Before diving into the That's The Way God Planned It movie documentary, check out both my 2006 Billy Preston obituary, and the Billy Preston health update posted 5 weeks before he passed that year.

Billy Preston, (1946-2006), a Houston, Texas native, grew up in Los Angeles, California. He played keyboards with almost everybody. Many of those folks are mentioned in the obit referenced above. The 5 Preston albums seen below are from my personal collection.

The Music

Preston had 4 top ten R&B chart hits:

1. "Outa-Space" - #1, 1972
2. "Space Race" - # 1, 1973
3. "Will It Go Round In Circles" - #10, 1973
4. "Nothing From Nothing" - #8, 1974

His Pop Chart Success:

1. "Outa-Space" - #2, 1972
2. "Will It Go Round In Circles" - #1, 1973
3. "Space Race" - #4, 1973
4. "Nothing From Nothing" - #1, 1974
5. "With You I'm Born Again" - #4, 1980. Billy Preston with Syreeta

Sample Billy Preston in 30 seconds.

In the 1970s, Black radio played his music. Not so much later on. Overall, he had ten hits on the Billboard R&B charts.

Both "Outa-Space" and "Space Race" are instrumental tracks. These tracks did crossover to pop airplay. You hardly hear this genre featured as full length pieces anymore on contemporary music radio.

Billy Preston was a master of the organ and keyboards. This album, "Everyone Likes Some Kind of Music," was released in 1973 and features "Space Race."

Mr. Preston could sing! He had a gritty, gospel influenced vocal delivery capturing funky intonations you'd expect from a soul man of song. 

 

"Strutin'," a #11 R&B song in 1975, was released from the 1974 album "The Kids & Me," that also featured the magnificent Billy Preston authored ballad "You Are So Beautiful," and the energetic "Nothing From Nothing."

 

"It's My Pleasure" from 1975 includes guest artists Stevie Wonder and Syreeta Wright

This is the one foot x two foot poster included in "It's My Pleasure:" 

 

"Billy Preston" featuring "Girl" was released in 1976. 

"Billy Preston: The Best." 1982 and 1988 CD releases. 

The Documentary

It's the evening of March 16, 2026. I'm in the audience at the packed Barnes Foundation auditorium in Philadelphia for the Preston story screening. After the documentary is shown, we learn from the film's producer, Jeanne Elfant Festa, 2nd from the left, that Jeffrey Lurie, owner of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles helped finance this independent production through one of his companies.

As of this writing, the movie is in 40 USA theaters, with the hope of a streaming deal in the future for more visibility on possible platforms.

Left to right on the stage, journalist Dyana Williams, who is a co-founder of Black Music Month, the film's producer Jeanne Elfant Festa, the director of the documentary Paris Barclay, and moderator Philadelphia WURD Radio's Wake Up With WURD morning host Solomon Jones.

How Good Is That's The Way God Planned It?

My take: remarkably outstanding. The audience: emotionally moved. I don't like to reveal too much about movies when reviewing them. You should be surprised when you experience the film for yourself.

This Billy Preston story starts with church roots, builds on a prodigy's legacy, grabs us with Beatles lore, shakes our soul with R&B and rock collaborations, and reveals how this musical genius navigated through life being the best at his craft.

I thought I knew a lot about the Preston arc in music, but I learned so much more that I never knew. The film footage of his life in this one hour, 45 minute movie is incredible.

Released in 2024, That's The Way God Planned It has won multiple best director awards for Mr. Paris Barclay. He's the 2024 best director winner from the Oak Park Black Film Festival, and the 2025 best director Filmfest DC winner (an Audience Award).

Through the documentary, Billy Preston's personal life is under the microscope in detail. How much does his family, friends, fans and fellow musicians really know about him? This aspect of his private life is confronted. Those who knew him talk truthfully. Billy Preston himself narrates his own observations during parts of the story.

You will not be disappointed in That's The Way God Planned It. Seek it out and watch it. A special thanks to Paris Barclay, who flew in from California for the evening so he could share his insights about directing this story featuring the famous icon of music, Billy Preston.

The documentary was presented at The Barnes Foundation in Philly by WURD Radio as a Black History Month special, rescheduled into March due to a February snow storm.

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