Billy Preston RIP

Uncletoad · #1 06-06-2006, 10:32 PM

Damn.

Billy Preston dies
Legendary organ player Billy Preston has died after a long battle with kidney failure. He was 59.
Preston, who had been in a coma since November, passed away in Arizona.
"He had been hospitalized for the past several months due to a respiratory arrest and his body just couldn't support him any more," Preston's manager Joyce Moore said. Preston had received a kidney transplant in 2002.
Preston had played on albums by music legends like The Rolling Stones, Sammy Davis Jr. and The Beatles. He was the only non-Beatles member to receive label credit on any of their singles. "His legacy is a very huge footprint, from gospel to pop to rock to soul to classical to country," Moore said. "He was truly gifted and as important as all of that he had the most wonderful heart and spirit . . . quite a guy."

nicklloyd · #2 06-06-2006, 11:48 PM

Rest in peace. May we all make such great music.

bribass · #3 06-07-2006, 01:17 AM

A great loss of one of the alltime great musical spirits.

He'll be deeply missed.

BG

arnoldschnitzer · #4 06-07-2006, 07:38 AM

I saw him live with George Harrison and friends. An even more impressive musician in a live setting than on record. Great keyboardist and fabulous, soulful singer. Rest in Peace...

mrpc · #5 06-09-2006, 10:01 PM

I borrowed the Concert for George DVD awhile back. Billy's vocal and B-3 solo on "Isn't it a Pity?" were inspirational. I would imagine that if you had been in the room (Albert Hall) when it happened it could have seemed like the roof was coming off, the spiritual energy he put out was so high. Sorry now that I never saw him live.

JimmyM · #6 06-10-2006, 12:03 AM

I played on two of Billy's last three gigs. He did two days at the Mohegan Sun last summer as part of Bowzer's big oldies shows there, and Billy was the closer. I briefly got to talk to him. He was not in good shape when he did the gig. He could still walk but had to be wheeled through the hotel because it tired him out to walk. But when he got onstage, it was magic. He sang great, and played a terrific version of "Amazing Grace" on the organ. I believe his last gig was at the Atlantis hotel in Nassau and he lapsed into a coma shortly after. But you'd never know he was sick by watching him onstage. Must have taken a lot of effort on his part.

RIP, Mr. Preston.

bribass · #7 06-10-2006, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrpc

I borrowed the Concert for George DVD awhile back. Billy's vocal and B-3 solo on "Isn't it a Pity?" were inspirational. I would imagine that if you had been in the room (Albert Hall) when it happened it could have seemed like the roof was coming off, the spiritual energy he put out was so high. Sorry now that I never saw him live.

I own the DVD and I know what you mean. Billy's performance gives me goosebumps when I've watched it.

BG

boombloom · #8 06-10-2006, 04:28 AM

I saw him at a tiny bar in Rochester, NY in the late '80's. Maybe 20 people were there. I don't think I've ever seen anyone work a stage so hard, so well. He sweated and ran around and sang and played and filled the room. After the show we had a beer together. What a thrill! He signed my girlfriend's T shirt. I haven't seen her in years, but I hope she still has that autograph.

The recording of "That's the Way God Planned it" on the Concert for Bangladesh is one of the most moving peices of music I've ever heard. There was an utter sincerity to what he was doing. His work on Get Back and Let it Be was great. I have to read up on him.

Uncletoad · #9 06-10-2006, 08:15 AM

Yea, my brother is a Jazz pianist and we grew up with Billy Prestons work in so many things that he did. His passing was a kick in gut even moreso than Jimmy Smith. Reminds me of how it was when we were younger and Bill Evans passed. Or Miles. For me he was that important.

I'll feel the same when Stevie Wonder finally packs it in.