I am saddened today by the death of someone I had only gotten to know casually over the years in this business we call “show.” ﾠBy now you have seen it on CNN, heard it on the radio, read it in your newspapers that the man known affectionately as the 5th Beatle, Billy Preston, is dead at the age of 59.
My dear friends Sam and Joyce Moore did more for this brilliant performer and writer in his last days than anyone else I know and for that I am grateful. ﾠHowever, what I am ungrateful for is the very business that I have chosen and embraced as my own for some 30 plus years. ﾠI am ashamed of the broadcast industry that a talent like Billy’s has been locked away and basically forgotten over the past 20 years or more. ﾠOh yes, on occasion you will hear his beautiful duet with Syreeta “With you I’m born again” on the syrupy AC outlets that play only songs that charted in the top ten over the last few years. ﾠAnd yes you may also hear “Space Race” used because some production guy thought it was a “cool” instrumental to use under a car commercial in some local radio or TV market somewhere.
What angered me most was yesterday, June 6th. ﾠSuddenly stations were playing the Billy Preston song book, jocks were talking about this “genius,” this man who wrote and produced #1 hits like “You are so Beautiful” for Joe Cocker. ﾠYou heard reference to how he played with the Stones etc… But why today? ﾠWhy is it that so many of the artists who charted the course for today are forgotten in today’s media? ﾠI will answer that simply, because they are too old. ﾠThe gurus in their ivory broadcast towers will tell you “No one wants to hear the music of those old guys anymore.” ﾠﾠYes, ﾠexcuse me, ﾠprogramming guru of 25 years of age. ﾠﾠI have forgotten. ﾠYes, 59 is a very old age, please forgive me sir!
I had this discussion with Dick Clark several years ago when I wanted to create a television program featuring the artists of “then” and what are they doing “now” not wallowing in “oh the good old days – the-oldies-but-goodies-that-remind-me-of-you-days” but using that as a foundation and showing that the artists are still writing, still producing, still coming up with a way to keep themselves fresh. ﾠDick pretty much told me then – and he was right – no network will air it because unless you are speaking of an act that is geared to the 18-29 year old audience, the advertising agencies don’t want any part of it.
But going back to yesterday suddenly I am hearing jocks who weren’t even born when the Beatles sang Get Back were clamoring to read the wire stories of how Billy Preston was there on the rooftop concert with John, Paul, George and Ringo. ﾠI turn on my PC today and on every home page there is Billy smiling with his oversized afro with George Harrison and I say “why now?”
Billy, please know that myself and so many others have never forgotten you and I thank God that you did live a legacy of music behind and as long as I do what I do people will hear and enjoy that music and do you think my almighty programming puppeteers that maybe a younger audience might get an education into people who actually wrote and performed, “music?!” ﾠNo, that’s right because the “focus groups” that you hold in such high esteem will all tell you the same thing, “Billy Preston doesn’t test well, his music is unfamiliar to many people”… hmmm? Unfamiliar? Do you think that is maybe because no one gets to hear it?
I don’t want to close this article on a note of bitterness because that is not fair to a man who had us rockin’ in the 60’s, dancin’ in the 70’s, reminiscing through the 80’s. ﾠAll that I ask is that you stop and really listen to all of this man’s contribution to the music industry and let him know that you appreciated the enjoyment he gave to so many of us.
I would also like to thank Joyce Moore, who took a personal interest in this talent and made the last days of his life so much more meaningful!
Rest Billy, we’ll keep rockin’ and I know you’ll be smiling down with that unforgettable “gap-toothed” grin!
By: Jay Michaels
Jay Michaels hosts “Rewind The Rhythm” www.rewindtherhythm.com airing on Love 97 FM The Bahamas, select US stations and on the ‘net via the Vegas Buzz Radio Network.
