Billy Preston

This is a great site! Thanks for keeping the memories alive.... -- Jerimaya Grabher

Thanks so much for keeping in touch and keeping so many of us in the loop! I couldn't agree more that A&M's biggest 'hit' is the legacy of warm comraderie and real friendship that our collective years there engendered. -- Cheryl McEnaney

Great site I just stumbled across, would appreciate my 'all access pass'. -- Jimmy Zisson, General Manager of A&M Records, New York

Your knowledge and research is both amazing, and from what I viewed, about 98% accurate. -- Randy Alpert (Capt. Badazz)

Clyde Kaplan, Engineer, A&M Studios -- Thanks for putting together this great website about A&M Records.

Wow, what an incredible site you've created! I can't believe you have not only the names of the Carpenters, but of even the real carpenters like the La Prell twins, etc. -- Jim McCrary, Photographer

Fantastic Site! Great Work! -- Jean Pierre Guilbert, V.P. Promotion & Artist Development (A&M Canada)

I was just talking to Derek Alpert today...and we had a blast pawing around on this website together. I think it's so cool that you did this! -- Doreen Ringer-Ross

Thank you so much!! I love the A&M site. -- Toni Tennille

I love that you're keeping our history alive. -- Mary Ann Johnson, Artist Relations

I have nothing but positive things to say about you and what you have done to help keep alive the spirit of A&M. -- Al Marks (Promotion, Artist Development)

You sure have a buzz going. I've had 3 emails from A&Mers today alone. Good luck! -- Andy French, Director, Artist Relations & Artist Development

This is totally great. Brings back great memories of my years in Canada. -- Charly Prevost

Thanks for making the site and I'll be checking in to see what's happenin'. -- Richard Cottrell

Your site is being passed around and mentioned to all ex A&M employees. Your site is great and I'd love to be a part. Thanks for your time and good luck. -- Joe James, Technical Manager, A&M Studios

The website is Great! It really took me back down memory lane. Keep up the good work and thank you! -- Janice Hague, International Promotions Manager, A&M Records GB

I love the website! -- Jewell Kumjian, A&M Studios Concierge

Thanks for this ambitious and remarkable site. Just bouncing around inside the site the other day brought back so many really wonderful memories of the time and place and people when magic was possible and all lights were green. -- Corb Donohue, National Director of Public Relations

It's a pretty interesting looking site and I'll check it out further. -- Robin Kirby, Western Regional Sales/Marketing Director

Going through this site reminded me of what I loved about working for A&M. -- Colin Sowa

Your website is absolutely ACE ACE ACE!!! It is great to see real top work and dedication towards a label that meant so much to many. -- Jay Schatz / Chris Skane, A&R / A&M Associated Labels

Thanks so much Les. It's really an amazing site. -- Janette Rogers Sarabia, Director of Artist Relations

Congratulations on your internet site. I would like to be included on your staff list as I worked for A&M in Toronto and London. -- France Tetreault-Thomson, Assistant A&R

Thanks for doing such epic work on the site. Salut! -- Max Hutchinson

...very fun to see this....Many thanks for your efforts....Best -- Juliea 'Jools' Clarke

Signed with A&M Records in July 1971.

"If I ever leave this business I want him to take over what I started."--Ray Charles (Billboard, August 14, 1971)

Billy Preston is the only American artist to share a billing with the Beatles.

Billy Preston won Billboard's No. 1 Award for the Top Single, Instrumentalist of 1972.

A&M supported I Wrote a Simple Song with a television ad campaign airing in Los Angeles. The ads were 30-seconds long and appeared on both local and national music and talk shows 54 times.

In 1973 Preston made a deal with A&M's Irving Music to administer his WEP Music catalog.

Ultimate Collection press release

Sources

Billboard, March 24, 1973.
Preston TV Spots. Record World, September 2, 1972.
Billboard Number One Songs of 1973.

Official Site

http://www.billypreston.net.

Birth

1946-09-09

Death

2006-06-06

Recording Years / Label

1971-1978 - A&M Records

Instruments

keyboards, vocals