Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Billy Preston RIP

The great singer-songwriter and performer Billy Preston, the "Fifth Beatle" has died after a long illness as a result of malignant hypertension that resulted in kidney failure and other complications. He dies in Arizona where he'd been in a coma for nearly a year.

Billy was menatuared by Ray Charles early in his life and went on to a play important roles in a number of important records. Billy played on Let It Be, The White Album and Abbey Road, he played a major role in Exile on Main Street by the Stones....AND was the organ player for Sly and the Family Stone. That's not all his credits but those alone are pretty heavyweight...

I've heard alot of Billy's playing but I haven't seen a whole lot of him playing on film. The one bit of footage I do know is the where
the beatles are trying to make abbey road and there is alot of bad sniping going on between the fab four arguing like spoilt kids Then Billy comes in - boom the atmosphere changes and all of sudden the beatles get busy making music. Everyone is smiling ..the playing has improved..the Beatles want to impress Billy.....


Well done Billy Preston.
RIP

No comments: