Billy Joel’s first wife, Elizabeth Weber, is offering a rare glimpse into their unique relationship today. Even decades after their divorce, and despite their famously rocky start, it seems a bond still exists.
“I can reach out to him whenever I want to,” Weber shared with Us Weekly on Friday, August 8. She added that Joel has a wife and children now. She also noted he is currently dealing with “something big.”
That “something big” is Billy Joel’s health. The 76-year-old singer had to cancel his remaining 2025 tour dates. Doctors diagnosed him with normal pressure hydrocephalus. This brain condition means too much spinal fluid builds up. It can cause problems with walking, memory, balance, and bladder control. Weber confirmed she does check in on him since his health news broke.
Their connection is “as close as it needs to be,” Weber explained. After all, they split up 40 years ago. Their story began in a complicated way. Weber met Joel when she was married to Jon Small, Joel’s best friend and bandmate. A relationship sparked between Joel and Weber. This led to the band breaking up. Joel also faced severe depression and attempted suicide twice during that time. A two-part HBO documentary, “Billy Joel: And So It Goes,” released in July, explored these difficult events.
After her own divorce, Weber and Joel married in 1973. They stayed together for almost a decade, separating in 1982. Joel moved on to other marriages. He married Christie Brinkley in 1985. They had a daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, before divorcing in 1994. Later, Joel married cookbook author Katie Lee in 2004. That marriage ended after five years in 2009. In 2015, Joel married Alex Roderick. They have two daughters, Della Rose Joel and Remy Anne Joel. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Weber shares a son, Sean Weber-Small, with her first husband.
