It was one year ago today that we lost one of the most important sidemen in the history of music. I can confidently say that no one else has performed along with more of the most significant figures in rock n' roll history that the one and only Billy Preston. He has played with artists ranging from the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Little Richard, Ray Charles, George Harrison, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Sam Cooke, Sammy Davis Jr., Sly Stone, Aretha Franklin, the Jackson 5, Quincy Jones, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Unless you've read his Wikipedia profile, I bet you didn't know that he was invited to become a member of The Band in 1991, after the death of their piano player, Stan Szelest. He completed a tour, but legal problems put an end to the collaboration before they had a chance to record together in the studio. Preston's final contributions were the Gospel-tinged organ on the Neil Diamond album 12 Songs, and his keyboard work on The Road to Escondido by Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale.
Please take a moment to honor the fifth Beatle by watching his performance of 'That's The Way God Planned It' on Later with Jools Holland from June 2005, five months before he slipped into a coma that he would never come out of.
Rest In Peace Billy.
1 comment:
I see your one Billy Preston youtube link and raise you five links.
10 Year-old Billy Preston on the Nat King Cole Show
Billy backing up Aretha on O Holy Night
Billy with Aretha again playing Auld Lang Syne
Billy backing Chaka Khan on Detroit TV
Billy backing Patti Labelle and Joe Cocker playing You Are So Beautiful
And this is possibly the best one of all
Billy backing Little Richard, Mavis Staples, Al Green, The New Jersey Mass Choir, and Patti Labelle
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