Billy Joel shares health update, insists: “I’m not dying”

Billy Joel has shared an update on his health, insisting that he is “not dying”.

The singer-songwriter and pianist, 76, cancelled his entire touring plans last month, after being diagnosed with a brain disorder called Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH).

In an accompanying statement, Joel shared that his condition had been “exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance”.

Now, Joel’s friend Howard Stern has relayed a brief message from the artist on his SiriusXM radio programme, The Howard Stern Radio Show.

“I saw Billy Joel two weeks ago, we had dinner together,” host Stern told his listeners. “He’s doing fine. He does have issues, but he said, ‘Yeah, you can tell people: I’m not dying’. You know, he wants people to know that.

“He just… he’s gotta deal with some medical stuff, but it was delightful. We had a great time with the wives, we had a great conversation. I was telling him I’m enjoying playing classical music on the guitar. He lit up, because that’s what he’s into.”

Stern added: “It was his birthday [on May 9], I even brought out the guitar and sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to him.” You can watch the video clip in the post below.

The update comes after Joel’s daughter, Alexa Ray, said her father was “entirely committed to making a full recovery with ongoing physical-therapy treatments as he continues to regain his strength”.

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