Billy Joel has a thing for the women in his songs. Usually, when people think of the "Piano Man's" wives, Christie Brinkley is the first name that pops up. Maybe they think of Alexis Roderick, his current wife. But long before the Uptown Girl or the modern stability of his later years, there was Elizabeth Weber Small. She wasn’t just a spouse; she was the business engine and the lyrical inspiration for some of the greatest hits of the 1970s. So, how long was Billy Joel married to Elizabeth?
The short answer is nine years. They tied the knot in 1973 and officially called it quits in 1982.
But those nine years weren't just a calendar entry. They were arguably the most creatively explosive and emotionally volatile years of Joel’s entire career. If you’ve ever hummed along to "She’s Got a Way" or felt the romantic weight of "Just the Way You Are," you are listening to the ghost of Elizabeth Weber. She was the one who managed his money, fought his legal battles, and eventually walked away with a significant chunk of his world.
The Complicated Start of Elizabeth and Billy
The timeline of their relationship is messy. It didn't start with a sweet meet-cute at a piano bar. Honestly, it was a bit of a scandal. When they met in 1970, Elizabeth was actually married to Jon Small, who was Billy's partner in the short-lived, heavy-psych rock duo Attila.
Imagine that for a second. You're in a band with your buddy, and you fall head-over-heels for his wife. It was a disaster.
Billy was so distraught over the situation and the guilt that he actually attempted suicide by drinking furniture polish. He checked into a psychiatric hospital shortly after. Elizabeth eventually left both men for a while, disappearing to contemplate her future, but Billy’s persistence won out. They married in 1973, just as his solo career was starting to find its legs after the "Cold Spring Harbor" debacle.
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Why the Nine-Year Stretch Mattered
For nearly a decade, Elizabeth was the gatekeeper. She wasn't just "the wife." She became his manager. In the 1970s music industry, which was notoriously predatory, Weber was known for being incredibly tough—some would say abrasive. She earned the nickname "The Dragon" in certain circles.
She fought for his royalties. She scrutinized contracts. While Billy was focused on the melodies, Elizabeth was focused on the percentages. This dynamic created a weird power shift. How do you maintain a marriage when your boss is also the person you share a bed with?
It worked for a while. During their marriage, Joel released The Stranger, 52nd Street, and Glass Houses. These are the pillars of his legacy. Without Elizabeth’s sharp elbows in the room, it’s debatable whether Billy would have had the financial protection to keep creating at that level.
The Cracks in the "Just the Way You Are" Fantasy
Everyone loves "Just the Way You Are." It’s a wedding staple. But if you look at the history of how long Billy Joel was married to Elizabeth, you start to see the irony in the lyrics. He wrote that song as a birthday gift for her. He wanted to tell her she didn't need to change, that he loved her exactly as she was—business intensity and all.
Reportedly, when he played it for her, her first reaction wasn't a tearful hug. It was a question about the publishing rights.
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That’s the reality of their nine-year marriage. It was a blend of high-stakes romance and cold-blooded business. By the time 1980 rolled around, the friction was becoming unbearable. Billy was becoming a superstar, and the pressure of being managed by his wife was suffocating the relationship.
- 1973: The wedding. A fresh start after the Attila drama.
- 1977: "The Stranger" drops. Billy is a global star. Elizabeth is firmly in control of the books.
- 1980: Tensions peak during the "Glass Houses" era.
- 1982: The divorce is finalized.
The split wasn't just a heartbreak; it was a financial gut punch. Because she had been so integral to his management, the divorce settlement was complicated. Her brother, Frank Weber, also stayed on as Billy’s manager for a time, which eventually led to a massive $90 million lawsuit years later when Billy discovered his finances were in shambles.
The Musical Legacy of Elizabeth Weber
You can track the health of their marriage through the liner notes.
"She's Got a Way" was about her.
"She's Always a Woman" was a direct defense of her. People in the industry hated how tough she was, and Billy wrote that song to say, "Yeah, she can be cruel, but she’s mine and I love her for it."
When people ask how long Billy Joel was married to Elizabeth, they are usually trying to figure out which songs belong to her and which belong to Christie Brinkley. Brinkley got the "Uptown Girl" and "An Innocent Man" era. But Weber got the gritty, soulful, New York-tough era.
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By 1982, the ink was dry on the divorce papers. Nine years of marriage, twelve years of knowing each other, and a lifetime of royalties later, they were done. Billy moved on to a very public romance with Brinkley, but the shadow of Elizabeth Weber stayed in the music.
What You Should Take Away From This History
Relationships that double as business partnerships are high-wire acts. Billy Joel’s first marriage is a masterclass in how professional success can sometimes accelerate personal failure. If you're looking for the "why" behind the "nine years," it’s simply that the boundary between the "Piano Man" and the "Manager" evaporated.
If you are a fan of his early work, you have to give Elizabeth some credit. She protected him when he was vulnerable, even if that protection eventually became a cage he had to break out of.
To understand Billy Joel's journey, look past the tabloid headlines of his later marriages. The foundation of his career—the wealth, the hits, and the heartbreak—was built during those nine years with Elizabeth.
Next Steps for the Deep-Dive Fan:
- Listen to the album The Stranger back-to-back with The Nylon Curtain. You can actually hear the shift from "loving the business-minded woman" to "the exhaustion of a crumbling marriage."
- Check out the legal history of the Joel vs. Weber lawsuits from the late 80s if you want to see how the fallout of a marriage can last decades longer than the marriage itself.
- Compare the lyrics of "She's Always a Woman" to "The Downeaster 'Alexa'" to see how his muse shifted from individual women to the broader struggles of life and family.