THEIR STORY
A life remembered
Jonathan Craig Jon Small, the musician and director whose career stretched from early rock bands with Billy Joel to influential music videos and concert films, died of cancer on September 4, 2026, at his home in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was 79.
Born on January 3, 1947, on Long Island, New York, Small entered music as a drummer. He recruited a young Billy Joel into the Hassles, a Long Island rock group active during the late 1960s. Small and Joel later formed Attila, an experimental hard-rock duo that paired drums with heavily amplified organ. Although the project was short-lived, it remained a distinctive part of both musicians’ early careers.
Small eventually shifted from performing to visual production. He became a successful director and producer during the rise of music television, working on videos and filmed performances for artists across rock, pop and country. His credits included Billy Joel projects such as Uptown Girl and major concert recordings. He also directed the landmark Walk This Way video that brought Run-DMC and Aerosmith together, a collaboration widely remembered for bridging rock and hip-hop audiences during the MTV era.
His career benefited from his experience on both sides of a performance. As a former drummer, Small understood rhythm, stage energy and the relationship between musicians. As a director, he translated those qualities into memorable images for television and concert films. His work earned industry recognition, including a Grammy nomination connected with Billy Joel’s Live at Yankee Stadium.
Legend Memorial remembers Jon Small as a versatile creative professional who moved from the drum kit to the director’s chair and helped shape how popular music was presented on screen.