http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/06/06/D8I2RTD00.html

Singer-Songwriter Billy Preston Dead at 59



Jun 06 1:42 PM US/Eastern

PHOENIX

Billy Preston, the exuberant keyboardist who landed dream gigs with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and enjoyed his own series of hit singles, including "Outta Space" and "Nothing From Nothing," died Tuesday at 59.

Preston's longtime manager, Joyce Moore, said Preston had been in a coma since November in a care facility and was taken to a hospital in Scottsdale Saturday after his condition deteriorated.

"He had a very, very beautiful last few hours and a really beautiful passing," Moore said by telephone from Germany. "He went home good."

Preston, who had battled chronic kidney failure, had undergone a kidney transplant in 2002, but the kidney failed and he has been on dialysis treatments ever since, Moore said earlier this year.

Known for his big smile and towering afro, Preston was a teen prodigy on the piano and organ, and lent his gospel-tinged touch to classics such as the Beatles' "Get Back" and the Stones' "Can't You Hear Me Knocking?"

He broke out as a solo artist in the 1970s, winning a best instrumental Grammy in 1973 for "Outta Space," and scoring other hits with "Will It Go 'Round In Circles," "Nothing From Nothing" and "With You I'm Born Again," a duet with Syreeta Wright.

I always Loved Billy.

-Paul

Was just watching Beatles Anthology where he came in and helped them make peace by just being there and having a positive attitude.

RIP Dude. Long live the Wyld Stallions!










j/k of course

My father knew Billy Preston and I met him a few times when I was a kid. Just last week we were talking about the old Amos and Andy Show and he told me that Billy's mother was the woman who The Kingfish's wife Saphirre. I'm a big old time radio fan and I never knew that little bit of trivia and although I haven't verified it, my dad met the woman so I'll assume he knows what he's talking about.

I loved, loved "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothin' From Nothin'". They're going on my ipod tonight, dammit!

RIP

Too bad.

RIP

Just read this on AOL and it sucks. All on my iPod. I'll give 'em a spin on my radio show tomorrow.

Pitchfork used his obit to take a stab at the Red Hot Chili Peppers:

Later in his life, Preston suffered several major indignities: being sentenced to a three-year jail term following a bail violation, performing on the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Stadium Arcadium, and, worst of all, performing as the title character in the abysmal film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

I have a cool pic of Billy Preston, John Entwistle and myself having lunch (the lady that I was with snapped our pic) at the Townsend Hotel in the Detroit area (Troy or Birmingham, I believe). It was taken on their tour with Ringo Starr.

Now I'll miss 'em both...damn.

POST IT!

Yeah, it sucks when people die young....

I swear to god I thought Billy Preston was black.

Just a few weeks ago I was looking at the credits for Stadium Arcadium and thinking, "No way, that can't be him." He's had quite the career. He will definitely live on forever through his music.

Sad to see Pitchfork can't even stop being pretentious in an obituary.

I saw that tour and loved getting the chance to see Billy and with Ringo again to boot. He got up from the piano and danced just like I remembered him doing on The Concert for Bangladesh.

RIP Billy .... 'That's the Way God Planned It'.
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