Washington, DC [US], June 6: Legendary musician Billy Joel has opened up about the darkest chapter of his life, revealing in his new documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes that he attempted suicide twice and fell into a coma after a painful affair with his best friend’s wife.
Speaking at the Tribeca Festival premiere of the HBO documentary, Joel detailed how the emotional fallout from his affair with Elizabeth Weber, wife of his then-bandmate Jon Small, led to deep depression and self-destructive behavior.
In his early 20s, Joel played in the rock duo Attila with Small. During that time, Joel moved in with Small, Elizabeth, and their son. The relationship with Elizabeth developed gradually. When Small learned the truth, Joel confessed: “I’m in love with your wife.”
“I felt very, very guilty about it,” Joel admitted. “They had a child. I felt like a homewrecker.” The fallout ended both the band and Joel’s friendship with Small. Though years later, Joel and Weber rekindled their relationship and married in 1973, divorcing in 1982.
Following the breakup of Attila and his personal turmoil, Joel said he spiraled into severe depression: “I was sleeping in laundromats… I figured, ‘That’s it. I don’t want to live anymore.’”
His sister Judy Molinari, then a medical assistant, recalled giving him sleeping pills — not knowing he’d take them all. “He was in a coma for days… I thought I’d killed him,” she said.
Jon Small added: “He never really said anything to me, but I think it hurt him deeply to hurt me. That’s why he took it so hard.” The two eventually reconciled.
After recovering, Joel checked into an observation ward, a turning point that helped him redirect his pain into creativity. “You can utilise all those emotions to channel that stuff into music,” Joel shared.
Billy Joel: And So It Goes premieres on HBO in July, offering fans a raw, emotional look at the artist behind the hits.