The Portfolio
BILLY PRESTON: THAT’S THE WAY GOD PLANNED IT
As a gay Black man, Billy struggled with cultural and religious beliefs which led him to dark places. Only late in life was he able to forgive his mother, acknowledge his truth and find peace.
THE STORY
Born September 2, 1946, in Houston, TX, Billy Preston’s command of the keyboards at an early age led to his organ gigs backing the minister at his church where his prodigious talent skyrocketed him beyond the throes of his hometown and landed him in the company of the greatest musicians of all time. From Gospel to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950’s and ’60s, to Swingin’ London and the British Invasion, to the 1970s onslaught of Rock ’n’ Roll, Funk, and Soul, to the Folk tapestry of Topanga Canyon, Preston’s reach knew very little bounds. However, behind the joyous, illuminating exterior of his persona laid stood a soul haunted by abuses and mistakes of his past. More >
Enlisting an all-star team of interviewees including the biggest stars in music history and the closest people in Billy’s life, you will get to know this musical genius in a way never before portrayed on screen. The film will paint an extraordinary canvas of America during Billy’s lifetime, from the Jim Crow South and the Bible Belt across to California, exploring how Billy carved his path in an ever-changing cultural landscape. Most importantly, the film will illustrate the Billy that the world didn’t get to know — the kind, sensitive, infectiously-charming man who, through his immense talent, was constantly in search of acceptance.
Ian Darling, Executive Producer.
THE STORY
Born September 2, 1946, in Houston, TX, Billy Preston’s command of the keyboards at an early age led to his organ gigs backing the minister at his church where his prodigious talent skyrocketed him beyond the throes of his hometown and landed him in the company of the greatest musicians of all time. From Gospel to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950’s and ’60s, to Swingin’ London and the British Invasion, to the 1970s onslaught of Rock ’n’ Roll, Funk, and Soul, to the Folk tapestry of Topanga Canyon, Preston’s reach knew very little bounds. However, behind the joyous, illuminating exterior of his persona laid stood a soul haunted by abuses and mistakes of his past. More >
Enlisting an all-star team of interviewees including the biggest stars in music history and the closest people in Billy’s life, you will get to know this musical genius in a way never before portrayed on screen. The film will paint an extraordinary canvas of America during Billy’s lifetime, from the Jim Crow South and the Bible Belt across to California, exploring how Billy carved his path in an ever-changing cultural landscape. Most importantly, the film will illustrate the Billy that the world didn’t get to know — the kind, sensitive, infectiously-charming man who, through his immense talent, was constantly in search of acceptance.
Ian Darling, Executive Producer.