son of a BITCH!

[firsty]

billy preston has died....

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/0 ... cnn_latest

[firsty]

in case you're not familiar, this is basically like a member of the rolling stones and a member of the beatles dying on the same day.

preston is the 5th beatle, and was also a key member of the stones recording sessions for many years. outside of ian stewart, preston could be considered the most unknown but most important contributor to the stones sound, particularly in the early 70s, when there was a lot of piano in the stones music.

because of his link to both bands, popularly considered to be neck and neck the best two rock bands in history, it's not a stretch to say that billy preston was by far one of the most important and influential musicians of rock and roll.

here is his selected discography, from the wikipedia site:

Solo albums (Not including Gospel albums)

* (1965) The Most Exciting Organ Ever
* (1966) The Wildest Organ In Town
* (1969) That's The Way God Planned It
* (1970) Encouraging Words
* (1971) I Wrote A Simple Song
* (1972) Music Is My life
* (1973) Everybody Likes Some Kind Of Music
* (1974) Live European Tour 1973
* (1974) The Kids and Me
* (1975) It's My Pleasure
* (1976) Billy Preston
* (1977) A Whole New Thing
* (1979) Late At Night
* (1981) The Way I Am
* (1982) Pressin' On
* (1984) On The Air
* (1986) You Can't Keep A Good Man Down
* (1995) Billy's Back

[edit]

As a guest/session performer

* (1970) Let It Be -- including "Get Back", List of Number 1 singles from the 1960s (UK) (The Beatles)
* (1970) All Things Must Pass (George Harrison)
* (1970) John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, piano on "God" (John Lennon)
* (1971) Sticky Fingers (Rolling Stones)
* (1971) The Concert for Bangla Desh (George Harrison And Friends)
* (1971) There's a Riot Goin' On (Sly & the Family Stone)
* (1972) Exile on Main Street (Rolling Stones)
* (1973) Ringo, organ on "I'm The Greatest"
* (1973) Goats Head Soup (Rolling Stones)
* (1974) Goodnight Vienna, clavinet on the title track, electric piano on "Only You (And You Alone)"
* (1974) It's Only Rock'n Roll (Rolling Stones)
* (1975) Blood on the Tracks (Bob Dylan)
* (1975) "You Are So Beautiful" (Joe Cocker's biggest hit)
* (1976) Black and Blue (Rolling Stones)
* (1978) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (also acted the part "Sgt. Pepper" in the film)
* (1990) Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band (Billy plays keyboards and vocals)
* (2003) Concert for George -- including Isn't It a Pity and My Sweet Lord
* (2004) Me and Mr. Johnson (Eric Clapton) (also appears in the DVD companion Sessions for Robert J)
* (2005) Choose Love (Ringo Starr)
* (2005) The Concert for Bangladesh (George Harrison and Friends) (Re-mastered version & video)
* (2006) Stadium Arcadium (Red Hot Chili Peppers) (on "Warlocks")

[Doreen Peri]

Yeah, I heard....

sad... he was so young...

[Artguy]

Man I saw him with George Harrison...mid 70's....my high school girlfriend loved the guy....Will It Go Round In Circles???