Opinions of Billy Preston's career?

One of my favorites is Do What You Want, the opening track from "That's The Way God Planned It". Great song, great electric piano and organ. Sounds kind of like I Dig Love in some places, and kind of like Monkey Man in others. I know George, Keith, and Clapton were on some of the tracks, I wonder who exactly is on this.

Another is Sing One For The Lord, also recorded in '69 but held for "Encouraging Words" in 1970. Co-written with Harrison, its got a great slow groove, and some very Beatle-esque guitar from George. Definitely Abbey Road-ish.

 

He played with The Beatles, Rolling Stones and The Band. Who else can say that.

 

Eric Clapton. Arnie

 

He seems to have had a very ebullient personality that made him indispensable. George Harrison had him on board for the 'Dark Hoarse' tour, didn't he, possibly for moral support as much as anything else.

 

The fact that he always found a gig tells me he had talent.
From Wikipedia:

The series house band, the Shin-diggers (later renamed the Shindogs), featured a young Glen Campbell, Joey Cooper, Chuck Blackwell (drums), Billy Preston, James Burton, Delaney Bramlett, Larry Knechtel (on bass), Leon Russell (on piano) and Glen D. Hardin.
...

 

A great musician who never clicked with the general public.

 

He was the very first musical guest on "Saturday Night Live," in October 1975, performing the apropos (for the new young show) "Nothing From Nothing." He certainly created an enduring legacy there.

 

Personal weaknesses held back an enormous musical talent. As noted previously, his abilities were recognized at an early age.

 

Oh, really? BP had five Top 10 pop (not R&B) singles, including two Number Ones. If that ain't clicking...

 

All of that is true. He was a star but not a STAR. More famous for playing with super groups than being a superstar. He didn't quite "click" IMHO

 

I don't know about that "moral support" stuff; I mean, it's not as if George put his wife on keyboards.

I saw one of the later dates on that tour. Not exaggerating too much to say that BP saved/stole the show with a much-needed shot of energy. I'm not usually a fan of broad, crowd-pleasing performers (I'm more a Dylan/Miles kind of guy), but I really appreciated BP that night.

 

So more of a Nicky Hopkins kinda player? Great sideman but not a contender? Granted the bar is set pretty high with who he played with.

 

Everybody Likes Some Kinda Music is a killer record.

 

I love that "fast sine-wave LFO modulation" sound he popularized on his synth lead lines.

Witness:

 

At 16, he played organ on Sam Cooke's Night Beat album. He also played with Ray Charles and Little Richard and made some great instrumental albums in the early to mid-'60s. The Beatles connection certainly helped his career, but he would have had a pretty illustrious one without it. Always a highly sought session man. He also made some good gospel albums for the Myrrh label.

 

Didn't Dennis Wilson co-write "You Are So Beautiful" (although he didn't get a credit)?

 

Billy Preston was much better known and more popular as a singles artist than Nicky Hopkins. Preston was all over Top 40 radio in the early 1970s, everyone knew his name and his hit songs.

Nicky Hopkins was more known to people who read liner notes and articles in Rolling Stone magazine. Hopkins was not known to Top 40 listeners who were not really into music.

 

Billy Preston saved the Get Back sessions for the Beatles. I imagine he really helped George Harrison through the first couple of months of 1969.

 

Ain't that incredible?
Cooke chose TOP musicians for Night Beat and there you have a 16-year old organ player?

 

Just check Billy's resume'.

Played with Nat King Cole at a young age.
Also played with Ray Charles, The Beatles , The Rolling Stones.
On stage at The Concert For Bangladesh, on tour with George Harrison and Ringo Starr
Only person to get a label credit on a Beatles record (other than George Martin)
6 top 40 hits with 2 of them at #1

Yep, pretty impressive I'd say.

Miss 'ya Billy.

 

One of my favorites is Clapton's "One More Car, One More Rider" DVD from his 2001 Reptile tour. I saw that tour in Madison Square Garden in June 2001. Preston was one of the best ever IMO.

 

There's a great import CD, "Billy's Bag" that compiles his early instrumental stuff.

 

A Radio Caroline theme from 19-year old Billy.