Billy Preston
Birthday: Born in 1946-09-02 in Houston, Texas, USA
Deathday: 2006-06-06
William Everett Preston was an American musician, whose work encompassed R&B, rock, soul, funk, and gospel. Preston was a top session keyboardist in the 1960s, during which he backed artists such as Little Richard, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Everly Brothers, Reverend James Cleveland, The Rolling Stones, and the Beatles.
TV Credits
Rock Concert
Character: Self
Don Kirshner's Rock Concert is an American television music variety show that ran during the 1970s and early 1980s, created and produced by Don Kirshner and syndicated to television stations. It premiered on September 27, 1973, with a performance by The Rolling Stones; its last episode was in 1981....
The Beatles: Get Back
Character: Self (archive footage)
The three-part documentary series, compiled from over 60 hours of unseen footage, captures the warmth, camaraderie, and creative genius that defined the legacy of music's most iconic foursome. The series also includes – for the first time in its entirety – The Beatles' final performance at London's Savile Row....
The Midnight Special
Character: Self
The Midnight Special is an American late-night musical variety series that aired on NBC during the 1970s and early 1980s, created and produced by Burt Sugarman. It premiered as a special on August 19, 1972, then began its run as a regular series on February 2, 1973; its last episode was on May 1, 1981. The ninety-minute program followed the Friday night edition of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. The show typically featured guest hosts, except for a period from July 1975 through March 19...
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
Character: Self
A talk show presented by Michel Drucker...
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Character: Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time....
Rollin' On The River
Character:
Rollin' On The River 1971-72 - (Rollin 1972-73) was a Canadian Music Variety Series hosted by Kenny Rogers and The First Edition. They were the first pop-rock group to host their own prime-time TV series. - 53 episodes x 60 min - Featured guests included: Tina Turner, Merle Haggard, Bo Diddley, April Wine, Bill Withers, The Raiders, Cheech & Chong, The Stampeders, Bruce Cockburn, The Grass Roots, The Five Man Electrical Band, Lighthouse, Climax, Billy Preston, Jim Croce, Kris Kristofferson, Jos...
Musikladen
Character: Self
Der Musikladen was a West German music television programme that ran from December 13, 1972 to November 29, 1984. The show continued the 1960s Beat-Club under a new name, and in turn was replaced by Extratour....
The Beatles Anthology
Character: Self (archive footage)
A documentary series on the career of The Beatles....
Donny & Marie
Character: Self
Donny & Marie is an American variety show which aired on ABC from January 1976 to January 1979. The show stars brother and sister pop duo Donny Osmond and Marie Osmond. Donny had first become popular singing in a music group with his brothers, The Osmonds, and Marie was one of the youngest singers to reach #1 on the Billboard Country Music charts. The siblings were offered a weekly show by ABC-TV President Fred Silverman after he saw the duo co-host a week on The Mike Douglas Show which followe...
Saturday Night Live
Character: Self - Musical Guest
A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest....
Classic Albums
Character: Self
A documentary series about pop and rock albums that are considered the best or most distinctive of a well-known band or musician or that exemplify a stage in the history of music....
The Price of Fame or Fame at any Price
Character: Self
Featuring the combined and various talents of Georgie Fame and Alan Price...
Dinah!
Character: Self
Dinah's show premiered 9 September 1974 and continued through to 4 September 1981. She started out the 70's with Dinah's Place which usually featured one guest and was more of a home oriented show about cooking, crafts and occasionally music. This format lasted until May of 1974. When the show came back in October of 1974 the format had changed drastically to a variety talk show which was called Dinah. and went on until 1981. This show was also known as "Dinah and Friends" during the summer of 1...
The Mike Douglas Show
Character: Self
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much of its first two years on the air. It then went into syndication in 1963 and remained on television until 1982. It was distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia....
Movie Credits
Kings of Soul
Character: Self (archive footage)
A documentary celebrating the men whose vocal stylings have carried the torch for soul across six decades.. Featuring footage of Brenton Wood performing Gimme Little Sign and Curtis Mayfield singing Keep On Keeping On, as well as appearances by Billy Preston, Bill Withers, Billy Ocean, Alexander O'Neal, Barry White, Bobby Womack and many more....
Eric Clapton: One More Car One More Rider
Character: Self - Hammond B-3 Organ, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Clapton, live from Los Angeles' Staples Center on August 18, 2002, part of the sold-out worldwide tour that followed Clapton's 2001 album "Reptile." This concert DVD features live material spanning his entire career. Recorded in concert at The Staples Center in Los Angeles, August 18 2001, this performance spans Clapton's entire career and even throws in a cover of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" for good measure. Based around the album REPTILE, which had just been released at the time, this footag...
Concert for George
Character: Self
As a memorial to George Harrison on the first anniversary of his passing, The Concert for George was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 29 November 2002 . Organized by Harrison's widow, Olivia, and son, Dhani, and arranged under the musical direction of Eric Clapton and Jeff Lynne. A benefit for Harrison's Material World Charitable Foundation, the all-star concert took place on the day of the first anniversary of his death. Proceeds from the film also went to the Material World Charitabl...
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Character: Sgt. Pepper
A small town band makes it big, but loses track of their roots, as they get caught up into the big-time machinations of the music biz. Now, they must thwart a plot to destroy their home town. Built around the music of The Beatles, this musical uses some big name groups like Peter Frampton and Aerosmith....
The Beatles: Get Back - The Rooftop Concert
Character: Self (archive footage)
On the 30th of January, 1969, the Beatles performed an unannounced concert from the rooftop of their Apple Corps headquarters at Savile Row, within central London's office and fashion district. Experience the final and unforgettable iconic performance of The Beatles in a special 60-minute presentation, digitally remastered into the image and sound quality of IMAX DMR technology....
The Kingdom Chums - Original Top Ten
Character: Marvelous Mose (voice)
Join Petey, Annie, and Osborne as they meet the Kingdom Chums and embark on a fun-filled, colorful quest. Essie, Christopher, Marvelous Mose, Little Miriam, and Little David teach the kids the meaning of the Original Top Ten, the Ten Commandments! With a song for each commandment, your kids will be sure to sing a long with each catchy tune!...
Blame It on the Night
Character: Billy Preston
When his unmarried mother dies, custody of 13-year-old Job is assumed by his alleged father, Chris, whom he has never seen. Job is an enthusiastic cadet at a military academy, and Chris turns out to be a top-grossing rock star who removes Job from his beloved school to keep him company on tour. Getting acquainted is fraught with culture shock for both father and son. Written by Paul Emmons...
St. Louis Blues
Character: Will Handy as a Boy
Will Handy grows up in Memphis with his preacher father and his Aunt Hagar. His father intends for him to use his musical gifts only in church, but he can't stay away from the music of the streets and workers. After he writes a theme song for a local politician, Gogo, a speakeasy singer, convinces Will to be her accompanist. Will is estranged from his father for many years while he writes and publishes many blues songs. At last the family is reunited when Gogo brings them to New York to see Will...
The Concert for Bangladesh
Character: Self
A film about the first benefit rock concert when major musicians performed to raise relief funds for the poor of Bangladesh. The Concert for Bangladesh was a pair of benefit concerts organised by former Beatles guitarist George Harrison and Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar. The shows were held at 2:30 and 8:00 pm on Sunday, 1 August 1971, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, to raise international awareness of, and fund relief for refugees from East Pakistan, following the Bangladesh Liber...
Genius. A Night for Ray Charles
Character: Self
A meld of legendary performers and contemporary artists of today who have been influenced by Ray's music perform in this concert extravaganza....
In Hollywood's Backyard: Topanga in the 1970s
Character: Self
Filmmakers (and canyon residents) Alexander and Anne Christine Von Wetter filmed this documentary for German Television in the early 1970s as a revealing close-up of an extraordinary period in America. The camera masters and 16mm negative were consequently lost to a devastating fire. Luckily, a lone VHS copy had been made, which spent the next 30 years on the studio shelf. The VHS was found heavily damaged, but a restoration team managed to salvage a fair grade of quality, which has since been r...
The Beatles: Let It Be
Character:
The Beatles present their 1970 chart-topping album "Let It Be" in sweeping new Special Editions, as you’ve never heard it before, with New Mixes in Stereo, 5.1 Surround, and Dolby Atmos by producer Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell. Expanded with Never Before Released Session Recordings, Demos, Rehearsals & Studio Jams, and the Previously Unreleased 1969 Get Back LP Mix by Glyn Johns....
Alan Simon – Gaia
Character: Self
In 2003 Alan Simon created GAIA, a humanitarian concept album dealing with the preservation of the environment and for which many artists responded to the call: Midnight Oil, Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues, Zucchero, Jane Birkin, Cesaria Evora, Billy Preston and others. GAIA, was played before 60,000 spectators in Zurich in early 2004. The album entered the Top five in Australia. A special edition with bonus DVD was also released....
Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band
Character: Self
After an absence of several years (1983's Old Wave had been his last release to date), Ringo surprised everyone by hitting the road for a series of sold-out U.S. concert dates in 1989 and 1990. Keeping with the "With a Little Help from My Friends" aesthetic that produced Ringo's best solo work, the All-Starr Band tour featured appearances by Dr. John, Joe Walsh, Clarence Clemons, Billy Preston, Nils Lofgren, Jim Keltner, and Rick Danko and Levon Helm of the Band. This enjoyable live document doe...
The Compleat Beatles
Character: Self
Now, for the first time, you can re-live the Beatles legends with this stunning 2-hour musical “Rockumentary”. It’s all there from the wild exuberance of the early Cavern Club days through eight incredible years, to the grim finality of “Let It Be”. See John, Paul, George and Ringo in performance, on tour, in films, recording with George Martin and in rare footage never before seen. Narrated by Malcom McDowell....
Stony Island
Character: Self
Richie Bloom, the only white kid on the block, forms an R&B band with his best friend, Kevin. With the help of their mentor, aging sax legend Percy, they pull together a funky supergroup. Despite few resources and heavy losses this resilient group of dedicated musicians, armed only with wit, sleight of hand and outrageous Chicago bravado must come together to finally make their smash debut....
Rappin' With The Rickster
Character: Self
Join photographer turned public access guru Ricky Powell in this collection of clips from his influential NY TV show, Rappin' With The Rickster....
The Beatles: Get Back...Winter of Discontent
Character: Self (archive footage)
This is a "Fly on the Wall" look at The Beatles' recording sessions from productive days at Apple Studios January 23 to 29, 1969. Most of this footage did not make the final cut for the film, Let It Be. We see the Beatles chat, joke, tune, rehearse and try some serious attempts at recording. Over 75% of this footage has not been seen in this form, meaning inferior copies of some of this footage has circulated, but contained few moments of audio that matched the film....
Motown at the BBC
Character: Self
To mark the 50-year anniversary of Motown in 2009, a compilation of some of the iconic record label's greatest names filmed live in the BBC studios. Visitors from Hitsville USA over the years have included Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops and The Jackson 5....
Let It Be
Character: Self (uncredited)
A documentary chronicling the Beatles' rehearsal sessions in January 1969 for their proposed "back to basics" album, "Get Back," later re-envisioned and released as "Let It Be."...
Billy Preston: In Concert - Ohne Filter
Character: Self
...
Blues Brothers 2000
Character: The Louisiana Gator Boys
Finally released from prison, Elwood Blues is once again enlisted by Sister Mary Stigmata in her latest crusade to raise funds for a children's hospital. Hitting the road to re-unite the band and win the big prize at the New Orleans Battle of the Bands, Elwood is pursued cross-country by the cops....
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1973
Character: Self
The Midnight Special is an American late-night musical variety series that aired on NBC during the 1970s and early 1980s, created and produced by Burt Sugarman. It premiered as a special on August 19, 1972, then began its run as a regular series on February 2, 1973; its last episode was on May 1, 1981. The ninety-minute program followed the Friday night edition of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. The show typically featured guest hosts, except for a period from July 1975 through March 1...
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1975
Character: Self
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The Midnight Special Legendary Performances: More 1980
Character: Self
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The Derby Stallion
Character: Will Gentry
An alcoholic former horse-trainer perceives in a fifteen-year-old boy a unique gift of horsemanship and makes it possible for the boy to conceive his dream and pursue it....
Delaney & Bonnie & Friends: Live In Denmark 1969
Character: Self
The band, which consisted of Bobby Whitlock on keys, Carl Radle on bass, Jim Gordon on drums, Jim Price on trumpet, Bobby Keys on saxophone, Rita Coolidge on backing vocals, and Billy Preston on keyboards, is on fire during this performance. Clapton’s presence most definitely brought excitement to this lineup and while George Harrison adds to the curiosity factor, he plays little more than support guitar in the background. Knowing now what this cast of players would go on to do, this makes for o...
George Harrison & Friends - The Concert for Bangladesh Revisited
Character: Self
Short documentary focused on the background story of the show, including interviews with cast and crew....
Ticker
Character: Blues Band Organ
Ray Nettles, a detective of San Francisco, and his partner Fuzzy must take up to one of the most dangerous terrorist gangs of the city. When one of the terrorists, the beautiful scientist Claire Manning is arrested, Swan, the leader of the terrorists, claims he will detonate bombs throughout the city if she is not released. Because of the possible bloodshed, Nettles calls for the help of explosive expert Frank Glass......