Jon Small dead: Billy Joel pays emotional tribute to ex-bandmate & music producer who worked with Kenny Rogers & Run-DMC

BILLY Joel’s ex-bandmate, long-time collaborator and former best friend Jon Small has died aged 77. The music producer – also known for his work with Kenny Rogers and Run-DMC – died on Friday, one of his pals said on Facebook. Billy Joel’s bandmate Jon Small (R) has died Credit: Getty Joel paid tribute to Small on Instagram following the producer’s death Credit: AFP His cause of death is currently unclear. Touching tributes poured in for the musician – including from the Piano Man himself who said: “RIP Jon Small.” Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter Thank you! Joel and Small go back to the 1960s – when they were bandmates in The Hassles. The pair eventually splintered off to form the hard-rock duo Attila where Joel played keyboard and vocals while Small was on drums. Billy Joel and his wife Elizabeth Weber, who used to be married to Small Credit: Getty Joel was bandmates with Small and they eventually became long-time collaborators Credit: Getty Their rock solid friendship was eventually shattered when Joel fell in love with Small’s wife Elizabeth Weber. She later divorced Small and married Joel. The seismic breakup ended their friendship temporarily – but they eventually reconciled with one another. Small later became a major music video and concert director, working with Joel on projects like “Live From Long Island,” “Live at Yankee Stadium” and “Live at Shea Stadium”. Most read in Entertainment The producer was also known for his work alongside other industry giants like Run-DMC, Aerosmith, Garth Brooks and Reba McEntire. Joel and Small’s turbulent past was detailed in the 2025 HBO documentary “Billy Joel: And So It Goes”. In the film, Joel admitted he deserved the punch in the nose Small gave him for the affair. Small previously said: “Elizabeth was very important to me, but I think I was not the guy she hoped I would be. “I kept seeing that Billy was not the same guy. Something was the matter. “And Billy one day came up to me, became a little honest, and said to me, ‘I’m in love with your wife.’ “So it was a very devastating thing for me, because these were basically my two best friends.” Joel and Elizabeth married in 1973 but the pair divorced in 1982. After Joel reunited with Small in the 1980s, they made several music videos together, including “Uptown Girl,” “Keeping the Faith” and “Tell Her About It”. Comment now