Jon Small, Director and Early Billy Joel Collaborator, Dies at 79 — SkimNews
Get the Culture newsletter
Daily culture — film, music, books, the trends and ideas worth your attention. Free.
- Jon Small died at age 79; he and Billy Joel played together in two bands before Joel became famous, according to his obituary.
- Jon Small later found success directing music videos and concert films, though he and Joel briefly fell out over Joel's affair with Small's wife.
Why it matters: Jon Small's death closes a chapter on Billy Joel's pre-fame years — Small was among Joel's earliest musical partners, and the fallout from Joel's affair with Small's wife is one of the personal ruptures that shadowed Joel's early career. Small went on to build a second career behind the camera, directing music videos and concert films.
Ask SkimNews
