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Billy Joel Pays Tribute to Longtime Collaborator Jon Small
Confirmed
In Short: Billy Joel honored his longtime friend and collaborator Jon Small after his death on September 4.
Billy Joel paid tribute to his longtime friend and collaborator Jon Small, who passed away on September 4. Small, a key figure in Joel's early career, was a drummer and producer who played a significant role in shaping Joel's musical journey.
Joel and Small's relationship dates back to the 1960s when Small joined Joel's band, the Hassles. Their friendship took a dramatic turn in the 1970s when Joel fell for Small's wife, Elizabeth Weber. Joel and Weber eventually married in 1973 but divorced nine years later. Despite the personal complications, the two men remained close, with Small serving as a producer for Joel's hit songs "Uptown Girl" and "Keeping the Faith" in the 1980s.
Small's influence on Joel's career cannot be overstated. He recruited Joel into The Hassles in 1964, and the band performed together until they left to form Attila in 1969. Small recalled their early days with fondness, saying, "We were like a pig in a blanket." Joel's tribute post on Instagram highlighted Small's role in helping him find his "river of dreams" at the start of his music career.
What's still developing
- In a Facebook post, Glass Houses, a podcast dedicated to Joel’s life and work, revealed that Small died on Sept. 4.
- “Elizabeth was very important to me, but I think I was not the guy she hoped I would be,” Small said Joel’s recent documentary, And So It Goes.
- “RIP Jon Small,” Joel captioned a post that featured a throwback photo of the two guys, as well as a more recent pic.
- Joel did not share any other details about Small’s death.
- "Billy one day came up to me, became a little honest, and said to me, 'I'm in love with your wife,'" he continued.
- "He never really said anything to me," Small admitted.
- Alongside an OG photo of Joel, 77, and the drummer, he captioned the Sept.