Jon Small, a Grammy-nominated director and early collaborator of singer-songwriter Billy Joel, died on September 4 in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was 79. Small’s son, Sean Weber-Small, confirmed in an email that the cause of death was cancer.
Small and Joel first met in the 1960s on Long Island, where Small convinced Joel to join his band, the Hassles. Small promised Joel the opportunity to play a Hammond B-3 organ, a key element in the group’s sound. Although the Hassles released two albums that did not achieve commercial success, the band was inducted into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2024.
Following the Hassles, Small and Joel formed a short-lived heavy metal duo called Attila. Joel played organ and Small was the drummer on their self-titled 1970 album, which Joel later disparaged as “total crap” due to its heavy use of screaming and distortion.
Amid their musical partnership, Small introduced Joel to his then-wife Elizabeth Weber. Joel and Weber began an affair while living in the same household, an event Small described as devastating to their friendship and professional alliance. The affair ended the musical collaboration between Small and Joel. Joel acknowledged feelings of guilt and described the experience as having a significant emotional impact on both him and Small.
During this turbulent period, Joel struggled with heavy drinking and attempted suicide twice. Small intervened in one of those instances, taking Joel to the hospital—an act Joel credited with saving his life despite their fractured relationship.
Joel and Weber subsequently married in 1973. Weber became Joel’s manager and influenced the direction of his songwriting, contributing to the deeply personal style that later brought Joel widespread acclaim. Joel and Weber divorced in 1982, the same year Small married Jeanine Lust.
After his professional and personal estrangement from Joel, Small developed a successful career as a director of live music events and videos. He worked with various high-profile artists, including Enrique Iglesias, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Vince Gill, and the supergroup the Highwaymen. His directing credits include the music videos for “Highwayman” and Run DMC’s “Walk This Way” collaboration with Aerosmith.
Despite their past conflicts, Small and Joel eventually reconciled. Small directed the 1983 music video for Joel’s song “Tell Her About It” and collaborated on several other Joel projects, including the “Baby Grand” video featuring Ray Charles and Grammy-nominated concert films “Live at Yankee Stadium” (1990) and “Live at Shea Stadium” (2011).
Born January 3, 1947, in Long Island, Jonathan Craig Small was the son of musician Hy Small and Sydelle Small, owner of a wallpaper store in Syosset, New York. He is survived by his son Sean Weber-Small and his daughter Allison Small, from his marriage to Jeanine Lust.
Reflecting on Joel’s character, Small once observed that Joel processes emotions intensely and often channels personal struggles into his creative work, producing some of his best material in times of hardship.