worsen his condition.
Joel is also selling off his motorcycle collection.
“I ended up having over a hundred motorcycles, and the truth is you can only ride one at a time,” the singer said.
“I’m into my 70s now, and I realized I can’t ride as much as I used to.”
“I don’t want to die like a bug on a windshield,” he added. “So I thought I’d put a lot of them on auction.”
Gooding Christie’s will auction off the collection between Nov. 20 and Nov. 21 at the Javits Center in New York.
“I love motorcycles. I love biking. I love driving. I love the anonymity of it,” Joel told The Hollywood Reporter.
“And I love the customization of these bikes, the modifications, the messing around with things. I was not a collector. I was actually a rider. So I figured it was just time to let it go.”
Do you think Billy Joel should continue performing despite his health issues?
The music video for Joel’s hit 1983 song “Uptown Girl” ends with the singer and Christie Brinkley on a motorcycle.
But that bike will not be available for sale.
“No, that wasn’t even my bike. I think that was an old Harley-Davidson or something,” he described.
“I’m not necessarily a Harley enthusiast. I know everybody in America loves Harleys, but everybody assumes if you ride a motorcycle, it’s a Harley, but it’s not.”
But one bike available for sale will be his 1987 Triumph Bonneville T140 — which was a gift from Madison Square Garden after he sold out the venue for the 150th time.
That sale will benefit the Joel Foundation — a nonprofit that supports school recording studios, music therapy programs, and similar initiatives.
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Michael wrote for several entertainment news outlets before joining The Western Journal in 2020. He now serves as Managing Editor, which involves managing the editorial team and operations, guiding the publication’s editorial direction, and writing, editing, curating and assigning stories as needed.
Birthplace
Ames, Iowa
Nationality
American
Education
Iowa State University
Topics of Expertise
Cultural Politics, Pop Culture, Christian-Conservatism
