Billy Preston was perhaps the most unsung musical hero of his time. Born in Houston, Texas, in
1946, he arrived in Los Angeles with his family three years later. At just 5 years old, he was
backing gospel legend Mahalia Jackson. By age 10, he was appearing with Ray Charles on film,
and by age 15, he was touring with Little Richard in Hamburg, Germany, where he met
Richard’s opening act — The Beatles. He would later perform and record with the biggest
names in music, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Barbra Streisand,
Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and countless others. He generated
his own unforgettable No. 1 hits, including “Outa-Space,” “Will It Go Round in Circles,”
“Nothing from Nothing,” and “You Are So Beautiful” — and his first hit single in 1969, on The
Beatles’ Apple Records, “That’s The Way God Planned It,” produced by his lifelong friend,
George Harrison.
But Billy had quietly held secrets about his sexuality and early sexual abuse, known to very few
in his life, which tormented him his entire life, affecting not only his well-being and relationships
but also influencing his career choices.
Featuring never-before-seen archival footage, studio outtakes, and rare photos, it is the interweaving of these complicated aspects of this wonderful musician’s life with his extraordinary musical career that Emmy-winning director Paris Barclay has so thoughtfully crafted in Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It.