Opinions of Billy Preston's career?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Abbagold, Sep 16, 2014.

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  1. snigglefritz

    snigglefritz Forum Resident

    Location:
    Durham, NC
    I saw Billy Preston open for Grand Funk in November 1972. I remember he played a medley of Let's Go Get Stoned > I Want to Take You Higher > That's the Way God Planned it to end his set. I enjoyed his set a lot, he had the whole place rocking. I saw him again with the Stones on the 1975 tour, where he did a couple of his own tunes during the Stones set.

    I think he was a lot of fun and had the knack for putting out catchy pop/rock tunes.
     
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  2. O Don Piano

    O Don Piano Senior Member

    I met Billy Preston at a Los Angeles Beatlefest. In the elevator! I was very impressed with his approachability, humility and soft-spokenness.
    I asked him how did he feel all these years later about stealing the Bangladesh show, and he laughed a little, and told me that the message George Harrison spread about the plight in Bangladesh was way more important than his own appearance.
     
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  3. Holy Diver

    Holy Diver Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    He did as well as most R&B artist from that time. Some also call him the "Fifth Beatle." Not too bad. Great talent, either way.
     
  4. trebori

    trebori Forum Resident

    Location:
    Rochester, NY
    Check out his organ fills behind Sam Cooke on Little Red Rooster, a #11 pop hit in 1963. Sam even gives him a shout out on the record. Billy Preston makes this record.
     
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  5. jhm

    jhm Forum Resident

    This show leaked out of the vaults thankfully. It has a great version of "Outa Space" amongst others:

     
  6. Anthology123

    Anthology123 Senior Member

    Billy Preston played on many of George Harrison's albums (Dark Horse, Extra Texture, 33 1/3) as well as the 1974 Dark Horse Tour and the Ringo Starr album Ringo
     
  7. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur!

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    Billy Preston had a career before and after the Beatles. I have at least one of his 60s LPs and a number of his groovy early/mid-70s LPs. The Beatles connection never factored into for me, nor for most others, I would suspect.
     
  8. Scott S.

    Scott S. lead singer for the best indie band on earth

    Location:
    Walmartville PA
    I think his singles were great, he was definitely a bigtime talent.
     
  9. Maranatha5585

    Maranatha5585 BELLA + RIP In Memoriam

    Location:
    Down South
    Loved Billy Preston...
    Never forget the very first time I saw him at a weekend rock festival in a Pittsburgh, PA. large football stadium of Pitt. Probably was 'maybe '72/'73 ... All day summer gig , my first of many...
    I remember the hot steaming, summer afternoon as he sang his hits, That's The Way God Planed It, and Will it Go Round In Circles, etc, etc... He worked himself into a dancing, singing frenzy like state, that huge afro framing his happy grinning face, then back to the piano, and back up dancing like a wild man... Fantastic!!
    Then he danced himself right off the stage, falling in to the crowd! He was amazing, obviously stunned, if not aching.. And the show went on...

    Later. Some 35 years later I saw him playing a small club in Hollywood, FL.
    Oh, how he was lovable and owned the audience... Just playing his great gospel inspired songs.
    Then it began... The great Beatles songs that he originally starred on ... Surely a contender for the fifth Fab man.
    Boy did he still have it, he was huge, and just sweet as pie. After the show he talked with me for a long time. Signing everything I had brought! He took pictures and signed for everyone, told stories, and was more than interested in my date for the night. He so loved performing even in that medium sized club packed full of people.. He was just amazed that I had all his Apple LPs and picture sleeves, meticulously in plastic sleeves. He played with nearly everyone when he was in his prime. He was a very warm, friendly and spiritual man, and I am certain he truly played a great part in keeping the peace during The Beatles most bitter times, they played great and acted better together in the very rough end times. Billy passed not long after I had the pleasure of meeting him...Now he is playing for The Lord.
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2014
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  10. misko

    misko Forum Resident

    Location:
    Philadelphia, Pa.
    That's a great story ,Bruce.
     
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  11. rockledge

    rockledge Forum Resident

    Location:
    right here
    He was a great support musician but unfortunately his solo career was a bit dismal. I suspect that is in part because he wasn't very well promoted. Will It Go Round In Circles was pretty much the best exposure outside of the Abbey Road roof top he got.
     
  12. Scooterpiety

    Scooterpiety Ars Gratia Artis

    Location:
    Oregon

    I can't imagine "Get Back" without his contribution to the recording.
     
  13. applejam101

    applejam101 Humble Fan

    Location:
    NYC, NY, USA
    I love his Outer Space song.

    Wasn't he working on an album of Beatles covers when he died?
     
  14. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    "Outa-Space" - the tune that propelled him to stardom in his own right. Was originally to be the B side of the title track from his first A&M album, I Wrote a Simple Song, but when that stiffed, the sides were flipped and buyers obviously preferred the funky instrumental, enough to make it #2 Pop, #1 R&B. You could almost say that when "Outa-Space" became the plug side, it took off like a rocket :winkgrin: .

    Besides that, "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing From Nothing," there was another instrumental, "Space Race," that didn't do too badly either. Didn't Dick Clark use it as bumper music prior to commercial breaks on American Bandstand? Plus a chord progression within the piece that seemed to foreshadow that within Mike Post's theme for The Rockford Files.

    But on average, Mr. Preston's biggest successes as a solo artist were on A&M.
     
  15. KaptKopter

    KaptKopter Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    Well I really like 'Encouraging Words' as it has my favourite cover of 'My Sweet Lord' which dare I say is better than George's:hide: and his performance of 'Thats the way god planned it' at the concert for bangladesh is a real highlight.

    Furthermore anybody who can dance like this is a hero in my book

    As a session musician his work with the fabs is fantastic. The organ solos on 'dont let me down' and 'I want you (she's so heavy)' need i say more? One of the great things about LIBN is how much clearer and integral to the overall sound his keyboard work was.
     
  16. maccafan

    maccafan Senior Member

    Some people just ignore the facts, saying things like his solo career was dismal?

    How is recording with the Beatles and Stones, having not one but two smash hit songs (most artist don't even have one), and being regarded as one of the best musicians around dismal?

    Mr. Preston was an absolutely fantastic keyboardist, and he could really sing, the man was great!
     
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  17. HominyRhodes

    HominyRhodes Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago
    Wasn't he David Letterman's original bandleader, on Dave's old daytime show?

    EDIT: Between his version of That's The Way God Planned It from the Bangladesh show, and Will It Go 'Round In Circles on the radio in '73, I was in awe of his talent.
     
  18. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    I don't know about that - but he was musical director for David Brenner's ill-fated 1980's late-night talk show.
     
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  19. chickendinna

    chickendinna Homegrown’s All Right With Me

    His singles, session work which included a noteworthy appearance during the Let It Be album, Stones tour, all made for a pretty nice career I would think
     
  20. Todd W.

    Todd W. It's a Puggle

    Location:
    Maryland
    As a kid I remember Will it Go Round in Circles as a 12 year old and Nothing From Nothing in 1974 as a high school freshman is what I liked more. Later, I learned about Get Back. I wasn't exactly well versed in the Beatles then.
     
  21. robertawillisjr

    robertawillisjr Music Lover

    Location:
    Hampton, VA
    I didn't know the Brothers Johnson were part of the God Squad until seeing this video.
     
  22. halfjapanese

    halfjapanese Gifs moider!

    I don't know the answer, but a friend of mine gifted me with this EP she'd picked up at the 2005 Beatlefest.

    Billy Preston's Beatles Salute
     
  23. Hot Ptah

    Hot Ptah Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    Kansas City, MO
    He had three major hit singles which were played constantly on the Top 40 radio in my town. He was famous to everyone, not just music fans, but to everyone who turned on a radio for several years. Then he had a substantial musical career as leader and sideman both before and after the three big hits. I don't think he had a dismal solo career at all. I think it was quite successful.
     
  24. Avenging Robot

    Avenging Robot Senior Member

    Unfortunately, he was a substitute for Lorne Michaels' first choice, Stevie Wonder.
     
  25. Avenging Robot

    Avenging Robot Senior Member

    I remember reading somewhere that after the album and film came out, there was demand for the original album and single but due to distribution problems and Apple being a mess in general, there was little to none to be found and nobody thought to get another printing underway.
     
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