Utica University’s free Films on Thursday series continues its Fall 2026 season on Thursday, September 17 at 7:00pm with the documentary movie, Billy Preston: That’s The Way God Planned It.

A Grammy-winning superstar and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Billy Preston was a child prodigy who appeared on the Nat “King” Cole Show in 1957 at just 11 years old and toured with Little Richard as a teenager. The dynamic singer and keyboardist played with some of the biggest names in music, including The Beatles, Ray Charles, Barbara Streisand, Aretha Franklin, and The Rolling Stones. His career peaked in the 1970s, when he collected gold records for songs like “Will It Go Round in Circles” and “Nothing From Nothing.” But, Preston’s stardom waned in the 1980s as he dealt with drug addiction and his life would take a dark turn.

Using extensive archival footage, this documentary tracks Preston’s musical highs and the hidden personal struggles that derailed his life.

A complete list of the Fall 2026 film series, the campus map, parking information, and more information are available at https://www.utica.edu/film.

All films are shown at 7 p.m. in Macfarlane Auditorium in DePerno Hall and are free and open to the general public.