MUSIC LEGEND BILLY PRESTON'S ENDANGERED LEGACY

Billy Preston

Los Angeles, CA - (September 1, 2010) - Legendary musician Billy Preston died in tragic circumstances reminiscent of Michael Jackson a little over four years ago. Had he lived, the musical prodigy would have celebrated his 64th birthday on September 2, 2010, and still been touring the world with his friend of decades, Eric Clapton, recording his own projects under his record deal, making solo performance appearances, promoting his soon to be released re-mastered original Apple Record albums scheduled for a sensational release mid-fall and finally, in conjunction releasing his own personal Tribute to the Beatles album.

Instead of celebration this week, two major court dramas continue to unfold which could dictate the fate of Billy Preston's essence, his legacy. A State of California Probate Court action is pending to address the removal of two half sisters who somehow got themselves appointed as co-executors of Billy's estate. It's been discovered that one of them somehow opened that "estate" action in Billy's name 3 days before he died and despite his having been a resident of Scottsdale, Arizona, for nearly two years prior to his death. Further, Billy had created and established a Probate Avoidance Trust in 1999 that he believed would prevent such family machinations. He appointed a well respected Nashville, Tennessee artist rights attorney as his Trustee in 2004 and designated that The William E. Preston Trust's proceeds be dedicated to charitable acts and endowments in his memory.

The other matter is a "personal" federal bankruptcy proceeding filed by someone other than Billy Preston, but, in his name and allegedly under his authority 30 days before Billy lapsed into his fatal coma in 2005. Allegations of fraud challenge numerous aspects of that filing, which has placed all of Billy Preston's intellectual property and legacy in jeopardy. Preston Music Group, Inc., a corporation formed in 2000 to own holds Billy's masters, writings, history, royalty streams and otherwise, was entrusted to the stewardship of industry veteran and known artists advocate Joyce Moore to administer and protect. It was never even a part of this charade filing but because it's the "deep Preston pocket" has been the target and victim of numerous acts of bad faith and interference in it's ability to operate by the court appointed trustee and his legal counsel. A hearing to determine the validity of the bankruptcy at which Joyce Moore is expected to be the key witness is scheduled for September 24, 2010, in Santa Ana.

Mrs. Moore, wife of legendary 'Soul Man', Sam Moore, one of Billy's long time friends, has had to exhaust most of her personal resources to preserve Preston's music, honor his faith and trust in her and carry out his directives. Joyce has recently added the nationally renowned lawyer Bruce Fein to her team, retaining him as the point man to rescue Billy Preston's legacy from its legal precipice. Mr. Fein is the author of the extremely successful recent release on amazon.com/kindle exclusively, American Empire Before The Fall. Mr. Fein has served as general counsel of the Federal Communications Commission, Associate Deputy Attorney General of the United States, and a regular witness before Congress on a wide array of constitutional and international law matters. He has been featured on the cover of the American Bar Association Journal. Complicating matters was the sudden diagnosis and removal of one of the lungs because of cancer of Mrs. Moore's counsel of long standing in the matter, Barbara Stief. "I was truly blessed to be in a position to even get to speak to a Bruce Fein let alone have him agree ride in at the 11th hour 11th minute to protect Billy's, mine and the companies rights and prevent a judicial travesty," said Mrs. Moore. Mr. Fein opined: "I am optimistic that the courts will do justice to Billy Preston's legacy once the true facts are exposed. His music is a national treasure which rapacious litigants are attempting to hijack under the aegis of law."

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