Director Paris Barclay unveils the powerful new documentary “Billy Preston: That’s the Way God Planned It,” a film that uncovers the full truth behind the man John Lennon once called “the Fifth Beatle.” Opening with electrifying 1971 Concert for Bangladesh footage, the film shows Billy Preston leaping from his organ and dancing with pure joy — a moment that captures his radiant musical spirit. Yet behind that joyful energy lived a man carrying deep, lifelong pain.See more…
A child prodigy, Preston appeared on television with Nat King Cole and toured with Little Richard, forming his first bond with The Beatles as a teenager during their Hamburg years. When he walked into their disastrous 1969 Let It Be sessions, his spontaneous keyboard playing transformed the room. His contribution saved the recordings and earned him something unprecedented — the only official guest-artist credit on a Beatles release.
Impressed by his brilliance, George Harrison signed Preston to Apple Records, launching a successful solo career with hits like “Nothing From Nothing,” “Will It Go Round in Circles,” and “You Are So Beautiful.” The documentary also highlights his influence on Sly Stone, his role as the first musical guest ever on Saturday Night Live, and his long-running collaboration with The Rolling Stones.
But behind the fame, Preston carried devastating secrets: childhood sexual abuse, internal battles with his sexuality within a condemning church community, a long struggle with crack addiction, sexual assault charges, insurance fraud, and three years in prison. Even after working with artists such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash, and Neil Diamond, the deaths of his mother and his mentor Ray Charles pushed him into a final, fatal relapse. As director Barclay states, “He was only as sick as his secrets.”
The film also reveals that Preston’s planned memoir collapsed because he refused to confront his private life on the page. He died in 2009 at age 59 from kidney failure, leaving behind a legacy both brilliant and heartbreaking. Barclay’s documentary restores the spotlight to a musical genius who shaped legends, yet struggled alone in silence — a man whose joy lit stages worldwide while his suffering remained hidden from view
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