Billy Joel may be taking a hiatus from the road as he recovers from the neurological condition normal pressure hydrocephalus, but his longtime road band is coming back together March 12, 2026, for an all-star show at New York’s Carnegie Hall where they’ll perform classics from his catalog with guest vocalists Rob Thomas, Alexa Ray Joel, Pat Monahan, Gavin DeGraw, Marc Roberge, Matt Nathanson, Rufus Wainwright, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Tanya Tucker, The War And Treaty, Joy Oladokun, Bettye LaVette, and others who have yet to be announced.
The show is the 21st Music Of benefit concert that veteran concert promoter Michael Dorf has staged in New York since 2004, raising over $2 million for music education programs. Previous honorees have included Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Van Morrison, the Rolling Stones, R.E.M., Joni Mitchell, Prince, and Patti Smith.
This year’s Billy Joel show marks the first time the event sold out prior to the announcement of a single guest artist. Fans who were shut out can purchase tickets to a live rehearsal show at City Winery on March 11, where select artists from the show will be previewing their performances. At both shows, they’ll be joined by saxophonist Mark Rivera, percussionist/vocalist Crystal Taliefero, guitarist Tommy Byrnes, bassist Andy Cichon, drummer Chuck Burgi, horn player Carl Fischer, guitarist/vocalist Mike DelGuidice, and keyboardist David Rosenthal, who will double as the band leader.
Joel was originally supposed to spend much of 2025 on the road, hitting stadiums all across North America and England. But he went public with his normal pressure hydrocephalus diagnosis in May, and cancelled the shows. “This condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance,” read a statement from Joel’s team. “Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period. Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health.”
In July, while promoting his new two-part, five-hour documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, Joel spoke to Bill Maher about his condition. “I feel fine,” he said. “My balance sucks. It’s like being on a boat.” (At the final show that Joel played in 2025 before calling off his tour, he fell down at the end of “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me.)
It’s unclear if Joel plans on attending the Carnegie Hall tribute show. Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M., and Patti Smith all took part in their own Music Of tribute shows.
