Encouraging Words is the fifth studio album by American soul musician Billy Preston, released in September 1970 on Apple Records. It was the last of Preston's two albums for the Beatles' Apple label, after which he moved to A&M Records. The album was co-produced by George Harrison and Preston. Harrison's songs "All Things Must Pass" and "My Sweet Lord" were issued here for the first time, two months before his own recordings appeared on his triple album All Things Must Pass. Released as a single, Preston's "My Sweet Lord" peaked at number 90 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1971 but the album failed to chart in Britain or America. Despite its lack of commercial success, Encouraging Words is considered by some commentators to be among the best Apple albums released by an artist other than the Beatles or one of the band members. The album was reissued in 1993 and 2010 with Preston's non-album single "All That I've Got (I'm Gonna Give It to You)" among the bonus tracks. Background and songs As on the previous year's That's the Way God Planned It, Billy Preston worked closely with George Harrison on the album. With the Beatles' career essentially over, after John Lennon had privately announced his departure from the band in September 1969, Harrison dedicated himself to projects by his Apple signings such as Preston, Doris Troy and devotees from the London Radha Krishna Temple. On Encouraging Words, he co-produced with Preston and contributed as a musician, backing vocalist and songwriter. Typical of Preston's approach to developing his songs over time, some of the album's tracks were first recorded during the sessions for That's the Way God Planned It. "Let the Music Play" and "Use What You Got" dated from his time on Capitol Records, the label to which he was signed until, shortly after Preston played on the Beatles' Let It Be sessions in January 1969, Harrison organized for his transferral to the Beatles' Apple label. "You've Been Acting Strange", written by Ronnie Lee Williams, was a song that Preston rehearsed with the Beatles during the same sessions. Encouraging Words also contains "I've Got a Feeling", a Lennon–McCartney song from Let It Be, which remained unreleased until May 1970. Harrison let Preston record his composition "All Things Must Pass", which the Beatles had also rehearsed in January 1969. "Sing One for the Lord", written by