Actors - Billy Preston

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	Actors - Billy Preston

Soul musician Billy Preston was born on September 9, 1946 in Houston, Texas and raised mostly in Los Angeles, California. He began playing piano while sitting on his mother's lap at age three. Billy Preston has collaborated with some of the greatest names in the music industry, including The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Sammy Davis Jr., Sly Stone, Aretha Franklin, George Harrison, The Jackson 5, Quincy Jones and The Rolling Stones.

He is probably best known for his work with The Beatles (he is the only artist to receive label credit on a Beatles single: "Get Back"; The Beatles also released an early single with Tony Sheridan, but that is regarded as a Tony Sheridan single on which the Beatles played). He played on their 1970 Let It Be album and on the songs "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" and "Something", from 1969's Abbey Road. Signed to the Beatles' Apple label, in 1969 Preston released the album That's The Way God Planned It and a single of the same name (produced by George Harrison). His relationship with Harrison continued after the break up of the Beatles, with Preston making notable and energetic contributions to The Concert For Bangladesh, a Harrison-organised charity concert, and, after George's death, The Concert For George. Preston also worked on solo recordings by Harrison and two other ex-Beatles, John Lennon and Ringo Starr.

After the Beatles, Preston played keyboards for the Rolling Stones, alongside pianist Nicky Hopkins. Preston appears on the Stones' albums Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main Street, Goats Head Soup, It's Only Rock'n Roll and Black & Blue. He toured as a support act with the Stones in 1973, and recorded his live album Live in Europe in Munich with Mick Taylor on guitar. In 1975 and 1976 he again toured with the Stones, this time getting to play two of his own songs, backed by the Stones, in the middle of every concert. The Stones and Preston parted company in 1977, mainly over a row on money. He continued to play on solo records by Stones members, and made an appearance again on the Stones' 1997 Bridges to Babylon album.

The 1980's were lean years for Preston. He was arrested and convicted for insurance fraud after setting fire to his own house in Los Angeles, and he was treated for alcohol and cocaine addictions. Preston managed to conquer his problems in the early 1990's, and has been touring with Eric Clapton, and recording with a wide range of artists.

Most recently, he played piano/organ on the song "Warlocks" for the new Red Hot Chili Peppers album Stadium Arcadium. Although very ill, after hearing a tape of the song given to him by the band, he jumped out of bed, recorded his part, and went back to bed.

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Actors - Billy Preston

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