George And Billy - Blog Posts
George Harrison, his father Harold, Olivia, Billy Preston, Ravi Shankar, and the whole Dark Horse Tour band visiting the White House, 13 December 1974. Photos: screenshot © Harrison Family; David Hume Kennerly; Bettmann/Corbis.
They’d been invited when George met Jack Ford backstage in Salt Lake City on 16 November 1974.
Olivia Harrison: “This is in the Oval Office with Billy Preston. President Ford’s son Jack had come to some shows and said: Why don’t you meet my dad? I was in the room, and George was telling Gerry Ford how Muhammad Ali had lifted up the Beatles; I think he got two of them under each arm! Somehow they’d got straight into that conversation, then Ford asked him what all the badges he was wearing were and George explained that they were Krishna, Babagi [sic], and the Om sign. Then Ford went to his desk and pulled out a badge that said WIN, which meant Whip Inflation Now. So funny! I remember George wore red handmade Tibetan boots, probably the first hint of any protest about Tibet. A sly political statement.” - Olivia Harrison, Observer Monthly Magazine, June 2009
“We were taken up to into the private apartments, had lunch up there, came down and went into the Oval Office. […] There’s a photo of Billy Preston playing the piano in the White House. He was playing ‘God Bless America’ on the 200th or 2000th Steinway.” - George Harrison, Raga Mala
“According to the briefing paper for this visit, it was the first Presidential meeting with a member of the Beatles. President Ford recognized not only George Harrison’s musical ability but also his efforts to raise funds for UNICEF and various hospitals throughout the United States. (A2426-17 / National Archives Identifier 7839929)” (x)
Billy Preston and George Harrison, Dark Horse Tour, 1974; photo by and © Ron Pownall.
“We became like brothers, very close. […] [George] was a very, very loving person, a great guy. […] He had such a heart. […] He was very unaffected by the fame. He just loved God and his family and his friends.” - Billy Preston, WBUR, November 30, 2001 “[When The Beatles first met Billy Preston in Hamburg] Billy was so young George said you could hardly see his head over the Hammond organ. They had a connection — like brothers. His mother used to call George her paler son.” - Olivia Harrison, Concert for George ltd. ed. book “[Billy] used to play with George a lot in his studio at home in England and he had Billy’s [Hammond] B3. We just called it ‘Billy’s B3.’ Billy would sit and dance on that seat and on the pedals of that organ. He really did. His seat would just dance across there, he was just amazing. Such a sweet man. So gentle and what a talent. He had absolute fluidity on that organ and on any keyboard really.” - Olivia Harrison, Billboard, April 3, 2017 “[George is] a very emotional guy; he’s very spiritual and sensitive. He’s a very kind-hearted person. […] We feel like we’re together all the time, just through spirit.” - Billy Preston, Ticket To Ride: A Celebration Of The Beatles (1989) “[Billy Preston]’s a tremendous inspiration to work with.” - George Harrison, Disc & Music Echo, July 5, 1969 “Billy Preston, man — Billy Preston, I just love him. I never wanna play in another band without Billy. I mean, I hope I don’t ever have to.” - George Harrison, KLOL, November 1974
this friendship >>>>