September 9, 1946 – June 6, 2006

Today we mourn the loss of one of the most accomplished musicians in rock history with the passing of Billy Preston. Playing piano since he was a young child, he has collaborated with many of rock's legendary acts, credited as a studio musician on countless recordings including a seven-year stint with the Rolling Stones and having a prolific solo career (including many gospel albums). He is probably most famous for being invited by George Harrison to join The Beatles during the turmoil of recording Let It Be to cool tempers. His presence kept things civil, and he is often regarded as the "Sixth Beatle" because of his brief stint with the Fab Four. The single of "Get Back" would be credited to "The Beatles with Billy Preston," making him the only artist to be co-credited with the Beatles on a single.

Although battling alcohol and cocaine addictions in the 1980s and getting arrested for setting fire to his own house for insurance fraud, Preston overcame his personal demons and continued to record with a wide range of artists through the 1990s. He battled kidney failure in his later years and would succumb to his ailments on June 6th, 2006 after being in a coma for over six months. His last credited recording was recently released on the Red Hot Chili Peppers' double-monster Stadium Arcadium, where he played organ on the song "Warlocks."

Uploading a song Preston played on would be pointless, as I'm most of you will have at least one CD (or mp3 album, you pirates) on which he plays. Instead, enjoy a video of his cover of George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord." [Preston also played on Harrison's All Things Must Pass, from which "My Sweet Lord" was originally released.]

- Carman 

Because mp3s are good for you: Billy Preston – Nothing from Nothing. (EXPIRED) Buy from Amazon.

- Greg