Unofficial Fifth Beatle Billy Preston Documentary in the Works

Beatles and music fans that were bummed out to hear about the hold on Midas Man, the biopic about Beatles manager Brian Epstein, will be excited to know that there is another biopic tying into the fab-four on the way. Deadline reports that White Horse Pictures and Homegrown Pictures have partnered up to bring us a new documentary about the famed musician and gifted keyboardist, Billy Preston, entitled Fifth Beatle.

Preston was nicknamed the fifth Beatle (which is where the film takes its name from) as he is the only non-Beatles member to be credited on a recording. Preston, a legendary writer with a catalog of his own hits, also helped Joe Cocker gain fame by co-writing his chart-topping song, “You Are So Beautiful.” Preston was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, fifteen years after his death.

Preston was only 16 when he first met the Beatles who had not yet risen to fame at the time. Preston was a self-taught prodigy keyboard player and was playing with Little Richard when he met The Beatles while on tour in Hamburg in 1962. He acted as a kind soul towards the penniless band, sneaking them food and drinks. Because of this first encounter, Preston played on The Beatles’ Let It Be and Abbey Road as a credited musician and even joined the band for their last live performance as a group–the infamous Roof Top concert.

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Preston went on to win Grammy Awards, have number one hits of his own, and worked with The Rolling Stones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nat King Cole, Sly Stone, Barbra Streisand, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Mahalia Jackson, and many others. The keyboardist will also be featured in Peter Jackson’s upcoming documentary, The Beatles: Get Back.

Although Preston had an incredible music career spanning decades, the artist had his own personal demons involving being sexually abused as a child. The musician also struggled with his sexuality and used drugs to numb his pain. Luckily, he was able to come to terms with his past and find peace later in life.

The film will be under the direction of multi-Emmy award-winning director, producer, and writer, Paris Barclay(In Treatment, Glee, Sons of Anarchy). Barclay will be joined in writing the film by Cheo Hodari Coker(Creed II, Luke Cage, Ray Donovan).

Of the musician and project, Stephanie Allain who will serve as a producer under Homegrown said, “A singular figure in music history, Billy Preston lent his genius to elevate the most celebrated artists of the 20th Century. Grateful to work with this team, using this soundtrack to explore his personal journey and finally place him front and center.”

We can’t wait to hear more information on this groundbreaking artist and the film that will tell his story.

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