Lean on Bill

American singer and songwriter Bill Withers came into this world on July 4, 1938, as William Harrison Withers Jr. During the span of his career he won three Grammy Awards. “Still Bill” a documentary film about his career came out in 2009. In 2005 he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and in 2015 into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Withers died from heart complications on March 30, 2020, at the age of 81.

In 1971 he came out with his debut album Just As I Am. The album included the hit single “Ain't No Sunshine” which was later included on the Rolling Stone magazine list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. He is also known for the single “Grandma's Hands”. In 2020 Rolling Stone ranked this album at number 304 on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Withers won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for “Ain't No Sunshine” at the 14th Annual Grammy Awards in 1972. In 1971 the song was awarded a Gold disc by the RIAA.

Withers was 32 when he first began recording and in 1972 he finally had a number one hit with “Lean On Me”. The song is on his second album Still Bill. The songs on the album have a mix of soul, funk, and blues sounds. Another hit single from the album was “Use Me”.

+Justments (pronounced as add justments) was his third album and was released in 1974. The album included the hit single “The Same Love That Made Me Laugh”.

The fourth album Making Music came out in 1975. It was titled Making Friends in the UK. The album charted on the R&B Album chart. It included most of Withers' own songs.

An all songs by Withers album was the fifth album which came out in 1976 titled Naked and Warm. Among the song favorites on this album were “City of the Angels” and “Dreams”.

Menagerie the sixth album was released in 1977. This album was more uptempo than any of the other ones. Among the songs on this album are “I Want to Spend the Night” and “Tender Things” with a Latin feel. There are two songs with disco influences “Lovely Night for Dancing” and “She Wants to (Get On Down)”. The lead single from the album “Lovely Day” became one of Wither's signature songs.

The seventh album 'Bout Love came out in 1979. On this album. Withers collaborated with English singer and songwriter Paul Smith who co-wrote all but “Memories Are That Way”. The lead single from the album is “Don't It Make It Better” and the follow-up single is “You Got the Stuff” which is a funk song.

Released after six years Watching You, Watching Me in 1985 became Wither's eighth and final album before his retirement from popular music. Among the popular songs on this album was “We Could Be Sweet Lovers”. The album was thought to be one of the best rhythm and blues albums of 1985.

Withers stayed out of the limelight but in 2004 he agreed to attend the 40th birthday party of Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores. At the private party, Withers and his band performed about ten songs with the crowd singing along to “Lean on Me”. This became his last concert. In 2015 at Carnegie Hall in New York City, a tribute concert was held in honor of Bill Withers who was in attendance and briefly spoke onstage. This concert recreates his 1973 concert album Live at Carnegie Hall along with some of his other material. He is remembered through his music.