He was called "the fifth Beatle," which in and of itself is enough to ensure Billy Preston his well-deserved place in rock & roll history. Preston contributed to the band’s "white album" as well as Abbey Road and Let It Be. Aside from the Beatles, however, Preston also performed on recordings by such musical heavyweights as the Rolling Stones, Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton. The multi-talented singer/songwriter and keyboardist had been in a coma since last November, suffering from kidney failure and other illnesses caused by long-term drug use. He died on June 6th at the young age of 59.
Although many music fans know Preston from his string of early-70s hits, including two number ones – "Will It Go ‘Round In Circles" and "Nothing From Nothing" – Preston’s career actually began as a young piano prodigy. His talents earned him a role in the 1958 W.C. Handy biopic St. Louis Blues at the age of 12, performing alongside Nat King Cole, Mahalia Jackson, Ella Fitzgerald and Cab Calloway. Preston launched his career in 1963 with his debut album, Sixteen Year Old Soul, followed by The Most Exciting Organ Ever (1965) and The Wildest Organ In Town! (1966). After working with the Beatles and developing a long-time friendship with George Harrison, Preston was signed to the band’s Apple Records imprint for two albums, That’s The Way God Planned It (1969) and Encouraging Words (1970). Preston also appeared in Harrison’s Concert For Bangladesh film and on the soundtrack album. He later left Apple for A & M Records, where he enjoyed his greatest success as a performer with hit albums like I Wrote A Simple Song (1971) and Music Is My Life (1972).
Throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s Preston continued to write and record music, releasing solo albums on a number of various labels. He cemented his status as a top-notch session player during this time, working with artists as diverse as Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, Nils Lofgren, Elton John and Joe Cocker, who had a hit in 1974 with Preston’s song "You Are So Beautiful." The lowest point in Preston’s career came in 1997 when he was sentenced to three years in prison for probation violation from an earlier cocaine possession conviction. In 2002 he received a kidney transplant but the artist suffered from health problems for years afterwards.
Preston’s funeral was held in Inglewood, California on June 29th. Little Richard spoke of discovering the young talent almost fifty years ago, saying of Preston, "he made that piano walk and talk." Joe Cocker sang "You Are So Beautiful" and other attendees included former Temptations lead vocalist Ali Woodson and singer Merry Clayton. Letters of praise for Preston were read from Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt and Eric Clapton.
Preston was often described as the "Jimi Hendrix of the keyboards," his groundbreaking playing style and ability to perform across a diverse range of styles, from jazz and blues to rock and funk, inspired a generation of musicians that followed. His death, after years of deterioration and months spent in the hospital, comes as a relief but is no less tragic. Preston never lost his love of music, however, performing right up until his hospitalization, most notably on Eric Clapton’s Back Home album and the recently released Stadium Arcadium from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. His music is timeless, and Preston’s immense musical legacy will continue to grow in the years to come.
