Billy Joel is the ultimate chronicler of the working-class heart. He’s the guy who gave us the soundtrack to every high school dance, every messy breakup, and every late-night drive through the suburbs. But behind the "Piano Man" persona and the 150 million records sold, there is a complicated map of relationships. If you’re asking who was Billy Joel's wife, you’re actually looking for four very different women who shaped his life and, by extension, the music we’ve been singing along to for fifty years.
It’s never just been one person.
From the woman who managed his early career to the "Uptown Girl" herself, Joel’s marriages haven’t just been tabloid fodder. They are the literal DNA of his discography. You can’t listen to "Just the Way You Are" without thinking of Elizabeth Weber, and you certainly can’t watch the music videos of the 80s without seeing Christie Brinkley’s influence.
Let's get into the weeds of who these women are and how they survived—or didn't—life with one of the most successful musicians in history.
The First Muse: Elizabeth Weber Small
Most people forget about Elizabeth. They shouldn't. Before the supermodels and the glitz, there was Elizabeth Weber. She was actually married to Joel's bandmate, Jon Small, when Billy fell for her. It was messy. It was dramatic. It even led to a suicide attempt by Joel when things got too heavy.
They eventually married in 1973.
Elizabeth wasn't just a wife; she was a shark. She took over his management and helped clean up the disastrous financial mess of his early career. She was tough. Some people in Joel's circle didn't like her because she was "all business," but Joel clearly admired that grit. He wrote "She's Got a Way" and "Just the Way You Are" for her.
Funny enough, the story goes that when he played "Just the Way You Are" for her as a birthday gift, her first reaction wasn't a kiss—it was asking if she got the publishing rights.
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That’s the kind of relationship it was. High stakes, high pressure. They divorced in 1982, right as his fame was reaching an untouchable peak. The split was brutal. It left him emotionally drained, but it also set the stage for the most famous era of his life.
The Uptown Girl Era: Christie Brinkley
If you grew up in the 80s, you know this one. This was the "Peak Billy" era.
How did a "Short, Italian-looking kid from the Bronx" (his words, mostly) land the biggest supermodel in the world? They met in St. Barts in 1982. Joel was playing at a hotel bar, and Brinkley walked in. He was intimidated. He tried to get her attention by playing "the most difficult music" he knew.
It worked.
They married in 1985 on a boat in New York Harbor. This was a massive cultural moment. It was the "Beauty and the Beast" narrative that the media couldn't get enough of. But if you look past the covers of People magazine, you see a period of intense creativity. An Innocent Man is basically a love letter to the 50s and 60s music he grew up with, filtered through the lens of being crazy about Christie.
They had a daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, in 1985.
But the "Uptown Girl" lifestyle wasn't sustainable forever. Between his grueling tour schedules and the pressures of being a global power couple, things frayed. They divorced in 1994, but honestly? They’re probably the gold standard for celebrity exes. They remained genuinely close friends. You’ll still see her at his shows, and he’s always been vocal about his respect for her as a mother and a person.
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The Sudden Turn: Katie Lee
By the early 2000s, Billy Joel was in a different place. He wasn't really writing new pop music anymore. He was touring, doing the "Face to Face" shows with Elton John, and struggling with some personal demons, including stints in rehab for alcohol.
Then came Katie Lee.
She was a 23-year-old restaurant critic and journalist. He was 55.
They married in 2004 at his estate in Oyster Bay. The age gap was a huge talking point for the tabloids. Everyone had an opinion. To some, it looked like a mid-life crisis; to others, it was a fresh start. Katie’s career actually exploded during their marriage—she became a staple on the Food Network and hosted the first season of Top Chef.
But the gap between their lives was real. He wanted the quiet life in Long Island. She was a rising star in the NYC culinary scene who wanted to be out and about. By 2009, they announced their separation. It was a quieter end than his previous marriages, less explosive but clearly tinged with the realization that they were just at different stages of life.
Finding the Long Game with Alexis Roderick
So, who is Billy Joel's wife today? That would be Alexis Roderick.
They started dating in 2009, shortly after his split from Katie Lee. Alexis is a former Morgan Stanley executive and an accomplished equestrian. She’s much more private than his previous wives. They stayed together for six years before pulling a "surprise" wedding on July 4, 2015. They were hosting a party, and suddenly, Governor Andrew Cuomo was officiating their nuptials.
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This marriage feels different. It’s stayed mostly out of the "gossip" pages.
They have two young daughters, Della Rose and Remy Anne. It’s wild to think about Billy Joel as a girl dad in his 70s, but here we are. He seems more settled now than at any other point in his career. While his previous marriages were defined by the fire of his youth or the glare of the paparazzi, his life with Alexis seems defined by the Madison Square Garden residency and domesticity in Florida and New York.
The Women Who Built the Songbook
When you look at the question of who was Billy Joel's wife, you have to see the pattern.
- Elizabeth was the business partner and the muse for the classic 70s ballads.
- Christie was the icon who helped him navigate the MTV era and gave him his first taste of fatherhood.
- Katie was the bridge between his "rock star" years and his elder statesman years.
- Alexis is the partner for the final act, providing a stable home life as he winds down (well, sort of) his legendary career.
Each woman represents a specific "movement" in his life's symphony. Joel has often said in interviews that he’s "not good at marriage," but his songs tell a more nuanced story. He’s a romantic who keeps trying.
The reality is that Billy Joel's music wouldn't exist without these relationships. The heartbreak of "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" or the pure joy of "Tell Her About It" comes from a guy who was actually living those highs and lows.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re a fan trying to connect the dots between the lyrics and the real-life people, your best bet is to dive into the Stranger and 52nd Street albums with a fresh set of ears. Listen to how he describes the "modern woman" in the late 70s—that’s all Elizabeth. Then jump to An Innocent Man to hear the Christie Brinkley influence.
Also, keep an eye on his daughter Alexa Ray Joel’s work. She’s a talented musician in her own right and often shares insights into the family dynamic that you won't find in a standard biography.
Understanding the women in Billy Joel's life isn't just about celebrity gossip. It’s about understanding the source material for some of the greatest American songs ever written. He didn't just write these hits in a vacuum; he wrote them because he was in love, or in trouble, or somewhere in between.
Next Step for Fans: Check out the 2014 biography Billy Joel: The Definitive Biography by Fred Schruers. Unlike many unauthorized tell-alls, this one had Joel’s participation (until he tried to cancel it at the last minute), and it provides the most detailed accounts of his marriages directly from the source. It’s the best way to see the "business" side of Elizabeth Weber and the "friendship" side of Christie Brinkley in their own words.