Legacy of Billy Preston
Artists and genres Billy Preston directly influenced — one hop forward on the family tree of music.
Brothers JohnsonartistThe Brothers Johnson was an American funk and R&B band consisting of the American brothers George and Louis E. Johnson. They achieved their greatest success from the mid-1970s to early 1980s, with three singles topping the R&B charts.
- David Shireartist
David Lee Shire is an American songwriter and composer of stage musicals, film and television scores. Among his best known works are the motion picture soundtracks to The Big Bus, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, The Conversation, All the President's Men, and parts of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack such as "Manhattan Skyline". His other work includes the score of the 1985 film Return to Oz, and the stage musical scores of Baby, Big, Closer Than Ever, and Starting Here, Starting Now. Shire is married to actress Didi Conn.
SyreetaartistSyreeta Wright, known as Syreeta, was an American singer-songwriter, best known for her music during the early 1970s through the early 1980s. Wright's career heights were songs in collaboration with her ex-husband Stevie Wonder and musical artist Billy Preston.
Keni BurkeartistKenneth M. "Keni" Burke is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist.
Neal FrancisartistNeal Francis is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Influenced by classic New Orleans artists such as Dr. John, the Meters, and Allen Toussaint, in addition to Sly Stone, Billy Preston, and Curtis Mayfield, he released his first album in 2019. His second album, In Plain Sight—a "revelatory blast of soul, R&B, and off-the-rails piano jams"—was released on ATO Records in 2021.
Joe Cockerartist
Stephen Stillsartist
Mick Taylorartist
Syreeta WrightartistSyreeta Wright, known as Syreeta, was an American singer-songwriter, best known for her music during the early 1970s through the early 1980s. Wright's career heights were songs in collaboration with her ex-husband Stevie Wonder and musical artist Billy Preston.
Luther Vandrossartist- Whitney Houstonartist
Patti LaBelleartist
The Bandartist
Johnny Cashartist
Norah Jonesartist
Red Hot Chili Peppersartist
Neil Diamondartist
Gloria Jonesartist
Every Breath You Takeartist"Every Breath You Take" is a song by the English rock band the Police from their fifth and final studio album Synchronicity (1983). Written by Sting, the single was the biggest American and Canadian hit of 1983, topping the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for eight weeks, and the Canadian RPM chart for two weeks. Their fifth UK No. 1, "Every Breath You Take" topped the UK singles chart for four weeks. It also reached the top 10 in numerous other countries. In May 2019, the song was recognised by BMI as being the most played song in radio history.
Heaven 17artist
Self EsteemartistRebecca Lucy Taylor, also known professionally as Self Esteem, is an English musician and actress. First known as one half of the band Slow Club, she launched a solo career as Self Esteem with the single "Your Wife" in 2017, followed by the studio albums Compliments Please in 2019, Prioritise Pleasure in 2021 and A Complicated Woman in 2025. A multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter and theatre composer, she won the 2021 BBC Music Introducing Artist of the Year Award and achieved a nomination for the Mercury Prize in 2022 with Prioritise Pleasure.
Miki Howardartist
The Five StairstepsartistThe Five Stairsteps, known as "The First Family of Soul" and later "The Invisible Man's Band", were an American Chicago soul group made up of five of Betty and Clarence Burke Sr.'s six children: Alohe Jean, Clarence Jr., James, Dennis, and Kenneth "Keni", and briefly, Cubie. They are best known for the 1970 song "O-o-h Child", listed at number 402 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The Brothers Johnsonartist