BeforeBilly Joelbecame the six-time Grammy-winning Piano Man, he was training to be the nextMuhammad Ali. A musical byproduct who embodies the beauty and chaos of New York, Joel’s career has been a relentless hustle ever since his high school years. But before he was banging on the keys for a living,Joel was an accomplished boxer with a promising future in sports — that is until he met someone bigger than his size.Little did he know, one injury would open up the door to his journey as one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time, with more than 150 million records sold worldwide. In another life, Joel might still be throwing punches in the ring, but as fate has it,the universe decided the world needs to hear him sing.
Before Joel took his vocal talents to the stage, he showed off his solid punches in the boxing ring. Growing up in Hicksville, Long Island after being born in the Bronx on June 11, 2025, Joel turned to boxing in his teenage years. Initially motivated by the need to defend himself from bullies and escape the feeling of being a “zero” in suburban life, he trained hard and found unexpected success.Competing in the prestigious amateur Golden Gloves circuit – an elite platform known for shaping future Olympians and Pan-Am competitors – Joel racked up an impressive 22 consecutive wins.
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Despite his promising streak, Joel’s boxing career ended after 24 fights. A punishing bout against a much larger opponent left him with a broken nose and uneven nostrils, prompting him to reconsider his future in the sport.The injury, and the realization that he doesn’t have the killer instincts and aggression required to overtake rivals way beyond his capacity, pushed Joel toward the musical route.It wasn’t a difficult switch. His long-lost passion for musichas reignited all thanks to watchingThe Beatlesperform onThe Ed Sullivan Showin 1964.
Joel isn’t the only artist in the industry with previous athletic experience. During his high school years, country pop singerBrett Youngserved as the pitcher for his baseball team and even got into Ole Miss in 1999 on a baseball scholarship. Unfortunately, just like Joel’s fate, Young’s career in sports got cut short due to an elbow injury in 2003. Jazz singerJohnny Mathis, who was an accomplished high jumper in college, was recommended to participate in the tryouts for the U.S. Olympic Team. But before he took on the opportunity, his heart turned to singing instead, per the advice of his father.
Billy Joel Dropped Out of High School to Support His Single Mother
Billy Joel once famously said, “If I’m not going to Columbia University, I’m going to Columbia Records.” Following his boxing career, the Hicksville High School studentbegan working nights as a pianist at a local barto help support his single mother financially. Like any kid staying up after curfew, his shifts took a toll on his attendance and academic performance.By the time graduation approached in 1967, he was missing one crucial English credit.Joel had no intention of flunking his studies — on the day of the final exam, he overslept and missed the opportunity to pass.
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Faced with the choice of attending summer school to earn his diploma or diving headfirst into music, Joel chose the latter.As a result, he didn’t graduate from high school. It wasn’t until 25 years later, in 1992, that Joel was finally awarded his high school diploma in a special ceremony at his alma mater, honoring both his achievements and his path to success. He would later return once again in 2017, where Joelgave a commencement speech at the 2017 graduation ceremony, sharing nuggets of wisdom that reflected the brash yet necessary decision he took when he was in high school.
“Now, the one thing I’m gonna try to pass along to you guys, right now you’re probably at the height of your idealism. As time goes on you may become cynical, you may become skeptical, you may just become disengaged from the way things are, but right now you’re as idealist as you’re ever gonna be, and that 18-year-old, you may take that with you for the rest of your life whenever you need to know what’s the right thing to do.”
Billy Joel Canceled the 2025 “Billy Joel in Concert” Tour Dates Due to a Brain Condition
In more recent news,Joel hascanceled all scheduled performances through July 2026following a diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), a brain condition that has affected his hearing, vision, and balance. The news was shared by his team on July 07, 2025, after an earlier postponement in March had already raised concerns about his health. Although Joel initially intended to return to the stage by July 2025 after undergoing surgery and physical therapy, those plans have now been abandoned due to the worsening effects of the condition.
NPH occurswhen cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the brain, typically due to age-related changes that interfere with its reabsorption. This buildup can lead to a gradual onset of walking difficulties, memory problems, and urinary incontinence. Throughout his career, Joel has been candid about the physical demands of performing as he ages.He has acknowledged that his career will likely not end with a farewell tour, but with a moment when he feels he can no longer perform at his best.
