The Stephen Stills hit inspired by Billy Preston
By the early 1970s, Billy Preston was a constant figure around the world of popular music. Having originally come to prominence as a child prodigy in the late 1950s, Preston was already backing up Little Richard and Ray Charles by the time he turned 20. Preston was a gifted musician, but he was also an easy-going spirit that endeared himself as a quality hang.
That’s why The Beatles welcomed him into their inner circle during the Get Back sessions. When the band lumbered up to the roof of their Apple headquarters for their final concert, Preston was right there to play with them. After that stint, Preston signed on to Apple Records and forged a strong friendship with George Harrison, touring with his band and playing on albums like All Things Must Pass while Harrison produced Preston’s albums like That’s the Way God Planned It.
Preston was also a frequent fixture of parties around the Laurel Canyon scene in California during the early 1970s. At one of these parties, Preston came into contact with Stephen Stills, the singer and guitarist who had logged time in Buffalo Springfield and, more recently, Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. CSNY were on their first break when Stills and Preston began chatting at a party, and one of Preston’s catchphrases inspired Stills’ song ‘Love the One You’re With’.
“This song has been very good to me,” Stills claimed in 1991. “The title came from a party with Billy Preston. I asked him if I could pinch this line he had, and he said, ‘Sure.’ So I took the phrase and wrote a song around it. It’s a good times song, just a bit of fun. My favourite part is the steel drums. I played them before a little bit, but I just kept diddling around till I found the right notes.”
These days, that kind of essential contribution would at least entitle you to a songwriting credit. But back in the early 1970s, Billy Preston wasn’t exactly pressed about getting his name on a hit. As a solo artist, Preston scored two number one songs with 1973’s ‘Will It Go Round in Circles’ and 1974’s ‘Nothing from Nothing’. That’s more number one hits than Stills ever got in his career.
Even though CSNY was breaking to allow the members to record their individual solo albums, both David Crosby and Graham Nash lent their signature harmony blend to ‘Love the One You’re With’. Stills was friendly with many of the most famous musicians of the era, getting everyone from Booker T. Jones to Ringo Starr to appear in his debut, Stephen Stills. The album is also notable for being the only time Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton appeared on the same album: Hendrix played on ‘Old Times Good Times’, while Clapton performed on ‘Go Back Home’.
Check out ‘Love the One You’re With’ down below.
