Soul musician, born September 2, 1946, Houston, Texas. He died June 6, 2006, Scottsdale, Arizona.
Preston was an American rhythm and blues musician from Houston, Texas: raised mostly in Los Angeles, California. In addition to his successful, Grammy Award-winning career as a solo artist, Preston collaborated with some of the greatest names in the music industry, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Band, Nat King Cole, Little Richard, Eric Burdon, Ray Charles, George Harrison, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Sam Cooke, King Curtis, Sammy Davis Jr., Aretha Franklin, the Jackson 5, Quincy Jones, Mick Jagger, Richie Sambora, Sly Stone, Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Ringo Starr. He played the Fender Rhodes electric piano and the Hammond organ on the 'Get Back' sessions in 1969.
Preston and Tony Sheridan are the only two non-Beatles to receive billing as an artist alongside the Beatles (as distinct from receiving credit as a session musician on album packaging) on an official Beatles record release. The label of the Get Back single credits the artists on the record as The Beatles with Billy Preston.
