Billy Joel is a "girl dad." Seriously. Forget the 150-show Madison Square Garden residency or the six Grammys for a second. When you strip away the "Piano Man" persona, the 76-year-old rock legend is basically just a guy living in a house full of women, and honestly, he seems to love it that way.
Most people hear the name Billy Joel and think of Christie Brinkley or that iconic "Uptown Girl" video. But his life in 2026 is a far cry from the high-glamour, tabloid-heavy days of the eighties. He has three daughters: Alexa Ray, Della Rose, and Remy Anne. The age gap between them is wild. We’re talking nearly 30 years between the eldest and the middle child.
The Alexa Ray Era: More Than Just a Famous Last Name
Alexa Ray Joel turned 40 in December 2025. Think about that. The baby who inspired "Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)" is now a seasoned musician in her own right. She’s the only child from Billy’s high-profile marriage to Christie Brinkley.
Growing up as the daughter of a supermodel and a rock star sounds like a dream, but Alexa has been pretty vocal about the "nepo baby" labels. She’s done it the hard way. She played the small clubs. She dealt with the "she's only here because of her dad" whispers.
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Billy actually talked about this recently, mentioned how he tried not to be a "stage father." He didn't want to open every door for her because he knew the industry would eat her alive if she didn't have the chops. He basically told her she had to find her own voice. And she did. Her latest stuff, like the single "Heavy Eyes" and the 2025 track "Riverside Way," has this soul-rock vibe that isn't just a carbon copy of her dad’s hits.
It’s also kinda sweet how close she is with her younger sisters. You’ll see her on Instagram singing lullabies to them or hanging out backstage. Despite the massive age difference, they seem like a tight unit.
The Surprise Second Act: Della Rose and Remy Anne
Nobody really expected Billy Joel to become a new dad again in his mid-60s. But then he married Alexis Roderick in 2015, and suddenly the "Piano Man" was back in the diaper business.
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- Della Rose Joel: Born in August 2015. She’s 10 now.
- Remy Anne Joel: Born in October 2017. She just hit her 8th birthday.
Della Rose is already a bit of a scene-stealer. If you were at the final MSG residency show in July 2024, you saw her. She hopped on the mic during "My Life" and basically told the crowd "thanks for coming." Billy joked, "I guess it’s her life now."
Remy is the younger, quieter one, but she’s just as much a part of the touring circus. In late 2024, the whole family was spotted at a Taylor Swift Eras Tour stop in Miami. Seeing Billy Joel—a guy who has sold out stadiums for decades—taking his little girls to see Swift is just... humanizing. He’s doing the "cool dad" stuff just like anyone else.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Family Dynamic
The biggest misconception is that there’s drama between the "old" family and the "new" one. There really isn't. Christie Brinkley and Billy are famously friendly exes. They’ve been seen together at Alexa’s shows and even at Billy’s residency.
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In the 2025 HBO documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes, Alexa talked about how moving it was to see her parents’ history on screen. She called them the "ultimate dream couple" even though they’re not together anymore. It’s a rare Hollywood success story where the "blended family" actually works without the "Real Housewives" style fighting.
Billy lives a pretty quiet life on Long Island when he’s not on stage. He’s mentioned in interviews that he basically waits for the kids to get home from school. He calls himself a "stay-at-home dad" who happens to have a side gig playing to 20,000 people once a month.
Why It Matters Now
Billy has been dealing with some health stuff—specifically Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH), which he’s been remarkably resilient about. It’s made these moments with his daughters even more poignant. Whether it’s Della singing "Jingle Bells" at the Garden or Alexa celebrating her 40th with a family dance-off, the music has become the backdrop for his role as a father, rather than the other way around.
If you’re looking to follow the Joel family journey, the best thing to do is keep an eye on Alexa Ray’s social media. She’s the most active and often shares the most "real" glimpses of life behind the curtain at the Joel estate. You can also catch the younger girls making occasional, strictly-supervised appearances on Billy’s official Instagram during major milestones.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check out Alexa Ray Joel’s "Riverside Way" on Spotify to hear how she’s evolved past the "daughter of" label.
- Watch the Billy Joel: And So It Goes documentary for the most accurate look at how the family navigated his rise to fame.
- If you’re a fan of the music, look up the footage of Della Rose singing "Don't Ask Me Why" at MSG—it's probably the most "human" moment of his entire 150-show run.