Billy Joel reflects on what he learned from relationship with Christie Brinkley after ‘devastating’ divorce
Billy Joel says Christie Brinkley ‘was a muse’ for some of his songs
- The HBO documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes delves into the relationship between Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley, from their 1983 meeting to their 1994 divorce.
- Joel described Brinkley as his muse, stating she inspired many of his songs and made him feel like a teenager experiencing romance again.
- Brinkley initially found their romance “just so much fun” but noted a turning point in 1989 with Joel's “I Go to Extremes” single, which reflected his internal conflict as a family man and “tortured artist”.
- A significant $90 million fraud lawsuit filed by Joel against his former manager in 1989 further strained their marriage, as it necessitated extensive touring that kept him away from his family.
- Despite their separation, the former couple maintain a close relationship, with Brinkley considering Joel a “soulmate” and naming her memoir after his hit song “Uptown Girl,” partly inspired by her.