After a 21-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Billy Joel made a triumphant return to Madison Square Garden on November 5, 2021. Fans were ecstatic to see their favorite musician back on stage, but they were also surprised and delighted by his new, slimmer physique. The "Uptown Girl" singer unveiled a noticeable 50-pound weight loss, sparking curiosity and admiration among his fans.
The Reason Behind the Weight Loss: Back Surgery and Appetite Changes
The 72-year-old Grammy winner revealed that his weight loss was an unintentional consequence of back surgery he underwent earlier in the year. In an interview with Howard Stern, Joel explained, "I had back surgery early this year, and the pain afterward was so bad that I lost my appetite." He embraced this change, consciously choosing to eat less. This, combined with "life aggravation," further impacted his appetite, leading to the significant weight loss.
While the weight loss wasn't intentional, the musician noted he was grateful that it happened. "I had gotten kind of chunky," said Joel. "I was happy to lose the weight."
Health Issues and Past Surgeries
While Joel hasn't explicitly stated the reason for his recent back surgery, he has been open about his past hip issues. In 2010, he underwent a hip replacement, attributing the joint pain and damage to his energetic performances in his early career and being born with hip dysplasia.
"Over the years, jumping off the piano, landing on a hard stage certainly didn’t help," he told the New York Times. He also recounted doing somersaults and flips off the piano in his early days, even climbing cables and hanging upside down to get attention.
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The Return to the Stage: A Resumption of His Residency
Billy Joel's performance at Madison Square Garden marked the resumption of his residency after a prolonged break due to the pandemic. The sold-out show, his 74th at the venue, was met with enthusiasm from fans who were eager to see the "Piano Man" back in action.
Prior to starting his set with "New York State of Mind," Joel apologized to the crowd for the long absence. He also shared that the time off was both "aggravating" and "very enjoyable." Furthermore, Joel made sure to provide his band members with sabbatical pay to compensate for the lack of live performances.
Embracing Age and Rejecting the Pressure to Change
Despite his recent weight loss and past health issues, Billy Joel remains grounded and comfortable in his own skin. In a 2019 interview with Rolling Stone, he reflected on aging and the pressures of the music industry.
"This is a Peter Pan kinda job," he said. "You start out, and you're young, and you're rockin' and rollin', and that's what you do all your life. You become a little myopic about how old you actually are. I see pictures of myself at the Garden recently, and I go, 'That don't look right.' I got old. I lost my hair. I was never a matinee idol to begin with, and there I am onstage still doing the same job I was doing when I was 16."
Joel has also expressed his disinterest in drastically altering his appearance to look younger. "I've always been a schlubby-looking guy, and I ain't about to change," he said. "Plastic surgery, wigs, I don't know. It has nothing to do with music. It's all about an image and look. I am 70 years old."
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Family Life and Inspiration
Billy Joel is also a dedicated family man. He shares two young daughters, Della Rose, 6, and Remy Anne, 4, with his wife, Alexis Roderick. In a heartfelt birthday message, he expressed his gratitude for his family, stating that his daughters have been their "quarantine entertainment" and that he couldn't imagine being stuck at home with anyone else.
He also jokingly shared an anecdote. "People think I’m my kid’s grandfather. I take [Della] to school and one of the other parents will go, ‘Oh, your granddaughter’s so cute.’ I just say, ‘OK, thank you,'”
A Word of Caution: Unintentional Weight Loss and Seeking Medical Advice
While Billy Joel's weight loss was a result of specific circumstances, it's important to note that unintentional weight loss can sometimes be a cause for concern. Medical professionals generally agree that a medical evaluation is necessary if someone loses more than 5% of their weight within six months to a year, especially for older adults.
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