Billy Preston was 5 years old when he backed gospel legend Mahalia Jackson. Over the following six-decade career, Billy contributed his signature sound to the greatest artists of his time, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Barbra Streisand, Sly Stone, Ray Charles, Rufus, Eric Clapton, and others, while establishing himself as a GRAMMY-winning solo artist. Despite his success, Billy struggled to reconcile his deep relationship with the Black church with his sexuality, setting off a lifelong quest to find love and acceptance.

"As tough a life as Preston had, the music that buoys this chronicle is a constant source of joy." (New York Times)

"Why didn’t Billy Preston become a bigger star? Who was he, exactly, as an artist? I went into the documentary fuzzy about all those things and came out feeling like I finally knew him." (Variety)

Thursday, May 7
Doors 5:45 pm | Film 6:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

BILLY PRESTON: THAT'S THE WAY GOD PLANNED IT (Paris Barclay, 2026 / 105 mins / NR) 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.