Before there was a Prince, there was Billy Preston. A child prodigy who tickled the ivories for Mahalia Jackson, became a Grammy-winning solo artist, and somehow managed to be called "the fifth Beatle" and collaborate with everyone from the Rolling Stones to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. If you don't know the name, you definitely know the sound.
A new documentary, Billy Preston: That’s The Way God Planned It, is finally pulling back the curtain on this musical titan. Directed by Paris Barclay and co-written by Cheo Hodari Coker, the film dives into Preston's six-decade career, from his gospel roots to his chart-topping hits, and yes, his personal struggles too. Because even legends have a backstory.
Preston was the kind of virtuoso keyboardist who could seamlessly blend gospel, R&B, rock, and soul, making him the go-to sideman for, well, pretty much everyone. The Beatles, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Little Richard, Eric Clapton – the list reads like a Mount Rushmore of music. John Lennon wasn't just being poetic when he dubbed him "the fifth Beatle"; Preston played on Let It Be and Abbey Road, no small feat.
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His solo work was just as electrifying, with hits like "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Outa-Space" showcasing his infectious energy. Then there's the unforgettable duet "With You I’m Born Again" with Syreeta Wright, and even a turn with the Red Hot Chili Peppers as part of "Warlocks." Because apparently, if you had a keyboard and a pulse, Billy Preston was your guy.
This new documentary, and the accompanying playlist, features over 100 songs, spanning his entire, often under-recognized, career. It's a reminder that some of the greatest music ever made had Billy Preston's fingerprints all over it. Let that satisfying number sink in.
