Billy Joel has spent five decades writing the soundtrack to American life. He's sold out Madison Square Garden more times than most people have been to the grocery store. But if you ask him what actually keeps him busy these days, he isn't talking about chord progressions or the "Uptown Girl" royalties. He’s talking about school pickups and bedtime stories. Honestly, the Billy Joel kids have basically become the center of his universe in a way that feels worlds away from the "tortured artist" persona of the seventies.
The legendary musician is a "girl dad" through and through. He has three daughters. One is a grown woman with her own career; the other two are still in elementary school. It’s a wild gap. We’re talking about a man who became a father again in his mid-sixties, a move that he admits leads to plenty of people mistaking him for his children’s grandfather at the playground.
He doesn't seem to care. In fact, he seems to love it.
The Firstborn: Alexa Ray Joel
Alexa Ray Joel was born on December 29, 1985. She is the daughter of Billy and supermodel Christie Brinkley. Back then, they were the "it" couple of the decade. Growing up on Long Island, Alexa famously had no clue her parents were icons. She just thought they were "popular" because everyone said hello to them.
She's 40 now. Let that sink in.
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Alexa followed the family business, but she did it the hard way. She’s a classically trained pianist and a singer-songwriter who spent years playing small clubs and colleges to find her voice. Billy has always been vocal about not being a "stage dad." He didn't want to open every door for her because he knew the industry would be brutal if she didn't have the "genetic qualifications" and the grit to back it up.
They are incredibly close. They harmoniously "pig out" on snacks and watch old movies together. Alexa even has a middle name—Ray—that’s a direct tribute to the legendary Ray Charles. You can see the bond whenever she joins him on stage at the Garden, which she still does quite often.
Starting Over: Della Rose and Remy Anne
Fast forward thirty years. Billy is in his sixties. He meets Alexis Roderick, an equestrian and former Morgan Stanley executive, at a restaurant in Huntington, New York. They get married in 2015, and suddenly, the Piano Man is back in the diaper business.
Della Rose Joel arrived on August 12, 2015.
Remy Anne Joel followed on October 22, 2017.
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It’s a different vibe this time around. Billy has described himself as a "stay-at-home dad." He’s retired from the grueling "new album" cycle and mostly just plays his monthly residency (which he finally wrapped up in 2024). He waits for them to come home from school. He watches them ride horses. He even dressed up as Ken—box and all—for Halloween because his daughters wanted him to.
These girls are growing up in the spotlight, but in a very "Long Island" kind of way. They’ve joined him on stage to sing "My Life" and "Jingle Bells." Della, specifically, is a fan of her dad's song "Don't Ask Me Why." When she was just a toddler, she was already stealing the mic at Madison Square Garden.
The Reality of Late-In-Life Fatherhood
It isn't all glitz and Grammys. Billy has been pretty open about the fact that having kids at 66 and 68 is exhausting. He told Rolling Stone that other parents at school often assume he's the grandpa. He just laughs it off. He says they keep him young, which is the classic dad line, but you can see it in the way he performs. There’s a lightness there that wasn't always present in the "I Go to Extremes" era.
The family recently made a big move, swapping the Long Island estate for Florida in 2024. They’re doing the normal family stuff—well, normal for billionaires. That includes taking the girls to see Taylor Swift's Eras Tour and posing for photos with Swift's mom.
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What Most People Get Wrong
People assume there might be tension between the "first family" and the "new family." In reality, Alexa Ray is like a second mother to the little ones. She was actually in the delivery room when Remy was born. There's a video from a few years ago of Della singing "Happy Birthday" to Alexa that basically melted the internet.
The Billy Joel kids represent two very different chapters of his life:
- The "Rock Star" Era: Raising Alexa in the heat of his global fame.
- The "Piano Man" Sunset: Raising Della and Remy while enjoying the fruits of his legacy.
One thing that hasn't changed? The music. Whether it’s Alexa composing her own tracks or the little ones banging on the keys during soundcheck, the Joel household is never quiet.
If you're looking to keep up with the family's latest milestones, the best way is actually Billy's own Instagram. He’s surprisingly active with the "birthday tributes." He recently celebrated Della’s 10th birthday with photos from a tropical vacation—pigs on the beach and all.
Take Actionable Insights from the Joel Family Dynamic:
- Legacy isn't just work: Billy shows that even at the height of a career, being "just Dad" is the role that usually matters most.
- Support, don't smother: If you have children interested in your field, follow Billy’s lead—give advice when asked, but let them "play the clubs" to build their own credibility.
- It’s never too late: Starting over in your sixties is a choice to stay engaged with the future.
The "Piano Man" residency might be over, but for Billy Joel, the most important show is just getting started at home.