Bill Withers has passed!

[jboy88]

https://apnews.com/e19138ee60f29a319...33dca9a261cb8a

RIP to one of my all time favorites! I hope he finds his “Grandma’s Hands” up there.

[arr&bee]

Yeah,just heard about it,another legend gone-ain't no sunshine is a classic that will endure always,one of the greatest b-sides of alltime[let me in your life]is a bill withers classic...r.i.p.

[edafan]

great singer

edafan

2020

[Bluebrock]

Great artist. Just look at the number of artists who sampled or covered his work. Other than James Brown i cannot really think of many others. Wonderful artist. May he r.i.p.

[StuBass1]

Had the pleasure of meeting and sitting with Bill and his wife at Ray Parkers Walk of Fame event... Very nice and humble guy...

[marv2]

He was absolutely one of the all-time greats. No one could interpret a song like Bill Withers. I have a lot of his work in my collection. I am very sorry to hear this. My condolences go out to his family, friends, and fans everywhere. Rest in peace Bil and thanks man.

Marv

[marv2]

This is the song that got me ready for school many mornings during my last year of high school:

[marv2]

From The Washington Post:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...ist-we-needed/

[marv2]

From The New Yorker:

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/po...you-needed-him

[daviddesper]

He was on some awards ceremony or maybe a PBS special, can't remember which, and I was impressed with his sense of humor and personality as well as always loving his music.

[monicarivers]

Great artist. Just look at the number of artists who sampled or covered his work. Other than James Brown i cannot really think of many others. Wonderful artist. May he r.i.p.

I can think of a few off the top of my head:

Lyn Collins
Nancy Wilson
Gladys Knight & The Pips
Barbra Streisand
Diana Ross
Queen Latifah
Michael Jackson

[RTA6226]

I can think of a few off the top of my head:

Lyn Collins
Nancy Wilson
Gladys Knight & The Pips
Barbra Streisand
Diana Ross
Queen Latifah
Michael Jackson

Also, the 5th Dimension.

[sansradio]

You can add Aretha, Merry Clayton, Meshell NdegeOcello and Vanessa Williams to the list.

Questlove has stated that Withers is the closest figure African-American music has to a Springsteen. This struck me as spot on. An extraordinary Everyman.

[Roberta75]

Amazing man with god given talent. Lean on me got me through some real rough times. Speedy journey to heaven Mr Withers your heavenly choirs waiting for you.

[marv2]

Bill is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee:

[marv2]

Bill Withers: As I Am [[2005)

[MusicWise]

I was searching for a live performance I viewed on YouTube last year with Bill Withers and his lovely and talented daughter, Kori Withers. Couldn't find it. I did come across a jewel, in my search a May 2011 concert for Bill Withers celebrating 40 years of great music featuring his daughter, Kori singing capella. She certainly has her father's pipes:

Bill Withers Tribute - Kori Withers

[MusicWise]

Here's more of the May 2011 concert for Bill Withers featuring various artists:

Bill Withers Tribute - Lovely Day [[featuring all artists)

[MusicWise]

Bill Withers - Lean On Me // Live At The Peppermint Club

[marv2]

All through the day, all through the night.....remembering the time:

[Cincinnati_Kid]

He was a icon. May he RIP.

[marv2]

An interview with Bill back home in West Virginia:

[Bluebrock]

I can think of a few off the top of my head:

Lyn Collins
Nancy Wilson
Gladys Knight & The Pips
Barbra Streisand
Diana Ross
Queen Latifah
Michael Jackson

I think you misunderstood my post. I was trying to say that his work had been covered and sampled by a vast amount of artists from many different genres. Perhaps more than just about any other artist with the possible exception of James Brown, but re-reading my post i perhaps did not word it as clearly as i should have done.

[nativeNY63]

Agree with all of you. Question, though, is it true he gave up the fame & fortune to be a carpenter in the mountains? Heard that rumor years ago.

[marv2]

Agree with all of you. Question, though, is it true he gave up the fame & fortune to be a carpenter in the mountains? Heard that rumor years ago.

I don't know if that is true about being a carpenter in the mountains. He did step way back from the entertainment industry though.

[marv2]

Bill Withers still had his voice all the way up to the end. I wonder why he just stopped singing.

[marv2]

Cause of Bill Withers death revealed:

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/...144230263.html

[Cosmic Truth]

A real shame. What a great artist Bill really was.

I don't know if what I'm about to post is rubbish. I have no musical, or artistic, talent whatsoever. I can't play any instrument or read or write music, so what I say may be nonsense.

When I listen to music, some of it sounds black, like it was created for a black audience. Some other songs sounds more like they were created for white audiences. To me, the vast majority of songs that have a black feel to them are by far the best.

I feel a lot of Bill's earlier stuff on Sussex has a black feel to it, while his later stuff has more of a white feel. Even songs that Bill let other artists record, like Cold Baloney, and Justified, to me have a black feel.

Bill's stuff on Sussex is absolutely superb. Even his live album had some amazing tracks, though I would have loved to hear a studio version of World Keeps Going Around.

I hope what I've posted isn't controversial, I wouldn't want to upset anyone, it's just a feeling I get when I hear some songs, they either have a black feel, or they don't and the ones that don't tend not to be as good as the ones that do.