We’re All In This Together

I found this online today. Rest in peace, Mr. Preston. ‘Fifth Beatle’ Billy Preston dead at 59 07 June 2006 LOS ANGELES: Keyboardist Billy Preston, a so-called “fifth Beatle” who also played with the Rolling Stones and enjoyed solo success in his own right, died in Arizona on Tuesday after a long illness. Preston, 59, had been in a coma at Scottsdale Healthcare Shea in Scottsdale, Arizona, since last November after suffering kidney failure and related illnesses, the legacy of a long-time battle with drugs that landed him in prison in the late 1990s. His sister, Lettie Preston, told Reuters his condition worsened over the weekend. An autopsy will be performed, and his funeral will take place in Los Angeles, she said. A young keyboards prodigy, the Houston, Texas, native spent most of his life in the entertainment business. While still a teenager, he played with the likes of Mahalia Jackson, Little Richard and Ray Charles. With his large Afro hairstyle, ever-present gap-toothed smile and funky clothing style, he was a popular on-stage presence. He entered the Beatles’ orbit in 1969, as the band was on the verge of breaking up, and helped to soothe some of the tension. He performed on both sides of the Get Back/Don’t Let Me Down single, which was credited to “The Beatles with Billy Preston” – the first time the band had shared the spotlight with a sideman. He also accompanied them during their last concert that year, the famous rooftop gig in London. In the early 1970s, he topped the charts as a solo act with the Grammy-winning instrumental Outa Space, Will It Go Round in Circles and Nothing From Nothing. He also wrote Joe Cocker’s 1974 hit You Are So Beautiful. At the same time, he was becoming a fixture with the Rolling Stones, recording such tracks as Can’t You Hear Me Knocking and Heartbreaker, and playing on several tours. “He’s just such a great player, singer and songwriter and has spiced up so many recordings with his keyboard prowess,” said current Rolling Stones tour keyboardist Chuck Leavell. “He’s one of my true heroes.” Preston’s private life was darker. In 1997, a California judge sentenced him to three years in prison for violating the terms of his probation for a cocaine possession conviction handed out earlier that year. Born William Everett Preston on September 9, 1946, he moved with his family to Los Angeles when he was 2. He appeared in the 1958 film “St. Louis Blues,” which starred Nat King Cole as bluesman W.C. Handy. Preston played Handy as a child. Gospel legend Mahalia Jackson was also in the film, and he would go on to play organ on some of her best-known recordings, including “In the Upper Room.”

On our way to lunch today,(driving past where they have the Oscars) Shawn flipped a U-ie and hit a curb. Instantly, the passenger side tire went flat. I guess that trek across the country wore it down to almost nothing. I think I could have bit it, and it would have went limp. So, we pulled into a side street and called Bob Massey. For those of you that don’t know him, he’s a man of many hats and much wisdom. You can check out one of his ventures at www.genarowlandsband.com. Bob was in the neighborhood and came straight over with a tire wrench and a jack. Our hero. After putting the donut wheel on, we found a discount tire place and waited for a new one to be put on the van. Then it was time for sushi. Shawn and I had our usual: spicy tuna. Bob had some weird salad with lots of glossy, scaly things. Like I said, Mr. Massey is a man of much wisdom - so maybe that salad makes you live until 190, or something. I’ll have to ask Bob about that.

This day is kind of blurry. It technically began with us leaving Dallas and driving all the way to Phoenix, Az. Mapquest it, or Google map it. It’s not a very fun drive. I think my butt melted a little, during the trip. Not much to tell, really. We were in the car all day and night. Shawn drove and I slept. Then I drove and Shawn slept. There are pictures of this too. When we finally got to Arizona (AZ in AZ…just an interesting side note for you.), it was just in time for my show at The Derby. The stage was in the back of a bar, that had off track betting. That made me uneasy about the show at first, but it worked out in the end. I sold some merch and got some donations/door money to pay for gas, food and the room that night. We stayed in Blythe, CA. It’s right on the border of AZ and CA. Super 8 again. Nothing but the best for us.

After playing at the very cool Pete’s Candy Store last night in Brooklyn (www.petescandystore.com), Shawn and I headed south to Alabama. Both us of had not gotten much sleep the night before - actually, Shawn hadn’t gotten any - but we were still determined to make the trip through the night to Tuscaloosa. I was too tired to drive and Shawn couldn’t sleep, so he took the first leg back to Arlington, Va - where we had to pick up his computer and a couple of things before leaving again. This is where things got interesting. Our 1986 Dodge Caravan is quite a nice change from the usual cramped economy rentals, however it has some drawbacks. 1. We have determined it has the worst cup holders in the world. 2. The wind shield wipers are no match for terrential downpours. I’m not sure when this happened, because I was sleeping…but somewhere between the NJ turnpike and Shawn’s house the driver’s side wiper cracked in half. Seriously. I guess the extended flip/flop back and forth was too much for it. Poor little guy. Anyway, Shawn couldn’t see a thing. He somehow managed to get back home to Arlington, wiping the window with his hand and sticking his head out of the car. We then attempted to fix the stupid thing. We failed miserably.It was 4 am in the morning. No one should have to fix anything at 4 am in the morning. The good news is that now the wiper is fixed, and we are leaving again tonight. The bad news is that I had to cancel two shows from the tour: Alabama and Louisiana. Texas and Arizona are still on. Then we will be in Los Angeles to begin the record!