JOEL CHECKS INTO SUBSTANCE ABUSE HOSPITAL

NEW YORK (AP) -- Billy Joel has checked himself into a substance abuse and
psychiatric hospital for a "personal problem," his record label said Wednesday.

The 53-year-old, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter is staying at Silver Hill
Hospital in New Canaan, Conn. Joel's stay was first reported in Wednesday's
editions of The Advocate of Stamford.

A brief statement released by Columbia Records said: "Billy Joel recently
checked himself into Silver Hill Hospital for a planned 10-day stay to deal
with a specific and personal problem that had recently developed.

"Joel scheduled his stay in Silver Hill several weeks ago and expects to
leave in a few days, as planned."

The Advocate, citing unidentified sources, said the singer was receiving
counseling at Silver Hill's chemical dependency treatment center.

A spokeswoman for the singer, Claire Mercuri, declined to comment on the
kind of treatment Joel is receiving.

Joel, whose hits include "Piano Man," "Just the Way You Are," "Only the
Good Die Young" and "Uptown Girl," in March rescheduled a joint tour with
Elton John, saying he was ill.