Billy Joel announced Tuesday he was suspending his tour over an undisclosed “medical condition” that required surgery.
News of the Piano Man’s setback was posted to his social media accounts. However, is upcoming shows in New York in the late summer shouldn’t be affected by the scheduling change.
“The current tour will be postponed for four months to allow him to recover from recent surgery and to undergo physical therapy under the supervision of his doctors,” according to Joel’s Facebook page.
The 75-year-old Long Islander is expected to make a full recovery and resume touring in Pittsburgh on July 5. His second show after recuperating is scheduled to take place at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx — the borough where he was born — on July 18. He will then play an Aug. 8 gig at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey followed by an Aug. 21 performance at Citi Field in Queens.
“While I regret postponing any shows, my health must come first,” Joel said in a statement. “I look forward to getting back on stage and sharing the joy of live music with our amazing fans. Thank you for your understanding.”
He was next scheduled to perform in Toronto Saturday. It would have been his first show in the Canadian city in more than a decade.
Joel plans to hit the road with several other hitmakers. Rod Stewart will join him at Yankee Stadium. He’ll be accompanied by Stevie Nicks at MetLife Stadium and Sting at Citi Field. Joel and Sting planned to perform together in Syracuse in April, but that show is being postponed while the “New York State of Mind” singer recovers.
It’s not clear if Joel’s recent string of postponements are related to the “medical procedure” that caused him to pull out of a Jan. 17 concert in Florida. He promised fans on Instagram that he’d reschedule that show for November.
Some fans expressed concern when Joel hit the deck after playing his “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me” at the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in Connecticut on Feb. 22. Social media users speculated he may have been injured based on video posted to TikTok, though Joel appeared to be fine after his energetic rendition of that 1980 classic.
Joel famously played a 104-show monthly residency at Madison Square Garden that ended in July. He was joined on stage by Axl Rose and Jimmy Fallon for the final show of that historic run.