The moments of Billy Preston in the Get Back film are spellbinding. Such a wonderful playing style, and it seemed like he really eased the creative flow of those sessions! Maybe it was his gentle interjections. Or maybe it was the diet of tea and toast...
Thank you for the write up on Billy Preston -- he deserves more recognition, for sure!
One question -- where are you getting the info that Lennon/McCartney shared songwriting credit with him on Get Back and Don't Let Me Down? That's not the case for any Lennon/McCartney song that I"m aware of -- and neither song is (or as far as I know has ever been) listed as anything other than Lennon/McCartney.
What is true -- and perhaps the confusion lies here -- is that Billy Preston is (I think) the only musician to be given acknowledgement on the album for playing on Let It Be, with "The Beatles with Billy Preston" as the credit. Even Clapton didn't get credit for his contribution to the White Album, but Billy Preston got his due.
Anyway, if you found some other info somewhere, I'd be interested -- but I don't think the songwriting credit thing is accurate. (Not pointing it out to be OCD, but because the purity and exclusivity of the Lennon/McCartney credity, from beginning to end is something of a Thing, as you probably know, and it'd be pretty big news if it weren't the case -- hence my question.)
Thanks for reading and for the clarification. You’re right. He’s credited on the single as “The Beatles with Billy Preston.” It’s on the album cover. “Preston is one of very few musicians to be given a credit on a Beatles recording, which was done at the band's request.” But you’re right, he’s not listed in the full album’s liner notes as “written by.” Very true. Good clarification.
God bless Billy Preston!
The moments of Billy Preston in the Get Back film are spellbinding. Such a wonderful playing style, and it seemed like he really eased the creative flow of those sessions! Maybe it was his gentle interjections. Or maybe it was the diet of tea and toast...
Thank you for the write up on Billy Preston -- he deserves more recognition, for sure!
One question -- where are you getting the info that Lennon/McCartney shared songwriting credit with him on Get Back and Don't Let Me Down? That's not the case for any Lennon/McCartney song that I"m aware of -- and neither song is (or as far as I know has ever been) listed as anything other than Lennon/McCartney.
What is true -- and perhaps the confusion lies here -- is that Billy Preston is (I think) the only musician to be given acknowledgement on the album for playing on Let It Be, with "The Beatles with Billy Preston" as the credit. Even Clapton didn't get credit for his contribution to the White Album, but Billy Preston got his due.
Anyway, if you found some other info somewhere, I'd be interested -- but I don't think the songwriting credit thing is accurate. (Not pointing it out to be OCD, but because the purity and exclusivity of the Lennon/McCartney credity, from beginning to end is something of a Thing, as you probably know, and it'd be pretty big news if it weren't the case -- hence my question.)
Thanks for reading and for the clarification. You’re right. He’s credited on the single as “The Beatles with Billy Preston.” It’s on the album cover. “Preston is one of very few musicians to be given a credit on a Beatles recording, which was done at the band's request.” But you’re right, he’s not listed in the full album’s liner notes as “written by.” Very true. Good clarification.
Yep. Credit for playing on the album, and deservedly so!
So much great music went from his hands to the keyboard...