Elton John and Billy Joel: Friendship, Million-Dollar Tours, and Public Feuds

From overwhelming success to public disagreements, the partnership between Elton John and Billy Joel is one of the most fascinating in pop music.

A union of giants

Elton John and Billy Joel met in the early 1990s, both already established as piano rock icons. Their musical affinity and mutual respect sparked the idea of joining forces on stage. In 1994, the "Face to Face" tour was born—a bold project where both artists shared the stage, performing individually and together.

The first edition of the tour, in 1994, traveled across the United States and was a massive success. The format won over audiences, leading to more editions in 1995, 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2009. With sold-out shows and multi-million-dollar revenues, the partnership became one of the most profitable in live music history.

Milestone dates of a historic tour

Face to Face 1994
July 8 – Philadelphia, PA – Veterans Stadium
August 21 – Orlando, FL – Orlando Citrus Bowl

Face to Face 1995
March 22 – San Diego, CA – Jack Murphy Stadium
March 29 – Toronto, Canada – SkyDome
April 7 – Little Rock, AR – War Memorial Stadium
https://www.concertarchives.org/concerts/face-to-face-tour-56da0055-6fc1-460f-b8bb-f1619ae7b869

Face to Face 1998
March 4 – Perth, Australia – Subiaco Oval
March 7 – Auckland, New Zealand – Ericsson Stadium
https://www.concertarchives.org/concerts/elton-john-billy-joel-face-to-face-1998-tour

March 14 – Sydney, Australia – Sydney Cricket Ground
https://www.concertarchives.org/concerts/face-to-face--9

June 30 – Zurich, Switzerland – Letzigrund Stadium

Face to Face 2001
January 19 – San Diego, CA – Cox Arena
April 9 – Denver, CO – Pepsi Center
https://www.mattopia.com/music/concerts/billy-joel-elton-john-040901.shtml

Face to Face 2003
February 21 – Birmingham, AL – BJCC Arena
May 8 – Rosemont, IL – Allstate Arena

Face to Face 2009
March 2 – Jacksonville, FL – Veterans Memorial Arena
August 1 – Albany, NY – Times Union Center

Watch the video below for more context and visual material related to this story:

A box office (and fan) success

The “Face to Face” tours were a massive success. In 2003 alone, Elton John and Billy Joel grossed over $46 million in just 24 days of shows. Packed stadiums, enthusiastic crowds, and setlists full of classics like Your Song, Piano Man, Rocket Man, and Just the Way You Are drew fans worldwide.

While there's no centralized public data on total audience numbers over the years, tour reports show the popularity remained strong until their final cycle of shows in 2009. The format stayed appealing and profitable to the end.

Criticism and the end of the partnership

Despite on-stage success, their relationship faced strain. In 2011, Elton John publicly criticized Billy Joel for his struggles with alcoholism, saying he should seek more serious rehab. Billy responded diplomatically, stating everyone deals with issues in their own way, and that Elton was “well-intentioned but a bit arrogant.”

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/feb/03/elton-john-billy-joel-rehab

https://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyle/elton-john-says-billy-joel-needs-better-rehab-idUSTRE7116Z3/

https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/billy-joel-responds-elton-johns-comments-art-alcohol/story?id=12822423

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/billy-joel-shrugs-off-elton-john-comments-on-rehab/

In 2012, Joel announced he would no longer tour with Elton, claiming the partnership limited his artistic freedom.

Reconciliation and mutual respect

In 2013, the two artists reunited at the “Elton John AIDS Foundation Enduring Vision Gala.” Elton expressed affection for Joel and said he hoped to rekindle their friendship.

https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2013/10/elton-john-billy-joel-reunite

Was Billy Joel broke?

It’s true Billy Joel faced serious financial trouble in the late 1980s. In 1989, he sued his former manager and brother-in-law Frank Weber for $90 million, accusing him of mismanagement and fraud. Weber had allegedly lost around $10 million of Joel's money through unauthorized, risky investments.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-26-ca-257-story.html

Joel won a partial judgment of $2 million and recovered about $8 million. Weber filed for bankruptcy, and the case was settled out of court.

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/how-billy-joel-went-broke/

This scandal inspired the 1993 song The Great Wall of China, in which Joel sings about betrayal and loss.

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-song-billy-joel-wrote-about-his-2m-lawsuit-against-his-manager/

Joel also sued his former attorney Alan Grubman for conflict of interest.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Joel

These events may have influenced Joel to accept more lucrative tours, like those with Elton John, but there's no official confirmation that he was “broke” at the time.

A mysterious thank-you

Billy Joel once mentioned being grateful to a friend who helped him during hard times, but never named names. There’s speculation he meant Elton John, though no reliable sources confirm this. It might have been a general statement or about someone else entirely.

Sources used:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/feb/03/elton-john-billy-joel-rehab

https://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyle/elton-john-says-billy-joel-needs-better-rehab-idUSTRE7116Z3/

https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/billy-joel-responds-elton-johns-comments-art-alcohol/story?id=12822423

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/billy-joel-shrugs-off-elton-john-comments-on-rehab/

https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2013/10/elton-john-billy-joel-reunite

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-26-ca-257-story.html

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/how-billy-joel-went-broke/

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-song-billy-joel-wrote-about-his-2m-lawsuit-against-his-manager/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Joel

https://www.concertarchives.org/concerts

https://www.mattopia.com/music/concerts/billy-joel-elton-john-040901.shtml

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_to_Face_1994

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_to_Face_1995

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_to_Face_1998

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_to_Face_2001

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_to_Face_2003

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_to_Face_2009



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