September 02

 Billy Preston

September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006

George Harrison invited Billy Preston to join the Beatles in the studio in 1969. He played electric piano on their hit song Get Back and contributed to the Abbey Road album. The Beatles even credited the single to their band name alongside his own. He signed with Apple Records and released the album That is the Way God Planned It in 1969.

In 1971, he signed a new contract with A & M Records. He earned massive solo success with the instrumental track Outa-Space in 1972. His popular vocal songs Will It Go Round in Circles from 1973 and Nothing from Nothing from 1974 both topped the charts. He also worked as a touring ensemble player and session keyboards contributor for the Rolling Stones on multiple tours and records during the decade.

He moved to Motown Records in 1979 and scored another major hit duet called With You I am Born Again. He continued to record albums and perform concerts worldwide through 2005.

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Mik Kaminski

September 2, 1951

Mik Kaminski joined Electric Light Orchestra as their new violinist in 1973 after answering an advertisement in a music magazine. He made his recording debut with the group on the 1973 album On the Third Day. His classical training helped shape the symphonic sound of the band on major hit records. He contributed to the 1974 release Eldorado and the 1975 album Face the Music which featured the popular song Evil Woman. He also played on the incredibly successful 1976 album A New World Record and the 1977 double album Out of the Blue.

While the band scaled back their permanent string section for the 1979 album Discovery, he appeared in the promotional music videos for the new songs. He also formed a side project called Violinski in 1977 and scored a top twenty hit single with the track Clog Dance in 1979. He returned to tour with Electric Light Orchestra from 1981 to 1986. He kept performing their music with spin-off groups Electric Light Orchestra Part II starting in 1991 and The Orchestra from 2000 through 2026.

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