Billy Preston: That's the Way God Planned It

With his signature gospel sound on the Hammond B3, Billy Preston doublehandedly elevated the greatest artists of his time – from the Beatles to the Rolling Stones, from Aretha Franklin to Eric Clapton, from Ray Charles to Barbra Streisand to Sly and the Family Stone. In our film, we explore Billy's career and influence on generations of musicians, as he scored several number one hits of his own and became one of the most sought-after musicians in the world. He did all of this as a soul divided -- by his deep roots in the church, in constant conflict with his identity as a gay Black man, searching for a family of his own that would accept him for who he was.

• Release date
• February 20, 2026
• Runtime
• 105 min
• Genres
• Documentary, Music
• Director
• Paris Barclay

Cast

Billy Preston Self Ringo Starr Self Olivia Harrison Self Eric Clapton Self Gloria Jones Self

S

Suzanne de Passe Self Merry Clayton Self Billy Porter Self