Billy Preston: That's the Way God Planned It

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.

  • Billy Preston, Ringo Starr, Olivia Harrison, Eric Clapton, Gloria Jones, Suzanne de Passe
  • Paris Barclay
  • Paris Barclay, Cheo Hodari Coker
  • Jeanne Elfant Festa
  • Derrick Hodge
  • 2026
  • United States of America
  • 105 minutes
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About The Nickelodeon

The Nick’s programming is comprised of a mix of first-run independent films, special curated series, and one-off screenings of films of relevance to our community. As big believers in creating more engaging film-going experiences, the Nickelodeon often provides opportunities for conversation before and after screenings, pulling together experts and community members as speakers and respondents.