Billy Preston
Billy Preston | |
|---|---|
 Billy Preston visiting the White House in 1974 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | William Everett Preston |
| Born | September 2, 1946 Houston, Texas, United States |
| Died | June 6, 2006 (aged 59) Scottsdale, Arizona, United States |
| Genres | Rhythm and blues, rock, soul, funk, gospel |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, bandleader, actor |
| Instruments | Keyboards, organ, piano, electric piano, vocals, harpsichord, accordion, drums |
| Years active | 1956–2005 |
| Labels | Derby, Vee-Jay, Apple Records, Capitol, Buddah, A&M, Motown |
| Website | Billy Preston.net |
Billy Preston (September 2, 1946 - June 5, 2006) was an American R&B musician. He is best known for his piano and organ playing.
Preston began playing piano when he was three years old. He worked with many other musicians including Aretha Franklin, Sammy Davis Jr., Quincy Jones, Eric Clapton, the Jackson 5 and the Rolling Stones.
He worked on The Beatles's last album, Let It Be, in 1969, including the song "Get Back". Many people thought that Preston would join the group, but the Beatles broke up shortly afterwards. He later worked with George Harrison, who had been a Beatle.
Preston's biggest success also came from working with another musician. He did a duet with Syreeta Garrett on "With You I'm Born Again" in 1979. It sold over a million copies and reached Number 2 in the United Kingdom singles chart.
Preston was gay. He died of respiratory failure after being in a coma from a heart infection.[1]
References
[change | change source]- ↑ Pareles, Jon (June 7, 2006). "Billy Preston, 59, Soul Musician, Is Dead; Renowned Keyboardist and Collaborator". New York Times. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- African-American musicians
- American funk musicians
- American gospel musicians
- American pianists
- American R&B singers
- American rock musicians
- American soul musicians
- Deaths from respiratory failure
- Deaths from myocarditis
- Disease-related deaths in the United States
- LGBT African-Americans
- Gay men
- LGBT musicians
- Musicians from Houston
- The Beatles
- 1946 births
- 2006 deaths