Legendary singer-songwriter Billy Joel began his musical career in the 1960s, joining band Echoes at the age of 16. From there, he went on to be one of the most enduring and commercially successful artists of all time.
Earlier this month a new two-part documentary on Billy Joel was released on HBO, covering his incredible life and career. The series is titled ‘Billy Joel: And So It Goes’ and it has been drawing positive reviews across the board.
Joel was sadly forced to cancel his 2025 tour after announcing a diagnosis with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a neurological condition that leads to the buildup of fluid around the brain.
One of the key relationships of Joel’s life was that with Elizabeth Weber, his first wife and former manager. They were married from 1973 to 1982, a decade-long spell that marked his musical growth from underground talent to genuine superstar.
[embedded content]
That was the first of four marriages for Joel but it is the one that animates much of the emotion of his early career and the songs that he was writing at the time. In her review of the documentary for NPR, Linda Holmes points to certain truths hidden in Joel’s lyrics from that period.
She writes: “Why was he writing so much about the West and about California in the early 1970s? Because he and Weber had moved out there. Why did he sound so much like he kinda hated it? Because he kinda hated it.”
“Why does he sometimes come off in his own lyrics like a petulant jerk? Because sometimes he was being a petulant jerk. Why did he write such gorgeous love songs while he was married to Weber? Because he was deeply in love with her, and he loved to write about her and write to her.”
As much as Billy Joel is the obvious focus of the documentary there is also space given to other notable names who recall the impact that he had on their careers. At points Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney, two of the most idolized artists of their era, speak warmly about Joel’s music.
For much of his career there have been accusations that Billy Joel is not cool. He never had the rockstar swagger of many of his contemporaries and he initially failed to gain the good reviews that he craved. But his influence and the strength of feeling that he inspired are not in doubt, as is made unshakably clear in the new documentary.
Related stories
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
