Billy Preston

Billy Preston

William Everett "Billy" Preston (September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006) was an American musician whose work included R&B, rock, soul, funk and gospel. Preston became famous first as a session musician with such artists as Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and The Beatles, and was later successful as a solo artist with such hit pop singles as "Outa-Space", its sequel, Space Race", "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from Nothing", and a string of albums and guest appearances with artists like Eric Clapton and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Alongside Tony Sheridan, Billy Preston was the only other musician to be credited on a Beatles recording: the artists on the number-one hit "Get Back" are given as "The Beatles with Billy Preston". Stephen Stills asked Preston if he could use Preston's phrase "if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with" and created the hit song.

Read more about Billy Preston:  Early Life and Career, Relationship With The Beatles, Post-Beatles Solo Career, Legal Troubles, Later Work, Personal Life, Death

Famous quotes containing the word billy:

    “How old is she, Billy boy, Billy boy?
    How old is she, charming Billy?”
    Past six, past seven,
    Past twenty and eleven,
    She’s a young thing, and cannot leave her mother.”
    —Unknown. Billy Boy (l. 21–25)