The Second Wife
In 1983, a year after he split with Elizabeth Weber, Billy Joel went to St. Bart’s for a vacation during the holidays. While there, the 33-year-old found a piano bar and did his thing.
In a manner of seconds, three women were throwing themselves at him and the piano. The three women were Elle Macpherson, then a mere 19 years old, an undiscovered Whitney Houston, and the woman who would become his second wife – Christie Brinkley, twenty-eight years old and just as beautiful as always.
A Costly Relationship
Frank was one step ahead of Joel during the court proceedings, however. He outwitted Joel by filing for bankruptcy. The two sides of the issue had to settle out of court in 1990. It seems that joining Elizabeth in marriage was the costliest decision that Billy Joel could ever make. It was his first experience with marriage, and it was enough to make anyone jaded with the entire idea.
Joel was now wary of future relationships, though it seems like he wasn't wary enough. Just because one relationship had ended badly – quite badly – that doesn't mean that every relationship will. Yes, it was still true. Billy Joel was a hopeless romantic.
Undiscouraged
Joel wasn't going to give up finding the love of his life. He eagerly clung to the idea of romance, though as he got back into the dating scene, he decided to guard himself a little better. He wasn't going to give up, however, and hoped that the next time he walked down the aisle, it was going to last.
If you've read to this point, you know that it didn't. However, he also set his sights a little higher – his next romantic interest was a supermodel. Now a big-time music star, he was starting to meet a lot more of them.
A Real-Life Fantasy
Having three beautiful women drape themselves over the piano is one of the most basic rock-star fantasies, and Joel almost couldn't believe his eyes. All three of the women were vying for his attention.
Whitney proudly exclaimed that she can sing – something the entire world would learn before too long. Meanwhile, Elle had draped herself over the piano like she was a movie star in a romantic film (“The Fabulous Baker Boys” with Michelle Pfeiffer comes to mind). For a dreamer like Joel, this was the perfect thing – his first relationship might not have worked out, but there will always be more fish on the sea. All he had to do was play that piano.
Letting Her Make the Moves
All three of these young women tried their hardest, but Joel eventually laid eyes on Christie Brinkley. In order to attract her, he got gussied up, sat down at the piano, and played.
Christie sat down next to him to sing with him. It was clear she was interested. She was fresh out of a long relationship with Olivier Chandon de Brailles, race car driver and heir. Just a few days after Joel and Brinkley met, however, Chandon tragically died in a car accident.