http://www.tvoneonline.co...mp;id=3415

This man was a killer organist

So sad

Watched the show last night. I've always known Billy was a bad boy on that organ but the show really pointed out how GOOD he really was. Wow.............

After watching that show, I need 2 practice..............a hell of a lot more.

This guy was a borderline genius level on that organ/piano.

Graycap23 said:

Watched the show last night. I've always known Billy was a bad boy on that organ but the show really pointed out how GOOD he really was. Wow.............

After watching that show, I need 2 practice..............a hell of a lot more.

This guy was a borderline genius level on that organ/piano.

Borderline? Nah dude was a WIZ on that damn organ man. Dude actually made the organ SING!!!!! Check out his organ-only performance of "Amazing Grace" filmed around 1986. Oh man talk about a soulful wailing organ.

Timmy84 said:

Graycap23 said:

Watched the show last night. I've always known Billy was a bad boy on that organ but the show really pointed out how GOOD he really was. Wow.............

After watching that show, I need 2 practice..............a hell of a lot more.

This guy was a borderline genius level on that organ/piano.

Borderline? Nah dude was a WIZ on that damn organ man. Dude actually made the organ SING!!!!! Check out his organ-only performance of "Amazing Grace" filmed around 1986. Oh man talk about a soulful wailing organ.

exactly...

funkpill said:

Timmy84 said:

Borderline? Nah dude was a WIZ on that damn organ man. Dude actually made the organ SING!!!!! Check out his organ-only performance of "Amazing Grace" filmed around 1986. Oh man talk about a soulful wailing organ.

exactly...

Funkpill what channel is Centric (TV1) on Comcast, thanks.

TD3 said:

funkpill said:

exactly...

Funkpill what channel is Centric (TV1) on Comcast, thanks.

172

Just now watching it. The funniest line ever "The gayest place in America is the black choir"....lawd if that ain't the truth.

missfee said:

Just now watching it. The funniest line ever "The gayest place in America is the black choir"....lawd if that ain't the truth.

Yeah that line cracked me up.

Just saw the end of it...omg. He went through so much the poor man. So talented and he was only 59? Too young. Much too young.

That damn background music was irritating the hell out of me...urgh. Why the hell do they play that depressing, violin, slit-my-wrist, instrumentals?

missfee said:

Just saw the end of it...omg. He went through so much the poor man. So talented and he was only 59? Too young. Much too young.

That damn background music was irritating the hell out of me...urgh. Why the hell do they play that depressing, violin, slit-my-wrist, instrumentals?

I have no idea.

funkpill said:

TD3 said:

Funkpill what channel is Centric (TV1) on Comcast, thanks.

172

Let's see 1... 7... 2... : "Different World"

Sho' is, thank you sweetie.

TD3 said:

funkpill said:

172

Let's see 1... 7... 2... : "Different World"

Sho' is, thank you sweetie.

Quite welcome

This was a very interesting and informative episode of Unsung because Billy Preston truly is unsung. That is why I didn't really know too much about him beyond his hits. This show really opened my eyes to how gifted he was. However, once again Unsung left out enough detail to make this a frustrating watch.

Some of the things that bothered me:

How did young Billy hook up with Nat King Cole? (Did a friend of family member know these people? Did someone hear him playing in church or send him a tape?)

Who molested/raped him and when? (A few people mentioned it as a source of his demons but the detail was scattered. I don't need graphic detail but something to put it in perspective would help.)

What were his number one hits and on what charts? (At one point they said he had scored his fourth number one hit in three years. What were they?)

Why did they say that not only his skin color but his sexuality made him stand out it the Rock world? (Weren't many of those British rock dudes gay? That concert pic of Mick and Billy looked like they were going to hook up after that concert if they didn't before it.)

bellanoche said:

This was a very interesting and informative episode of Unsung because Billy Preston truly is unsung. That is why I didn't really know too much about him beyond his hits. This show really opened my eyes to how gifted he was. However, once again Unsung left out enough detail to make this a frustrating watch.

Some of the things that bothered me:

How did young Billy hook up with Nat King Cole? (Did a friend of family member know these people? Did someone hear him playing in church or send him a tape?)

Who molested/raped him and when? (A few people mentioned it as a source of his demons but the detail was scattered. I don't need graphic detail but something to put it in perspective would help.)

What were his number one hits and on what charts? (At one point they said he had scored his fourth number one hit in three years. What were they?)

Why did they say that not only his skin color but his sexuality made him stand out it the Rock world? (Weren't many of those British rock dudes gay? That concert pic of Mick and Billy looked like they were going to hook up after that concert if they didn't before it.)

• I think Billy's manager hooked him up with Nat. During the time they were filming that episode, Billy had agreed to play the younger W.C. Handy in Nat's starring biopic of the musician in St. Louis Blues. It's possible Nat saw Billy perform the organ in church when he visited in L.A. though.
• I heard it might've been his preacher or a family friend.
• "Outa Space" (1972), "Will It Go Round in Circles" (1973), "Space Race" (1973; I think it was #1 R&B and #2 pop), "Nothing from Nothing" (1974)
• Because he was both black and gay and it was an open secret I guess. I think the Beatles and Stones (especially the Stones, look at Billy and Mick's flirtatious dancing ) knew Billy was gay.

Timmy84 said:

bellanoche said:

This was a very interesting and informative episode of Unsung because Billy Preston truly is unsung. That is why I didn't really know too much about him beyond his hits. This show really opened my eyes to how gifted he was. However, once again Unsung left out enough detail to make this a frustrating watch.

Some of the things that bothered me:

How did young Billy hook up with Nat King Cole? (Did a friend of family member know these people? Did someone hear him playing in church or send him a tape?)

Who molested/raped him and when? (A few people mentioned it as a source of his demons but the detail was scattered. I don't need graphic detail but something to put it in perspective would help.)

What were his number one hits and on what charts? (At one point they said he had scored his fourth number one hit in three years. What were they?)

Why did they say that not only his skin color but his sexuality made him stand out it the Rock world? (Weren't many of those British rock dudes gay? That concert pic of Mick and Billy looked like they were going to hook up after that concert if they didn't before it.)

• I think Billy's manager hooked him up with Nat. During the time they were filming that episode, Billy had agreed to play the younger W.C. Handy in Nat's starring biopic of the musician in St. Louis Blues. It's possible Nat saw Billy perform the organ in church when he visited in L.A. though.
• I heard it might've been his preacher or a family friend.
• "Outa Space" (1972), "Will It Go Round in Circles" (1973), "Space Race" (1973; I think it was #1 R&B and #2 pop), "Nothing from Nothing" (1974)
• Because he was both black and gay and it was an open secret I guess. I think the Beatles and Stones (especially the Stones, look at Billy and Mick's flirtatious dancing ) knew Billy was gay.

Thanks, Timmy. I researched myself after the show. My main problem was that the show itself didn't do some more research and add these details.

I know they knew he was gay because I wouldn't be surprised if Billy and Mick didn't have a go.

You know something else that bothered me? Them saying that Billy was invited to "ease the tension" in the Beattles recording session. Please, Billy was there for input. They need to stop playing. They gave him credit on some of the songs, but let's be real about it. They knew what he could offer musically and they called him with that in mind. His personality was a bonus.

bellanoche said:

Timmy84 said:

• I think Billy's manager hooked him up with Nat. During the time they were filming that episode, Billy had agreed to play the younger W.C. Handy in Nat's starring biopic of the musician in St. Louis Blues. It's possible Nat saw Billy perform the organ in church when he visited in L.A. though.
• I heard it might've been his preacher or a family friend.
• "Outa Space" (1972), "Will It Go Round in Circles" (1973), "Space Race" (1973; I think it was #1 R&B and #2 pop), "Nothing from Nothing" (1974)
• Because he was both black and gay and it was an open secret I guess. I think the Beatles and Stones (especially the Stones, look at Billy and Mick's flirtatious dancing ) knew Billy was gay.

Thanks, Timmy. I researched myself after the show. My main problem was that the show itself didn't do some more research and add these details.

I know they knew he was gay because I wouldn't be surprised if Billy and Mick didn't have a go.

You know something else that bothered me? Them saying that Billy was invited to "ease the tension" in the Beattles recording session. Please, Billy was there for input. They need to stop playing. They gave him credit on some of the songs, but let's be real about it. They knew what he could offer musically and they called him with that in mind. His personality was a bonus.

They forgot to say that George, John and Ringo had handpicked Billy to be the actual FIFTH member of the Beatles but Paul was against it because he felt it would further destroy a group that was on the verge of breaking up anyways. But yeah tensions were already too strong for Billy to calm them down. Plus he was more closer to George than he was to the other Beatles though all of them loved Billy.

[Edited 7/30/11 11:38am]

bellanoche said:

This was a very interesting and informative episode of Unsung because Billy Preston truly is unsung. That is why I didn't really know too much about him beyond his hits. This show really opened my eyes to how gifted he was. However, once again Unsung left out enough detail to make this a frustrating watch.

Some of the things that bothered me:

How did young Billy hook up with Nat King Cole? (Did a friend of family member know these people? Did someone hear him playing in church or send him a tape?)

Who molested/raped him and when? (A few people mentioned it as a source of his demons but the detail was scattered. I don't need graphic detail but something to put it in perspective would help.)

What were his number one hits and on what charts? (At one point they said he had scored his fourth number one hit in three years. What were they?)

Why did they say that not only his skin color but his sexuality made him stand out it the Rock world? (Weren't many of those British rock dudes gay? That concert pic of Mick and Billy looked like they were going to hook up after that concert if they didn't before it.)

[Edited 7/30/11 14:31pm]

missfee said:

bellanoche said:

This was a very interesting and informative episode of Unsung because Billy Preston truly is unsung. That is why I didn't really know too much about him beyond his hits. This show really opened my eyes to how gifted he was. However, once again Unsung left out enough detail to make this a frustrating watch.

Some of the things that bothered me:

How did young Billy hook up with Nat King Cole? (Did a friend of family member know these people? Did someone hear him playing in church or send him a tape?)

Who molested/raped him and when? (A few people mentioned it as a source of his demons but the detail was scattered. I don't need graphic detail but something to put it in perspective would help.)

What were his number one hits and on what charts? (At one point they said he had scored his fourth number one hit in three years. What were they?)

Why did they say that not only his skin color but his sexuality made him stand out it the Rock world? (Weren't many of those British rock dudes gay? That concert pic of Mick and Billy looked like they were going to hook up after that concert if they didn't before it.)

[Edited 7/30/11 14:31pm]

Go to the 4:47 mark

Even tho' it says disabled, double click and it will take U there

The revelation that was ews to me was that he wrote You Are So Beautiful, based on Cocker's version alone he should have been set for life, it's a damn shame most of his money was mishandled along with his drug abuse. He was a true artist and great man, this was one of the better episodes of UNSUNG.

UncleGrandpa said:

The revelation that was ews to me was that he wrote You Are So Beautiful, based on Cocker's version alone he should have been set for life, it's a damn shame most of his money was mishandled along with his drug abuse. He was a true artist and great man, this was one of the better episodes of UNSUNG.

Wow, you didn't know he wrote it? But yeah definitely fucked up what happened with his finances. His life was a mess. But he did leave a great legacy behind him.

Timmy84 said:

UncleGrandpa said:

The revelation that was ews to me was that he wrote You Are So Beautiful, based on Cocker's version alone he should have been set for life, it's a damn shame most of his money was mishandled along with his drug abuse. He was a true artist and great man, this was one of the better episodes of UNSUNG.

Wow, you didn't know he wrote it? But yeah definitely fucked up what happened with his finances. His life was a mess. But he did leave a great legacy behind him.

I didn't know he wrote it either Timmy.

missfee said:

Timmy84 said:

Wow, you didn't know he wrote it? But yeah definitely fucked up what happened with his finances. His life was a mess. But he did leave a great legacy behind him.

I didn't know he wrote it either Timmy.

Timmy84 said:

missfee said:

I didn't know he wrote it either Timmy.

Yeah, no reason to feel bad about it. Many black artists wrote and recorded great songs that were made famous by white artists, especially back then.

Yeah between the royalties from "You Are So Beautiful" and "Nothing from Nothing" alone he should have been set for life but being robbed by thieves masquerading as managers and smoking your money can make a fortune disappear in the blink of an eye. Sad.

bellanoche said:

Timmy84 said:

Yeah, no reason to feel bad about it. Many black artists wrote and recorded great songs that were made famous by white artists, especially back then.

Yeah between the royalties from "You Are So Beautiful" and "Nothing from Nothing" alone he should have been set for life but being robbed by thieves masquerading as managers and smoking your money can make a fortune disappear in the blink of an eye. Sad.

So true. And sad.

HuMpThAnG said:

missfee said:

[Edited 7/30/11 14:31pm]

Go to the 4:47 mark

Even tho' it says disabled, double click and it will take U there

Wow! Never saw this clip before. I think they start warming up at about 3:48. Then take it on home at 4:47. Yup, I am going to ride with my earlier suspicion.

Seriously, with Mick sometimes you don't know what was for shock value or for real in those days. Either way, you gotta love that they just didn't give a f@#!

[Edited 7/30/11 18:30pm]

Timmy84 said:

bellanoche said:

Yeah, no reason to feel bad about it. Many black artists wrote and recorded great songs that were made famous by white artists, especially back then.

Yeah between the royalties from "You Are So Beautiful" and "Nothing from Nothing" alone he should have been set for life but being robbed by thieves masquerading as managers and smoking your money can make a fortune disappear in the blink of an eye. Sad.

So true. And sad.

I am researching more on Billy and the Stones and the Beatles. I had no idea that he played on FIVE Stones' albums and FOUR Beatles' albums. He truly is unsung. Anyway, I was reading on Wikipedia (the sources were credible for this page) about his role in the creation of "Miss You."

"In actuality, "Miss You" was written by Mick Jagger jamming with keyboardist Billy Preston during rehearsals for the March 1977 El Mocambo club gigs, recordings from which appeared on side three of Love You Live. Keith Richards is credited as co-writer as was the case for all Rolling Stones originals written by either partner or in tandem."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_You_%28The_Rolling_Stones_song%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Preston

I wonder how many Beatles and Stones songs he had a hand in that he didn't get any co-writing credit for? That royalty money would have likely disappeared as well, but it just makes me wonder.

It also makes me think of this line from the Mos Def song "Rock N Roll"

"You may dig on the Rolling Stones but they ain't come up with that shit on they own."

[Edited 7/30/11 18:53pm]

HuMpThAnG said:

missfee said:

[Edited 7/30/11 14:31pm]

Go to the 4:47 mark

Even tho' it says disabled, double click and it will take U there