Billy Preston, the respected sideman who added soul to recordings by the Beatles and Rolling Stones and enjoyed solo success in his own right, died in Arizona on Tuesday after a long illness. He was 59.
The so-called “fifth Beatle” had been in a coma at Scottsdale Healthcare Shea in Scottsdale, Arizona, since November after suffering kidney failure and related illnesses, the legacy of a long battle with drugs that landed him in prison in the late 1990s.
His sister, Lettie Preston, told Reuters his condition worsened over the weekend. An autopsy will be performed, and his funeral will take place in Los Angeles, she said.
A young keyboards prodigy, the Houston, Texas, native spent most of his life in the entertainment business. While still a teenager, he played with Mahalia Jackson, Little Richard and Ray Charles. Easily recognized by his large Afro hairstyle, gap-toothed smile and funky clothing sense, he was a popular addition to any lineup.
“Billy was a fantastic and gifted musician … a superb singer in both recording sessions and onstage,” Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger said in a statement. “He was great fun to be with … and I will miss him a lot.”
Fellow Rolling Stone Keith Richards described Preston as “a genius with all the baggage.”
Added Elton John , “He was one of my true inspirations, one of the greatest keyboard players of all time and not too shabby a vocalist either.”
Preston began the transformation from sideman to a star in his own right when he joined forces with the Beatles in 1969, temporarily helping to soothe tensions as the band was on the verge of breaking up.
He performed on both sides of the “Get Back”/”Don’t Let Me Down” single, which was credited to “The Beatles with Billy Preston “ — the first time the band had shared the spotlight with a sideman. He accompanied them during their last concert that year, the famous rooftop gig in London.
In the early 1970s, he topped the charts as a solo act with the Grammy-winning instrumental “Outa Space,” “Will It Go Round in Circles” and “Nothing From Nothing.” He also wrote Joe Cocker’s 1974 hit “You Are So Beautiful.”
At the same time, he was becoming a fixture with the Rolling Stones, recording on such tracks as “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” and “Heartbreaker,” and playing on several tours.
