The Stones were lucky to have Billy Preston, who brought a gospel and blues dimension to many a Stones song. He was also a great contributor to their 1973, 1975, and 1977 tours. He probably had a hand in writing "Melody" and "Miss You" (this song was written by Jagger while jamming with Preston during rehearsals for the March 1977 El Mocambo club gigs).

Here is a list of Stones recordings that Preston played on:

Sticky Fingers: "Can't You Hear Me Knockin," Hammond organ; "I Got the Blues," organ

Exile on Main Street: "Shine a Light," organ

Goat's Head Soup: "100 Years Ago," clavinet; "Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)," organ

It's Only Rock and Roll: "If You Can't Rock Me," piano and clavinet; "Ain't Too Proud To Beg," piano and clavinet; "Fingerprint File," clavinet

Black and Blue: "Hot Stuff," piano; "Hand Of Fate," piano; "Memory Motel," synthesizer; "Hey Negrita," piano; "Melody," piano, organ and vocal;

Bridges To Babylon: "Saint Of Me"

And Keith played on Billy's "That's The Way God Planned It" (Apple, 1969) (Ginger Baker on drums, btw), which is, along with an even better 2nd Apple album ("Encouraging Words") quite good overall.

Mick Jagger: Out Of Focus

Crazy Mama
Slave
Worried About You

and all of LOVE YOU LIVE of course

Leaving them as a session and live backup musician. Let's not sanctify him.

"The wonder of Jimi Hendrix was that he could stand up at all he was so pumped full of drugs." Patsy, Patsy Stone

the only musician to play with both The Beatles (rooftop concert) and the Stones

the shoot 'em dead, brainbell jangler!

> the only musician to play with both The Beatles
> (rooftop concert) and the Stones


also Clapton...

Also on Sam Cooke's classic "Night Beat"

is that him singing on Get Off My Cloud on Love You Live? it sounds great . . .



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-06-08 08:30 by nikkibong.

Yup, he had a great voice. Best back up singer to be with the Stones. Listen to the flatbedtruck 1975 take on Brown Sugar. He lifts the song. No not the one on 25x5, the original. Great rocking voice not totally unlike Keiths.

miss you

LA FORUM Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yup, he had a great voice. Best back up singer to
> be with the Stones. Listen to the flatbedtruck
> 1975 take on Brown Sugar. He lifts the song. No
> not the one on 25x5, the original. Great rocking
> voice not totally unlike Keiths.
>
> Gimmie, gimmie more shelter.


Yeah, he had a great voice. His "sharing" vocals with Mick were distinguished at that period (75-77); even though the rich and natural color of his voice almost leaves Mick's thinner and drunken-sounding or a bit forced voice behind: "Melody" in B&B or "You Gotta Move" in LYL are perfect examples of that.

- Doxa

he surely also contributed in the heavy partying on tour.
in the new german "rolling stone" is an article about sly stone.
billy was part of sly's posse in the early 70s and their drug
intake was enormous.
sure he was a good sparringpartner for keith.

I saw him at Earls Court 1976 (my first Stones gig). I didn't like the "interval" of his songs (2 from keith would have been infinitely better), but playing was good, and personal interplay (chemistry, dancing, singing etc.) with Mick was excellent.


But Chuck is much more rounded as a keyboard player!

"Chuck is much more rounded as a keyboard player."

Huh? Chuck is a keyboard tickler, not a keyboard player. He couldn't play gospel if God sat next to him on the piano bench.

Check out Preston playing with Jackie Wilson's band in 1965:





Here's 10-year-old Billy Preston playing a duet of "Blueberry Hill" with Nat King Cole in 1957:





I'd like to see Chuck do that.

you'd like to see Chuck play a duet with Nat in 1957?

I hated Billy's backup vocals w/ the Stones, they were showy and encouraged Mick's vocal affectations. He was a talented artist (dig the 60s organ albums), tho after the 2nd Apple lp the solo stuff got cheesy...But the thread reminds me of yet another classic he played on, (along w/ Stones associate Bobby Womack), Sly's "There's A Riot Goin' On," which is one of my top 10 all time faves.

JohnR just beat me to it. While I am sad that a good musician passed on, I don't feel like Billy was all that with the Stones. When he worked with them in the studio his contributions were TOPS! But live he was intrumental in Jagger's worst singing period. A period which we oftyen gripe about here. That bump and grind...I dug it, but it made Jagger sing like an idiot for a while. especillay one of th tunes just mentioned: "get off my cloud." I hated that version. At very turn Jagger would go "Wha' we say Billy?" "How we do it Billy". And sure enough trusty Uncle Billy on the pump organ chimed in "Whoo whooeeh.."
One time I cna rememebr they really did tear it up. It is on the 75 boot from NYC, the one with Cherry oh Baby on it. They do a version of "Aint to proud to beg" that rules!

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

I'll take the opposing view. Billy was the right guy at the right time and place for the Stones. 75/76 was a very funky time and nobody was funkier than Billy. The perfect foil for Jagger. I love his contributions to the live act on those tours....

He did much great in 75/76....aprt from the first sec of Brown Sugar, and a few times during Midnight Rambler, in 75 at least.
Otherwise, he did good stuff.
I really enjoy when he's singing, together with Mick...
It's too late baby -> too late baby
Too late now -> too late now,
and GOOMC, the end of Ain't Too Proud To Beg, and so on.

jacopo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > the only musician to play with both The Beatles
> > (rooftop concert) and the Stones
>
>
> also Clapton...

Nicky Hopkins too. He was on "Revolution"

x



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-12-09 02:53 by Beelyboy.

mauro Wrote:
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> miss you


That's Ian McLagan.

Mathijs

Beelyboy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> loog droog Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > jacopo Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > > the only musician to play with both The
> > Beatles
> > > > (rooftop concert) and the Stones
> > >
> > >
> > > also Clapton...
> >
> > Nicky Hopkins too. He was on "Revolution"
>
> ty for that; that is a magical track...and i
> woulda never knowed...
> seriously ty.
> i'm just assuming it was the 'single' (faster)
> version??
> not the slower 'white album' version...?
>
> p.s. steve earle and the dukes did a version of
> that at exit/inn in nashville last summer that
> absolutely took my breath away...it was seriously
> stomping.


That is Nicky's voice going, "Number 9, Number 9..."

Just kidding.

But it IS him on the 45 (fast) version.


(What does "ty" mean?)

'thank you'

Gazza Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 'thank you'

Thank you.

don't you mean 'ty' ?

His Hammond organ on "I Got the Blues" was fantastic.

Quote
Pietro
The Stones were lucky to have Billy Preston, who brought a gospel and blues dimension to many a Stones song. He was also a great contributor to their 1973, 1975, and 1977 tours. He probably had a hand in writing "Melody" and "Miss You" (this song was written by Jagger while jamming with Preston during rehearsals for the March 1977 El Mocambo club gigs).

Here is a list of Stones recordings that Preston played on:

Sticky Fingers: "Can't You Hear Me Knockin," Hammond organ; "I Got the Blues," organ

Exile on Main Street: "Shine a Light," organ

Goat's Head Soup: "100 Years Ago," clavinet; "Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)," organ

It's Only Rock and Roll: "If You Can't Rock Me," piano and clavinet; "Ain't Too Proud To Beg," piano and clavinet; "Fingerprint File," clavinet

Black and Blue: "Hot Stuff," piano; "Hand Of Fate," piano; "Memory Motel," synthesizer; "Hey Negrita," piano; "Melody," piano, organ and vocal;

Clavinet (wah wah) on Heartbreaker as well.

Doesn't he play the strings on Fool To Cry?