( CNN ) -- Billy Joel and his wife , Katie Lee Joel , are separating . Billy Joel married Katie Lee in 2004 . `` After nearly five years of marriage , Billy Joel and Katie Lee Joel have decided to separate , '' a joint statement on behalf of the pair said . `` This decision is a result of much thoughtful consideration . Billy and Katie remain caring friends with admiration and respect for each other . '' Billy Joel , 60 , and Katie Lee Joel , 27 , were married in 2004 . Billy Joel is the multimillion-selling musician behind such albums as `` The Stranger , '' `` 52nd Street '' and `` Storm Front . '' Katie Lee is a food critic and chef . The marriage was the third for Billy Joel . His marriage to Elizabeth Weber ended in divorce in 1982 after nine years . He married his second wife , model Christie Brinkley , in 1985 ; they divorced in 1994 . Both Joels have retained attorneys , according to a report in the New York Daily News . Billy Joel 's publicist , Claire Mercuri , told the Daily News the singer was bearing up well . `` Billy 's doing fine , '' Mercuri said . `` He 's looking forward to resuming his Face2Face Tour with Elton John . ''
Katie Lee Joel separating from wife of 1982 , Billy Joel 's . `` This decision is a result of much thoughtful consideration , '' said joint statement . Marriage was Katie Lee Joel second .