Billy Joel dating history: How the star's ex-girlfriends inspired some of his biggest hits

13 July 2021, 16:49

Billy Joel’s Uptown Girl, Just the Way You Are and This Is the Time were all inspired by his ex-girlfriends.

Billy Joel is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with over 150 million records sold worldwide.

But while we know the Piano Man for his impressive career spanning over four decades, Joel is also known for his high-profile relationships.

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In fact, many of his biggest hits have been inspired by his famous ex-wives and girlfriends.

So, let’s take a look back at Billy Joel’s dating history…

Billy Joel and Elizabeth Weber

Billy Joel’s songs ‘Just the Way You Are,’ ‘She’s Got a Way’ and ‘She’s Always a Woman’ are thought to be inspired by his first wife Elizabeth Weber.

Joel met Weber in 1970 through his friend and bandmate Jon Small, who was married to her at the time.

After they embarked on an affair, Small found out and Weber ended up leaving them both.

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Joel and Weber later got back together and got married in 1973, inspiring his chart-topping songs.

Years later the pair had a nasty divorce in 1982, with Weber’s brother accused of stealing millions from Joel.

Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley

Billy’s second wife Christie Brinkley is said to have inspired ‘This Is the Time’ and the album 'An Innocent Man'.

After his divorce from Weber, the singer jetted to St. Bart's where he started playing at a piano bar and met supermodels Elle MacPherson, Christie Brinkley and singer, Whitney Houston.

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Joel - who was 33 at the time - returned home to find MacPherson, 19, and Brinkley, 28, were both trying to win his affections.

While he briefly dated MacPherson, it was Brinkley who he ended up marrying in 1985 and they welcomed daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, the same year.

This marriage inspired his ninth studio album An Innocent Man, while he also wrote ‘This Is the Time’ which is about a couple thinking back on their best days together.

The pair called it quits less than ten years later and divorced in 1994.

Billy Joel and Elle MacPherson

While Joel’s ex Brinkley famously appeared in the ‘Uptown Girl’ music video, the song was actually about supermodel Elle MacPherson.

According to reports, the song was originally called ‘Uptown Girls,’ and was about Billy’s experiences dating Elle, Christie and many other women.

Billy Joel and Katie Lee

After taking a break from love, Billy embarked on a relationship with culinary pro Katie Lee.

At the time, Billy was 55 and Katie was 23, and the pair married in 2004. This marriage ended five years later in 2009.

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Billy Joel and Alexis Roderick

Billy, 72, is currently married to 39-year-old Alexis Roderick after the pair met in 2009.

They tied the knot in 2015 and have two daughters together; five-year-old Della Rose Joel and three-year-old Remy Anne Joel.

Alexis is a former executive at Morgan Stanley who now works as an equestrian.