WE lost another great keyboard player:
"Born William Everett Preston on September 9, 1946, he moved with his family to Los Angeles when he was 2. He appeared in the 1958 film "St. Louis Blues," which starred Nat King Cole as bluesman W.C. Handy. Preston played Handy as a child. Gospel legend Mahalia Jackson was also in the film, and he would go on to play organ on some of her best-known recordings, including "In the Upper Room."
WITH THE BEATLES
In 1962, Little Richard hired Preston to join his backing band for a European tour. He met the Beatles during their residency at the Star Club in Hamburg, Germany, and also Sam Cooke, who signed him to his SAR label. But Cooke was killed two years later, and Preston signed with Vee Jay records, one-time American home of the Beatles , through which he released an instrumental gospel record.
After a stint playing in the house band for the TV show "Shindig," he joined Ray Charles ' band. Beatles guitarist George Harrison renewed their friendship, and brought him into the tense Apple Studios in January 1969 where the Fab Four were barely speaking to each other while working on the "Let It Be" film and recording projects.
His organ handiwork can also be heard on such Beatle songs as "Let It Be," "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" and "Something."
Harrison signed him to Apple Records and co-produced Preston's two albums for the label, "That's the Way God Planned It" and "Encouraging Words."
Preston also contributed to many Beatle solo albums, including Harrison's "All Things Must Pass," John Lennon 's "Sometime in New York City" and Ringo Starr 's "Sentimental Journey." He won a Grammy as a performer on the Harrison-orchestrated 1973 album of the year "The Concert for Bangladesh."
His credits with the Rolling Stones included the albums "Sticky Fingers" and "Black and Blue." He was a favorite of Mick Jagger , who danced seductively with Preston in the video clip for "Hey Negrita." Not only did he tour with the Stones, but he also opened for them.
In his later years, he toured with Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood, as well as Motown session musicians the Funk Brothers. He also was featured on Ray Charles ' last album "Genius Loves Company," as well as the latest albums by Neil Diamond and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. "
I remember as a kid seeing him on Shindig, wild like James Brown, brilliant like Ray Charles. Nothin from Nothin is a great song and his work with the Beatles is outstanding.
RIP
Blessings
OBODAOUR