Billy Joel knows a thing or two about romance, often using his relationships as muses in his music.
With the release of his documentary Billy Joel: So It Goes, he has pulled back the curtain on his high-profile marriages.
Read about them below.
How many divorces has Billy Joel had?
The Piano Man singer has been divorced three times.
Elizabeth Weber
The Grammy winner met his first wife in the 1970s; however, she was in a relationship with his bandmate, Jon Small.
He then moved in with the couple and their own.
There, Billy recalled, was when his affair with his first wife began.
In his documentary, he said he felt “very guilty” and “felt like a homewrecker”.
“I was just in love with a woman, and I got punched in the nose, which I deserved. Jon was very upset. I was very upset,” he said.
They then rekindled their relationship and got married in 1973, before filing for divorce nine years later.
Christine Brinkley
Billy met his second wife, Christine Brinkley, while vacationing in St. Barts in 1983.
The couple then went on their first proper date at a Beach Boys concert.
“It was like being a teenager all over again. Experiencing those same emotions that I had when I was first discovering romance and love,” he said in the second part of his documentary.
Tying the knot in 1985, they welcomed their daughter, Alexa, in the same year.
Christine also spoke in the documentary about how the first years of their relationship were blissful, but cracks began to show.
His single, I Go to Extremes, explores his inability to separate his family life from his professional one. He also had issues with his former manager, Frank Weber, which put a strain on their family.
“I was in a relationship with someone whom I cared deeply about. But I was not able to be at home. I was not able to be with my family. It was a very sad time for me,” he said in the documentary.
“I realised love is not concrete. You feel like it is, but there are things eating away at it. And in the end, it all catches up. It’s hard. I was so devastated.”
Elizabeth then spoke about a night when they fought.
“He said, ‘Yeah, fine, go.’ I tried. I wanted it to work,” the model said. “I knew how lucky I was, having music and all of that. But it just didn’t work.”
They then divorced in 1994. However, they have remained on great terms as co-parents.
Katie Lee
Katie and Billy’s love story began in 2002, when they bumped into each other at the Peninsula Hotel.
Their meet-cute then led to drinks. Fast forward to 2004, and they got married in his Long Island home.
However, they confirmed their divorce less than five years later.
“This decision is a result of much thoughtful consideration. Billy & Katie remain caring friends with admiration and respect for each other,” the statement read.
Who is Billy Joel’s current wife?
While Billy and Alexis Roderick have been happily married since 2015, their love story began when they met in 2009 at a restaurant.
Speaking to The New Yorker, the Uptown Girl singer approached her table, where she sat with her friends. He introduced himself, got her number, and then called her from across the restaurant, asking if she could give him a ride home.
“I always try to go out with North Shore girls,” he joked to the publication. “They usually have a car.”
She then drove him back to Centre Island and asked her if she wanted to hear him play, and did so anyway, even though she said no.
“It was like he couldn’t not be ‘Billy Joel’ at that moment,” Alexis recalled.
That night, she drove off, but they started seeing each other months later. They then moved in together, and Billy convinced Alexis to quit her job on Wall Street.
Fast forward to 2015, and the couple tied the knot at his sprawling estate in Long Island.
They “surprised guests at their annual July 4th party by exchanging vows in front of their family and close friends,” his spokeswoman said in a statement to PEOPLE at the time.
They welcomed their first daughter, Della Rose, in August 2015 and Remy Anne in October 2017.
What has Billy Joel been diagnosed with?
Alexis has also been a pillar of support after Billy’s recent health diagnosis.
In May, he revealed that he was receiving treatment for Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.
The condition occurs when cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the brain’s ventricles, but without the typical high pressure.
“It’s not fixed, it’s still being worked on,” he said on the Club Random podcast, which is hosted by Bill Maher, explaining that his balance has been impacted.
“My balance sucks. It’s like being on a boat,” he explained. “It used to be called water on the brain.”
He then went on to say he felt “good”.
Taking to Instagram in the same month, Alexis gave an update about his health.
“Thank you for the outpouring of love and support,” she began.
“We are so grateful for the wonderful care and swift diagnosis we received. Bill is beloved by so many, and to us, he is a father and husband who is at the centre of our world. We are hopeful for his recovery. We look forward to seeing you all in the future.”
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