American keyboardist (not to be confused with Don Preston the guitarist).

A versatile keyboardist, Preston is one of the few synthesizer players to develop his own sound on the instrument.

Born in Michigan, he played with Herbie Mann while serving in the military in the early 1950s. He was part of the Detroit jazz scene after his discharge and in the late 1950s he moved permanently to Los Angeles, gigging with Charlie Haden in 1959.

Preston performed jazz and experimental music in the 1960s, including with his group Aha! in 1963.

He joined the Mothers of Invention in 1966 and worked on and off with Frank Zappa from 1967-74, appearing in the films 200 Motels and Uncle Meat. He toured with Gil Evans in 1971 and played with Buell Neidlinger in the 1970s.

A busy studio musician for decades, Preston has occasionally appeared in LA nightclubs playing with advanced musicians. He has released several albums under his own name, including a duo album with Mike Mantler in 1985 for Watt, Vile Foamy Ectoplasm (1993), Hear Me Out (1997) (as leader for Echograph) and Transformation (2001). He has also recorded with Flo and Eddie, the Grandmothers, the GTOs, Carla Bley, the Residents and Robby Krieger.