On June 20, 2006, countless famous musicians came to pay their respects to legendary session musician and “Fifth Beatle” Billy Preston at his funeral held at Faithful Central Bible Church in Inglewood, California.
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A number of big names were in attendance. Some names included Little Richard, Della Reese, Ali “Ollie” Woodson (of The Temptations), Andrae Crouch, and Joe Cocker. Joe Cocker, in fact, sang “You Are So Beautiful”, which was written by Preston, to those in attendance.
Likewise, Little Richard reminisced about his relationship with Preston. For reference, Richard “discovered” Preston when he was in high school and took him on tour in the 1960s. Later, Richard would introduce Preston to The Beatles. He would famously work with the Fab Four in the latter half of the 1960s.
“He made that piano walk and talk,” said Richard. “There’s nobody in this world who could play the piano like Billy Preston.”
A gorgeous gospel choir, dressed in vibrant red, sang through the three-hour-long service. Ollie Woodson and Merry Clayton performed during the service as well. Paul McCartney, members of The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, and others who could not attend sent letters to be read during the service.
“I am deeply saddened to lose such a wonderful friend,” McCartney wrote. “I love you Billy.”
The Legacy of the Incomparable Billy Preston Lives On
Billy Preston’s funeral was far too soon. We lost one of the greatest session musicians of all time days prior, and the sheer volume of musicians that came to pay their respects at his funeral on June 20, 2006, showed just how special of a person Preston was. And the funeral itself, while tragic, was also something vibrant, which I’m sure Preston would have appreciated.
The Grammy Award-winning Billy Preston was an incredibly talented pianist, singer, and overall session musician. His solo career was quite successful, and he worked extensively with outfits like The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, as well as Aretha Franklin and Bob Dylan.
Preston is often referred to as the “Fifth Beatle” for his piano and organ work during the Get Back sessions with The Beatles. He is also famous for his contribution to The Rolling Stones’ song “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking?”
Photo by Watal Asanuma/Shinko Music/Getty Images
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