Billy Joel’s Romantic History Is an Album of Greatest Hits

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Billy Joelmay be known as the Piano Man, but he’s really a relationship guy.

Or at least he aspired to be that guy.

In an interview with the Associated Press in 2002, the six-time Grammy winner expressed that the most joyful periods of his life were during times when his relationships flourished – instances where he was deeply in love and loved in return. However, he admitted that throughout his life, he has yet to encounter a person with whom he can maintain a lasting relationship. This leaves him feeling somewhat unsatisfied and self-critical. He carries the burden of regret.

Joel observed that success was significant, yet what truly mattered to him was universal: The desire to give and receive love, and to establish a family. Love, above all else, has always held the greatest importance in his life.

During that period, he had already divorced Christie Brinkley, who is the mother of his daughter Alexa Ray Joel. At that time, he was planning to remarry in about two years, with cookbook author Katie Lee being his intended bride.

However, despite not having all the elements for an enduring relationship with the Food Network celebrity, he’s been happily married to Alexis Roderick for a decade now.

And, no need to tell her about it, the fourth time has been the charm.

Joel communicated to Fred Schuers, author of the 2014 book “Billy Joel”, that out of all the millions of people, there’s one individual – him – who, after receiving a diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus in May and canceling his tour dates, asked to be understood, accepted, and loved for simply being himself.

However, before he experienced contentment with a previous investment risk analyst, his relationship background—encompassing his first marriage to Elizabeth Weber, which is explored in the recently released HBO documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes—could be described as complex or eventful.

Here’s a look at Joel’s romantic stops along the way to lasting love:

In 1970, Billy Joel relocated to New York and started living with his bandmate Jon Small. During this time, he developed feelings for Jon’s wife, Elizabeth Weber, who served as the muse for his hit songs “She’s Got a Way” (1971) and “She’s Always a Woman” and “Just the Way You Are” (both 1977).

In the 2025 HBO documentary Billy Joel: So It Goes, Joel confessed, “I had an overwhelming sense of remorse about it. They had a child together, and I felt like I was the cause of their family’s disruption. I was smitten by a woman, and I took a blow to the face, which I recognized as something I deserved.

In September 1973, I was a part of their intimate courthouse wedding, and following the release of his album, “Piano Man,” in the same year, I took on a significant role in overseeing and promoting his career. However, by 1980, our lives had drifted apart, and we officially ended our marriage in 1982.

In 1982, Joel encountered Elle Macpherson at a tavern in St. Barts. She was out with Christie Brinkley at the time. Yet, Joel’s future spouse was romantically involved with Olivier Chandon, heir of MoĂ«t & Chandon champagne. Consequently, it was Macpherson who started dating Joel when they both returned to New York.

Speaking as a lifestyle expert, I had my first significant age-gap romance when I was 33 with a 19-year-old Australian model. However, it wasn’t just our ages that made heads turn; she towered over me at an impressive 6 feet tall, while I stood at a more modest 5 feet 7 inches. As I jokingly put it, “I felt like Bubbles the Chimp standing next to her.

Macpherson’s career had only recently gained momentum, but as she began to travel more frequently, Joel assumed their relationship was over. The inspiration for “And So It Goes” stemmed from this experience.

Joel and Brinkley reunited in 1983 after Chandon was killed in a race car accident.

He shared with Schruers, ‘I reached out and expressed, “I understand you’re facing some tough times.” If you require someone to confide in, I am available.’

After starting his relationship with Brinkley, who was featured in the “Uptown Girl” music video, he re-titled the song from “Uptown Girls” as a reflection of their romance, and the album “An Innocent Man” serves as a tribute to their courtship.

In March 1985, Joel and Brinkley got married, and exactly nine months afterward, their daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, was born. The “Ray” in her middle name honors the legendary musician, Ray Charles.

However, Joel’s volatile behavior—he went to rehab in 2002—hastened their 1994 divorce.

In her 2025 memoir, Uptown Girl, Brinkley explained that she tirelessly strived to create a perfect marriage by shaping herself, our home, and everything around us to cater to his desires. However, his alcoholism proved to be an overwhelming force in our relationship. Alcohol, she said, was the third party in our union.

Joel has been relatively quiet about his second divorce, but during an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2008, he mentioned, “We made an effort to get along for the sake of Alexa Ray.

Joel became acquainted with Carolyn Beegan while he was still married to Brinkley, yet they continued to claim their friendship persisted until the singer had ended her relationship.

He dated the artist for a couple of years before their relationship wound down in 2000.

Trish Bergin first encountered Joel back in 1995 while she was tasked with an interview for a Grammy winner. It wasn’t until 2000 that their paths crossed again.

However, Bergin aspired to establish a family, but Joel wasn’t aligned with this goal. Consequently, they parted ways in 2001 following a year of being together.

In the year 2002, Joel happened to run into Katie Lee in the lobby of the Peninsula Hotel, Midtown Manhattan, as shared with Schruers. Joel extended an invitation to Lee and her companion for dinner, and as she mentioned on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2008, their shared passion for food was what drew them together.

Despite being a 21-year-old visitor in NYC due to her remaining year at Miami University of Ohio, they maintained contact. Following her graduation, Katie eventually moved in with the 54-year-old individual in the Hamptons. Over time, she grew close to Alexa Ray, to the point where Joel recalled that “Katie was beginning to feel like family.

On October 2, 2004, they got married at his residence on Centre Island. Alexa Ray served as the maid of honor for Lee, while Brinkley attended the ceremony.

Recognizing the 32-year difference between them, Lee explained to Winfrey, “He’s been able to stay immature due to his job as a rock star, while I am more mature than people my age. So, we find a balance between his immaturity and my maturity.

In my expertise, I often find myself reflecting that if a woman were three decades senior to me, I would consider her as a potential partner. When there’s a strong connection and compatibility, one doesn’t resist the pull. Instead, you embrace it wholeheartedly.

But it stopped working and they announced their separation in June 2009.

In October 2009, Joel encountered Alexis Roderick, a 29-year-old senior risk analyst at Morgan Stanley, in a restaurant on Long Island. He managed to get her phone number and dialed from afar to ask for a ride home. Despite turning down an immediate invitation to play the piano at his house, he went ahead and performed anyway.

On the 4th of July, 2015, they exchanged vows at his Centre Island mansion, and a month afterward, they became parents to Della Rose Joel. Subsequently, Remy Anne Joel joined their family in October 2017.

In May 2025, Joel, aged 76, ended his recent tour following a diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus, a condition that impaired his equilibrium, hearing, and eyesight.

On Father’s Day, Roderick expressed his gratitude by saying, “This year served as a reminder of how fortunate we feel to have you in our lives. You are a remarkable, resilient man who provides us with unwavering support. We strive to return the favor and be there for you just as you are for us. Our love for you is endless, and we eagerly look forward to celebrating another great year together.

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2025-07-19 13:17