16 Yr Old Soul

Many folks only became aware of Billy Preston in the late '60s through his work as a Beatles sideman and his signing to their Apple Records label as a solo artist. But Preston had actually been recording for many years before that, and his first big break came courtesy of none other than Sam Cooke. Preston- then still in high school-was hired to play on Cooke's 1963 album Night Beat, and Cooke was so impressed with the teenager that he signed him to the Derby imprint of his SAR Records label, and got him in the studio right away to record 16-Yr. Old Soul. The album features a cooking batch of instrumentals propelled by Preston's funky organ and piano licks leading a tasty combo composed of the legendary Earl Palmer on drums, Gene Edwards on guitar and Clifford Hils on bass., and this CD debut-yours courtesy of Real Gone Music and ABKCO Music & Records- adds a couple of bonus tracks, "Sweet Thing" and "Win Your Love for Me." ABKCO's Chief Audio Engineer Teri Landi oversees the sound; Bill Dahl provides the liner notes. '60s soul instrumental fans, take heed!