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Tags: billy joel | nyc | tourists | pedicab

Billy Joel Surprises NYC Tourists Playing His Music in Pedicab

By    |   Thursday, 24 July 2025 12:09 PM EDT

Billy Joel surprised fans when he unexpectedly appeared beside a pedicab in New York City just as the driver was playing one of his classic hits.

The five-time Grammy Award winner shared the moment, which took place Monday afternoon, on his Instagram.

"We're in a New York State of Mind...always," he captioned the post.

In the video, the driver was not immediately aware that it was Joel, 76, driving next to him, but did a double take when he realized who it was. 

"Oh, Nice. You see, we are playing you," the unidentified driver of the pedicab said while reaching his hand out to greet Joel.

"Can I take a picture with you, please?" he asked.

The camera turned to Joel as he smiled at the two rear-seated passengers.

Earlier this year, Joel announced that he was canceling all of his upcoming concerts after he was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a condition that causes pressure on the brain.

A statement posted to his official Instagram account said Joel's condition "has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance."

"Under his doctor's instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period," the statement read. "Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health."

In an interview with People published July 21, Joel revealed that he was "alright."

"I know a lot of people are worried about me and my health, but I'm okay," he said. "What I have is something very few people know about, including me, no matter how much you try to research it. I'm doing my best to work with it and to recover from it."

Joel admitted that he found the diagnosis "disturbing," but he reassured fans that all was well.

"It was scary, but I'm okay," he said. "I just wanted to let people know, don't worry about me being deathly ill or anything."

Zoe Papadakis

Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.

© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


TheWire
Billy Joel surprised fans when he unexpectedly appeared beside a pedicab in New York City just as the driver was playing one of his classic hits. The five-time Grammy Award winner shared the moment...
billy joel, nyc, tourists, pedicab
336
2025-09-24
Thursday, 24 July 2025 12:09 PM
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