R.I.P Billy Preston

Well, the blog is becoming like a full-time obituary column. Billy Preston has died in Arizona of kidney failure at the age of 59. Although he had a number of hits in his own name it is for his close association with the Beatles and to a lesser extent with the Rolling Stones that he will be best remembered. In particular his keyboard sound is all over the Beatles last released album, 'Let It Be' and there is a fairly typical coruscating solo decorating the single of the same name. In the Beatles 'Anthology' film there is a fairly fulsome tribute paid to Billy, both aurally and visually, when George Harrison describes the bickering and backbiting Beatles all perking up and behaving themselves when Billy arrived in the studio to help them out. The film from the sessions bears this out as you see the individual Beatles breaking into smiles for the first time in months when Billy comes through the door. None of the four want their guest to think badly of them, so they actually get some work done instead of arguing endlessly. For several years up until recently my wife and I were in the habit of going to see the Bootleg Beatles Edinburgh Christmas shows - one of the recurring jokes in the show is when a young, very white, guy comes out of the orchestra and plays the organ solo on 'Let It Be' - as he returns to the orchestra Beatle 'John' asks the audience to "give a big hand to Billy from Preston". That good-humoured punning gag will never seem so funny again.