Legendary pianist Billy Joel skipped the premiere of his documentary in the wake of his upsetting health diagnosis.
Billy Joel: And So It Goes premiered at the Tribeca Festival at the Beacon Theatre in New York City on Wednesday, June 4.
The Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin-directed documentary chronicles the music Piano Man hitmaker’s journey from his humble Long Island roots to launching into international superstardom through never-before-seen archival footage with candid interviews.
While Joel, 76, couldn’t make it to the venue due to his health struggles, others light up the night by gracing the show, including Mariska Hargitay and her husband, actor Peter Hermann, Robert De Niro, Tom Hanks and Whoopi Goldberg.
For the unversed, the Vienna musician was recently diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), a condition that causes excess cerebrospinal fluid to accumulate in the brain’s ventricles.
Additionally, in the wake of his diagnosis, Joel canceled all of his upcoming concert dates.
Under his doctor’s instructions, the Turn The Lights Back On singer is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been “advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period.:
