Born and raised in West Virginia, William Harrison Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter and musician who was well-renowned for his smooth baritone vocals, stellar soul arrangements and evocative songwriting.
Withers penned some of the most covered songs of the 1970s and spawned many hits throughout his fifteen-year long career, including “Ain’t No Sunshine”, “Grandma’s Hands”, “Use Me”, “Lean on Me”, “Lovely Day” and “Just the Two of Us”.
Withers won three Grammy Awards (from 9 nominations). In 1988, he received his third Grammy for ‘Best R&B Song,’ and in doing so, became the first songwriter to ever win the award three times. He took the award that year for the legendary hit “Lean on Me.” The 2 Grammy’s he won prior, he did so for writing “Ain’t No Sunshine” (1971) and co-writing “Just the Two of Us” (1981).
“Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Lean on Me” have both been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Withers himself has rightfully been inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame (in 2005) and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (in 2015).
As Harvey Mason Jr, CEO of The Recording Academy (i.e the people that award Grammys), remarked:
“Bill’s work has made a lasting impression on the music industry, with countless acclaimed artists performing renditions of his recordings, including Aretha Franklin, Paul McCartney and Barbra Streisand. His music will continue to influence the music community and be cherished by the world for years to come.”
Withers sadly passed away 2 years ago today (at 81 years of age) following heart complications. Though the man may have passed, he will live on forever through his music. In celebration of the late legend, come and reminisce on some of his most memorable classics below.
