Elizabeth Weber reemerges after decades for Billy Joel’s HBO documentary

Elizabeth Weber, Billy Joel’s first wife and longtime former manager, made headlines this week by publicly speaking for the first time in 43 years.

The 82-year-old appeared at the premiere of And So It Goes, HBO’s new two-part documentary on the music icon, during the 2025 Tribeca Festival in New York.

Weber, often referred to as Joel’s muse and the inspiration behind several of his classic songs, attended the event with her son Sean Small. Reflecting on her eight-year marriage to Joel, she told People, “It was great then, it’s great whenever I think about it, and it’s great now.”

The documentary dives deep into Billy Joel’s early struggles, creative rise, and personal pain — much of which centered around Elizabeth. The two had a controversial beginning, with Elizabeth initially married to Joel’s bandmate Jon Small. Despite the rocky start, she and Joel married in 1973, with Weber becoming a strategic force behind his success.

She reportedly pushed him to release “Just the Way You Are” — a decision that won him two Grammys. Weber also inspired iconic songs such as “She’s Always a Woman” and “The Stranger.” However, their marriage ended in the early 1980s amid Joel’s growing substance issues and a near-fatal motorcycle accident.

Now, re-entering public life, Weber says she joined the project after encouragement from her granddaughters and co-director Susan Lacy. Notably absent was Joel, 75, who is recovering from normal pressure hydrocephalus. According to Lacy, he is undergoing physical therapy and is expected to recover fully.

Weber’s return offers rare insight into a pivotal yet misunderstood chapter of Billy Joel’s career and personal life.