Thursday, February 4, 2010

Billy and his organ...

William Everett Preston, child prodigy & musical genius. Of course, if you know him at all, you’d know to call him Billy. Some of you may even call him “The Fifth Beatle” – one of only two to non-Beatles to receive billing (along with The Beatles) as an artist on a an official Beatles record release.

But Billy was impressive way before his appearance on the Hammond Organ with the Fab Four in the “Get Back” Sessions in 1969.

He began playing piano from atop his mother’s knee at the age of three. At the tender age of 11, he was performing live with none other than Nat ‘King’ Cole on his variety show (as seen in the first video below). By 16, he was the organ player for Sam Cooke on what is considered to be one of Cooke’s best albums, Night Beat - an album recorded in three night's work.

Over the span of his career and right up until his death in 2006, Billy played with a wide variety of artists which run nearly the entire musical genre gambit – from Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, and Bob Dylan to The Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash and The Red Hot Chili Peppers - just to name a few.

Simply put, the man could PLAY! Don’t believe me? Take a gander at the video below where he is performing “Summertime”…complete with impersonations of JS Bach and Ray Charles.

After viewing it, “Bess” is reported as having said “I don’t loves you no mo, Porgy…I loves Billy now!”

(My apologies to the Gershwin brothers for that comment…)




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