Billy Joel surprised fans Friday with an impromptu performance in Florida.
It was the first performance since “The Piano Man” received his brain disorder diagnosis last year.
“The Turnstiles,” a Billy Joel cover band, was celebrating its 30th anniversary on Friday when Joel himself joined the group on stage.
“I wasn’t planning on working tonight,” Joel quipped while seated at a piano, per The Palm Beach Post.
He performed “We Didn’t Start the Fire” and “Big Shot” with his family in attendance.
In May, Joel announced he was diagnosed with the brain disorder Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.
“This condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance,” read a statement to his official social media account. “Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period. Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health.”
The music legend added, “I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience and thank you for understanding.”
Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, NPH, is described as a brain disorder where excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain’s ventricles.
In March, Joel announced he was postponing his tour for an ongoing medical condition. Earlier this month, his wife gave an update.
“He’s doing well,” Alexis Roderick, his wife, said. “It’s funny, I was just having this conversation the other day. He’s going to be 76. And I don’t think of him that way. People don’t think of him in that way, but he is. And he’s been doing this job nonstop for 15 years — just this recent run. …
“He’s well and working on himself, trying to get better and do what he has to do medically. So, it’s important, you know, we need him around, so he has to do what he has to do. I had to do what I had to do. Now he has to do what he has to do.”