Billy Joel is making a rare public appearance following his brain disorder diagnosis.
The 77-year-old "We Didn't Start the Fire" singer announced in a Nov. 9 social media post
that he will take part in a Q&A at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. The Dec. 14 event, which is only open to currently enrolled students, is described as "an evening of questions & answers…and a little music."Joel's representative clarified to USA TODAY on Nov. 10 that the appearance doesn't involve a performance, with "no band, no stage equipment and no setlist of songs."
"It's a Q&A, not a concert, and he's done these Q&A sessions at universities in the past," the representative said in a statement. "He is answering questions from a college audience
about the music, business, songwriting, recording, and other related topics."
The musical portion of the event will involve "a brief musical example used to illustrate a point he is trying to make." The Q&A will be "an educational evening for those interested in how Billy's lifelong occupation has been done."
Billy Joel's life after brain surgery
The announcement comes a year and a half after Joel canceled upcoming stadium shows, which were scheduled from April 2025 through September 2026, following brain disorder diagnosis. Normal pressure hydrocephalus, he explained at the time, was "exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance."
In September, the singer revealed he'd successfully undergone surgery to implant a shunt in his brain, which he said led to improved symptoms.
"I didn't want to do that, but then I read up on it, and I realized it can help improve your balance and can help your memory. You know, I don't want to lose my marbles," Joel said on SiriusXM's The Billy Joel Channel.
"It's hard to tell what's age and what's a condition, so I agreed to do the shunt, and I had a surgery ... and it actually improved things. My memory got better, my balance got a little better, my ability to function was better."
The "Uptown Girl" singer returned to the stage 10 months ago, in January, and joined a cover band in Wellington, Florida, to perform two songs.
Billy Joel's doctors told him not to perform
The Florida performance comes on the heels of the "Piano Man" songwriter revealing that his medical team advised against performing.
Joel said in an Oct. 15 Hollywood Reporter interview that he needed additional testing to determine whether he can return to activities such as driving and performing. He pointed to the loud music, lighting and stress of a concert as concerns for his doctors but said he still hopes to perform.
He explained that the condition "affects your balance, it affects your memory, it affects your vision, your hearing," but that he's still doing fine. A neurologist, he added, told him that "every time you do a show, it's like you're getting a concussion."
Contributing: Sameen Chaudhry, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Billy Joel sets rare public appearance amid brain disorder
