Billy Joel Makes Surprise Return With Cover Band

Billy Joel's first gig after disclosing a brain condition wasn't a sold-out arena—it was a suburban anniversary party with a tribute band. The 76-year-old musician quietly turned up in Wellington, around 65 miles north of Miami, on Friday as the town marked its 30th year, the Palm Beach Post reports. A Billy Joel cover band called Turnstiles had been hired for the show at the village amphitheater. Instead, the crowd got the real thing, as Joel joined them at the piano for "We Didn't Start the Fire" and "Big Shot."

"I wasn't planning on working tonight," he joked from the stage, while his daughters Della and Remy danced beside him. The appearance was Joel's first public performance since May 2025, when he revealed he'd been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a condition that can affect balance, hearing, and vision, Rolling Stone reports.

At the time, his team said recent concerts had intensified the symptoms and announced the cancellation of his upcoming shows, with doctors advising him to stop performing while he underwent targeted physical therapy. Joel has since said the condition isn't "fixed" but is "being worked on." There's no word yet on whether his cameo in Wellington, near property he owns, means a broader return to touring is on the way.