Billy Joel assures fans 'I'm OK' on SiriusXM call-in show

Billy Joel sounded great on Thursday. His speaking voice was clear — as well as his singing voice — his recall mostly perfect and his playing chops intact. Joel also sounds very much alive.

In what SiriusXM called his "first-ever live call-in special" — a back-and-forth with fans that aired Thursday afternoon on SiriusXM's "The Billy Joel Channel" — Joel addressed his health, if not those premature reports of his demise (a Sept. 17 event, described as vandalism by Google, briefly stated he had died).

"I hope your health is doing better," said Dave, of Pennsylvania.

"Thank you, it is," said Billy, formerly of Hicksville.

Joel, 77, did further elaborate on his health and recent surgery. In one exchange with a fan from Texas, Joel said "I know people worry about me because they read I have a brain disorder, which sounds a lot worse than it is. I'm OK. My balance isn't that good. I lost a little bit of my hearing, which may have to do with my age, and the rock and roll life probably didn't help. [But] I'm fine. I want people not to have to worry about me."

Clearly in good spirits, Joel parried dozens of questions from fans across the country and occasionally punctuated answers with chords on a piano (Joel was in Florida). Rarely was he asked about his health, but in one exchange, a woman from Pennsylvania said she had been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus a few years ago. Her doctors had recommended a shunt, but "if you have any words of encouragement, I'm having a difficult time talking myself into it."

Joel, who revealed his NPH diagnosis in May 2025, said earlier this month he had brain surgery to implant a shunt. "I understand your trepidation about that procedure," he said. "When I was diagnosed with NPH they recommended a shunt be implanted. I said, what does that entail? Well, 'We drill a hole through your skull, then put a drain into your brain to drain off excess fluid.' I said, 'Nah, I think I'll pass on that.'

"But I researched it [and] they drilled a hole in my skull, knocked me out, I woke up and it was fine," he added. "A little bump on my head where the thing is, but it didn't really change my life, except things got better: my cognition, my balance. My hearing got better. It really improved my situation, so I would recommend it if it's caught early enough. I don't know how it works for someone who caught it at a later stage. But the procedure sounds a lot worse than it is."

Most questions were about lyrics, songs, his process, and (yes) his favorite pizza place when he's on Long Island (Ralph's in Bayville) and favorite one growing up (Pizza D'Amore in Hicksville — no longer there).

And yes, he was asked about his band playing Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City at Etess Arena on Dec. 5 — without him.

"I didn't even know they planned to do that! My backing band that's been with me the last couple of years," he said. "They're a great band. I miss them, just a great combination of musicians, so much fun, [and it's] the main thing I miss about what's happening with me right now. [I'm] cool with them doing that, absolutely. They're doing my songs? I assume they're doing some of my stuff and Mike [DelGuidice] is taking the vocals. I didn't know about this, I wasn't apprised, but I think it's a great idea. They're sitting around waiting to do something."

The show, hosted by Lou Simon who was with Joel in Florida, ended on a high note, with Simon telling Joel, "You look great."