Exploring the Influence of Billy Preston

I'm a big, big fan of Billy Preston, for instance, and he comes from a very gospel school. There's a lot of manipulation of tones, used to punctuate what you're doing.

Key Insights

• If you've ever listened to Aretha: Live at the Fillmore West, he's all over that.
• That album is an absolute must if you want to get into playing organ and complementing a band and a singer.
• The way he moves between phrases in all those tunes is amazing; the way he uses the tones is truly remarkable.

Notable Performance: "Bridge Over Troubled Water"

Their version of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" always stands out to me.

• The stuff he does in the intro may seem difficult out of context, but if you listen to it closely, it will make sense.
• A lot of simple elements happen in between the vocal lines, and then suddenly, he'll use a different tone and walk down something like "wa."

Billy Preston's work is a brilliant example of how nuanced tonal control can elevate a performance.