New Billy Preston Documentary Debuts at SXSW, Despite Being Hit with Fraud Lawsuit
Just over a couple weeks ago a documentary following the life and career of Billy Preston debuted at SXSW, against the wishes of some of the late singer’s family and friends, who have now taken to suing the creators of the film.
At the height of his career, Billy Preston was a highly exalted figure in the music world. Born in Houston in 1946, Preston made a name for himself in the industry with his prolific talent on the keyboard and his unparalleled singing ability. During his time as a musician, he racked up a myriad of noteworthy collaborations with legends like Nat King Cole, The Rolling Stones and Little Richard, in addition to being the only person to have ever been featured on not one but two Beatles songs, later earning him the informal status as the fifth Beatles member.
The new film, titled “Billy Preston: That’s The Way God Planned It,” presents an in-depth look at the late musician’s life, exploring his influence on the genres of pop, soul, and rock and roll. In addition to reviewing Preston’s career achievements, the documentary takes a deep dive into his personal life, with a particular emphasis on his sexuality. Preston, who was gay, did not publicly come out until just days before his death, and so his sexuality was not a significant part of his public persona. Even many of his friends and family members were unaware of this part of his life, which is made clear through the developing lawsuit against the film.
Prior to the documentary’s screening at SXSW earlier this month, Paris Barclay and the rest of the film’s production team received a complaint from the Preston Music Group and Sam Moore, a close friend and longtime collaborator of Preston’s, who control the rights to much of the footage and intellectual property connected to Preston. In their formal objection to the film, Moore and the Preston Group claimed that it is “a salacious, posthumous ‘outing’ of Mr. Preston that centers on his sexuality – a deeply personal matter that Mr. Preston kept private until immediately before his untimely death – to the exclusion of many of the late musician’s notable accomplishments.” They proceeded to bar the filmmakers from any continued screenings and/or distribution of the film, promising a lawsuit if their request is denied.
In response to the threat of lawsuit, Paris Barclay and the rest of the film’s creators decided to showcase the film at SXSW anyway, and released a statement of their own insisting that the complaint “reeks of homophobia and attempts at blatant censorship,” and ultimately serves as a “sad reminder that his story is more important than ever to tell.” Despite the action against the film, Barclay says they’re “extremely proud” of how the documentary turned out. However, due to the progressing legal battle, it’s currently unclear when, if ever, the film will be released to a wider audience.
