Artist:Billy Preston
Song:Will It Go Round In Circles
Album:Ultimate Collection
Billy Preston was a talented performer who became very popular through his association with The Beatles. He rode that to some big hits in the 70s. He was born Sept. 9, 1946 in Houston. By age ten he was playing piano for gospel legend Mahalia Jackson. Then he played the young W.C. Handy in the 1958 film St. Louis Blues. He toured with Little Richard & Ray Charles and played in the house band of the TV series Shindig and built a reputation as a session musician. He had met The Beatles in 1962 while touring with Little Richard. When George Harrison quit the 1969 Let It Be sessions, he returned on the condition that Preston play on the sessions. It made Preston The Fifth Beatle. He used this to start a solo career, first with Apple but then he moved to A & M and Will It Go Round In Circles was a number one hit in 1972. Preston was also known for his huge afro. The song came from Preston joking around with partner Bruce Fisher that he had "a song with no melody". This Ultimate Collection comp has all his hits. Preston had a lot of success in the 70s but had drug problems in the 80s. He pleaded no contest to cocaine & assault charges in 1991 and spent nine months in rehab. He toured in the 90s with Eric Clapton & Ringo Starr but Preston's recording success was well behind him. Billy Preston had a kidney transplant in 2002 and died of kidney failure on June 6, 2006 at age 59. Here's Billy Preston performing Will It Go Round In Circles on The Midnight Special in 1973. Dig the afro.
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