Struttin' / You Are So Beautiful
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Album Summary
Billy Preston dropped 'Struttin' / You Are So Beautiful' as a single in 1974 on A&M Records, and honey, this was a record that meant something. Coming out of sessions that were soaked in the gospel church, deep soul, and that righteous funk Preston carried in his bones, this single captured two sides of a man who was simply one of the most gifted musicians walking the earth at that moment. 'You Are So Beautiful,' co-written by Preston and Bruce Fisher, was the kind of ballad that stopped you cold — a tender, aching showcase for Preston's extraordinary voice and his almost supernatural touch on the keys. Preston was riding a powerful wave of solo success and critical respect during this period, and this release stood as one of the most emotionally resonant moments of his mid-seventies output.
Reception
- 'You Are So Beautiful' became a significant hit for Preston, helping to firmly establish him as a commanding solo star in his own right, well beyond his celebrated reputation as a session musician extraordinaire.
- The single earned strong radio airplay across pop and soul formats, with the ballad side drawing particular praise for its raw emotional depth and Preston's gospel-inflected vocal delivery.
- The release sustained Preston's impressive commercial momentum through the mid-1970s, keeping him a consistent presence on both pop and soul charts during one of the most fertile stretches of his career.
Significance
- 'You Are So Beautiful' has grown into an enduring standard, transcending its original release to become a beloved fixture in wedding ceremonies, gospel settings, and soft rock repertoire across decades — a true testament to the timeless humanity Preston and Fisher poured into that composition.
- The single stands as a beautiful illustration of Preston's extraordinary stylistic range, pairing the churning, funk-driven energy of 'Struttin'' against the luminous, spirit-filled balladry of 'You Are So Beautiful' on a single piece of wax.
- The co-authorship of 'You Are So Beautiful' by Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher is a cornerstone of the song's lasting legacy, as the composition has been interpreted by countless artists over the years, sending its cultural reach far beyond anything a single 45 could have predicted.
Tracklist
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A Struttin' 108
2:38
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B You Are So Beautiful 138
4:55
Artist Details
Billy Preston was one of the most gifted keyboard men to ever grace this earth, a Los Angeles-born soul and gospel virtuoso who came up playing organ as a child prodigy in the church before the whole world got hip to his magic in the late 1960s and into the 1970s, blending gospel fire with funky R&B and rock and roll in a way that made everyone from Ray Charles to the Beatles to the Rolling Stones want him in the room. He earned himself the rare title of the "Fifth Beatle" after sitting in on the Let It Be sessions in 1969, and his solo smashes like "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from Nothing" proved that this cat was no sideman — he was a headliner, a star, and a deeply spiritual force in popular music. Billy Preston's story is one of pure talent meeting pure soul, a man who moved between worlds — Black gospel, rock royalty, and mainstream pop — with a joy and authenticity that left fingerprints on some of the most important recordings of his era.
