NEW YORK, June 17, 2009

Billy Joel, Third Wife Katie Lee Split

Piano Man, Food Critic Confirm Breakup In Statement; No Word On Whether They Will Divorce

  • Singer Billy Joel and Kate Lee hold hands at their wedding at Joel's home in this 2004 file photo. The couple said in a joint statement June 17, 2009 that they have agreed to split up after five years of marriage.

    Singer Billy Joel and Kate Lee hold hands at their wedding at Joel's home in this 2004 file photo. The couple said in a joint statement June 17, 2009 that they have agreed to split up after five years of marriage.  (AP)

  • Photo Essay Star Splits

    Breaking up is hard to do, especially when you are in the public eye.

(CBS/AP)  Billy Joel and wife Katie Lee are confirming a split.

In a statement, the pair said that they remain "caring friends with admiration and respect for each other." They got married five years ago at Joel's mansion on New York's Long Island.

A representative for Joel did not immediately respond to the question of whether the couple were getting a divorce.

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.

It was Katie Lee's first marriage.

Joel, 60, and Lee, 27, were married in 2004. Joel is the multimillion selling musician behind such albums as "The Stranger," "52nd Street" and "Storm Front." Lee is a food critic and chef. She hosted the first season of Bravo TV's "Top Chef."

He recorded the song "All My Life" as an anniversary gift to her two years ago.

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Add a Comment
by quapawsix June 18, 2009 11:39 AM EDT
Wonder if he had to explain that Paul McCartney use to play with a band called the Beatles before he was just known as Paul McCartney, or who the Dave Clark Five was.
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by jclark7613 June 18, 2009 10:37 AM EDT
When will these older men learn.....when a women half your age wants you...you are rich or they need someone to take care of them or they have daddy issue. Yes there is some exceptions to the rule but in this case anyone could have seen this. He helped her with her career (she has written at least to very good cooking books)and now it's her time to move on. The only dump thing she did was not have children...that's what they usually do. I'm sure that wife number 4 will be younger.
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by parisdakar June 18, 2009 9:02 AM EDT
He dumped three gorgeous wives. He must be a colossal prick.
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by YCantWeAllGetAlong June 18, 2009 8:12 AM EDT
Ok, he is my in-laws age and she is 5 years older than my child. No reason to think there could be incompatibility right? I don't care what anyone says, there is something wrong with that. They each entered the marriage willingly looking for money...I mean founting of yout....I mean love and until we need the prenup...oops I mean death do us part right? There is NO reason I can find why this needs to be front page news.
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by opleez June 18, 2009 7:33 AM EDT
Let's see...he's 60 and she's 27. Who would have seen that coming???? Anyone??...raise your hand!! She only had to "work" for 5 years, now she's set for life. That's what I call a retirement plan!!
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by IThoughtItWasFunnyAgin June 18, 2009 12:25 AM EDT
Awwwwwwww shucks, another Hollywood mismatch going down the tubes...

NEXT!
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by gravyboat3000 June 17, 2009 10:09 PM EDT
Dude! Stop gettin married! Be that piano man, playin the field, and gettin free drinks!

Geez, Elton John doesn't go through as many boyfriends as you do wives!
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