Bill Withers

Biography

William Harrison Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) was an American singer and songwriter who performed and recorded from 1970 to 1985. He is best known for a string of hit songs in the 1970s, including "Ain't No Sunshine" (1971), "Lean on Me" (1972), "Use Me" (1972), and "Lovely Day" (1977). His collaboration with saxophonist Grover Washington Jr., "Just the Two of Us," was a major success in 1981.

Early Life and Career

Withers was born in the small coal-mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia, the youngest of six children. He was born with a stutter and had difficulty fitting in. At 17, Withers joined the U.S. Navy and served for nine years, during which he developed an interest in writing and singing songs. After his discharge in 1965, he moved to Los Angeles in 1967 to pursue a music career, working at various jobs, including as an assembler for an aircraft company, while performing in clubs and recording demo tapes.

Breakthrough and Success

Withers' demo tape impressed Clarence Avant of Sussex Records, who signed him to a record deal. His debut album, "Just As I Am" (1971), produced by Booker T. Jones, included the hits "Ain't No Sunshine," which won a Grammy Award, and "Grandma's Hands." His second album, "Still Bill" (1972), featured the number-one hit "Lean on Me" and the popular track "Use Me." His 1973 live album, "Bill Withers Live at Carnegie Hall," also received critical acclaim. After issues with Sussex Records, he signed with Columbia Records in 1975. His time with Columbia produced hits like "Lovely Day" from the album "Menagerie" (1977) and his final album "Watching You Watching Me" in 1985.

Later Years and Legacy

Withers retired from the music industry in the mid-1980s, citing frustrations with the business. Despite his relatively short career, his songs have had an enduring impact and have been covered by hundreds of artists. Withers won three Grammy Awards from nine nominations. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. Two of his songs, "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Lean on Me," are in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Withers passed away on March 30, 2020, from heart complications.