Billy Joel shocks NYC pedicab driver, passengers playing his iconic song
Billy Joel surprised a pedicab driver and his passengers who were cruising down the streets of the Big Apple on Monday afternoon.
The five-time Grammy Award winner shared the sweet street-side moment he rolled up on the bicycle transportation service, shocking the driver who was blasting Joel's 1976 hit 'New York State of Mind.'
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5 Billy Joel greets fans from inside an SUV on the streets of NYC in a video posted to Instagram on July 21, 2025.
@billyjoel/Instagram
The driver wasn't immediately aware he was in the presence of the 76-year-old, telling him 'Next time,' before recognizing the 'Piano Man,' according to the clip posted on Joel's Instagram.
'We're in a New York State of Mind…always,' Joel captioned the post.
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'Oh, Nice. You see, we are playing you,' the unidentified driver says, reaching his hand out to greet Joel.
'Can I take a picture with you, please?' he asked.
The camera turned quickly to Joel as he smiled at the two rear-seated passengers, who were both equally surprised by the singer's appearance.
5 The pedicab driver looks over at Billy Joel's car before recognizing the singer.
@billyjoel/Instagram
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A second clip, reshared by Joel, captured the exchange from the outside as the pedicab driver and the two passengers got off the ride and walked up to the black SUV to take selfies with the singer as his song's ending blasted out of the speakers.
'How are you feeling?' one of the passengers asked Joel, referring to his recent brain disorder diagnosis.
Joel revealed in May that he was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus and was forced to cancel his entire slate of shows scheduled for 2025.
5 The pedicab driver reaches out to Joel after recognizing the celebrity inside the car.
@billyjoel/Instagram
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The 'Uptown Girl' vocalist shared he is doing well amid his health scare.
'I know a lot of people are worried about me and my health, but I'm okay,' Joel told People in an interview published on July 21. 'What I have is something very few people know about, including me, no matter how much you try to research it.'
'I'm doing my best to work with it and to recover from it,' he said.
5 The pedicab passengers are surprised by Joel's appearance on the street.
@billyjoel/Instagram
5 Billy Joel performs at the 66th GRAMMY Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 4, 2024.
Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Hydrocephalus occurs when cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) builds up in the brain, disrupting cognitive functioning.
Joel revealed in May that live performances led to 'problems with hearing, vision, and balance.' Doctors advised him to stop performing while he underwent treatment for the treatable disorder.
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Joel described feeling like he was always on a boat.
'It was scary, but I'm okay,' he told the outlet. 'I just wanted to let people know, don't worry about me being deathly ill or anything.'
Joel is currently undergoing 'specific physical therapy' and will be kept off stage during his recovery period, his team said after his diagnosis.
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