Diehard Beatles fans know who Billy Preston is, but more casual fans might be unfamiliar. Billy Preston was a multi-talented American musician, singer, and songwriter who famously worked with the biggest bands of his era, from The Rolling Stones to Ray Charles to The Beatles. In the context of The Beatles, he’s known for helping the band out of their funk during the Get Back sessions and also contributed a number of elements to various Beatles records. In honor of the man that some affectionately call the Fifth Beatle (along with George Martin, Brian Epstein, and others), let’s look at just a few songs that Billy Preston recorded with the Fab Four!
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1. “Let It Be”
This track is one of The Beatles’ most famous songs and the most famous song of the end of their career. Some might not know that Billy Preston contributed to the track. Preston pounds away at the organ on this song, and the line shortly before George Harrison’s solo is one of the most recognizable in The Beatles’ discography.
2. “One After 909”
This track is a bit underrated in The Beatles’ discography, and it was made even better by Preston’s contributions. Preston was an incredibly adaptable and “loose” musician. While his roots were always in rhythm and blues, he could handle navigating different genres and playing styles with ease. He plays the keyboard on this track with a notable rock and roll style that sounds perfectly natural.
3. “Don’t Let Me Down”
Billy Preston’s association with The Beatles was first and foremost friendship, but he also contributed quite a lot of music to the Fab Four’s recordings. “Don’t Let Me Down” is probably his most well-known contribution that features his name in a direct credit. This track is a great example of Preston’s restraint and talent as a session musician. His keyboard chords are powerful but don’t overwhelm John Lennon’s passionate vocals.
4. “Something”
Preston took to a Hammond organ for this song, and his track was notably drowned out by Harrison’s stellar guitar playing. However, it’s just another example of Preston’s ability to step back and control himself. The quick stabs and swirls of the organ complement the song beautifully, and Preston’s contributions to the track really tie it together.
5. “I’ve Got A Feeling”
“I’ve Got A Feeling” is another song that one could say Preston “rescued”. This song caused quite a few issues among the Fab Four, especially when it came to the guitar riffs Harrison wanted to play against what Paul McCartney wanted for the song. Preston filled in the gaps with rhythm while Harrison focused on the licks that make the track so iconic.
Photo by Ian Showell/Keystone/Getty Images
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