Billy Preston

Billy Preston (September 2, 1946 - June 5, 2006) was an American R&B musician. He is best known for his piano and organ playing.

Preston began playing piano when he was three years old. He worked with many other musicians including Aretha Franklin, Sammy Davis Jr., Quincy Jones, Eric Clapton, the Jackson 5 and the Rolling Stones.

He worked on The Beatles's last album, Let It Be, in 1969, including the song "Get Back". Many people thought that Preston would join the group, but the Beatles broke up shortly afterwards. He later worked with George Harrison, who had been a Beatle.

Preston's biggest success also came from working with another musician. He did a duet with Syreeta Garrett on "With You I'm Born Again" in 1979. It sold over a million copies and reached Number 2 in the United Kingdom singles chart.

Preston was gay. He died of respiratory failure after being in a coma from a heart infection.

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Category:African-American musicians
Category:American funk musicians
Category:American gospel musicians
Category:American pianists
Category:American R&B singers
Category:American rock musicians
Category:American soul musicians
Category:Deaths from respiratory failure
Category:Deaths from myocarditis
Category:Disease-related deaths in the United States
Category:LGBT African-Americans
Category:Gay men
Category:LGBT musicians
Category:Musicians from Houston
Category:The Beatles
Category:1946 births
Category:2006 deaths