Bill Withers

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Bill Withers
Birth name William Harrison Withers, Jr.
Born July 4, 1938 (1938-07-04) (age 71)
Slab Fork, West Virginia, U.S.
Origin Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres Soul, R&B, blues, pop
Occupations Singer-songwriter, musician
Instruments Vocals, guitar, keyboards
Years active 1967–1985
Labels Sussex Records
Columbia Records
Website http://www.billwithersmusic.com/

William Harrison "Bill" Withers, Jr. (born July 4, 1938) is an American singer-songwriter and musician who performed and recorded from 1970 until 1985. Some of his best-known songs are "Lean on Me", "Ain't No Sunshine," "Use Me," "Just the Two of Us", "Lovely Day," and "Grandma's Hands".

Contents

[edit] Early life

Bill Withers was born the youngest of six children in the small coal-mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia. Raised in nearby Beckley, West Virginia, Withers was thirteen years old when his father died. He enlisted with the United States Navy at age eighteen and served for nine years; during which time he became interested in singing and writing songs. Soon after his discharge from the Navy in 1965, he relocated to Los Angeles for a musical career.[1]

Withers worked as an assembler for several different companies, including Douglas Aircraft Corporation,[citation needed] while recording demo tapes with his own money, shopping them around and performing in clubs during the night. When he debuted with the song "Ain't No Sunshine" he refused to resign his job because of his belief that the music business was a fickle industry and that he was still a novice compared to other acts.[citation needed]

[edit] Career

[edit] Sussex Records

During early 1970, Withers' demonstration tape was audited favorably by Clarence Avant of Sussex Records. Avant signed Withers to a record deal and assigned Booker T. Jones to produce Withers' first album. Four three-hour studio sessions were planned to record the album, but funding caused the album to be recorded in three sessions with a six-month break between the second and final sessions. Just as I Am was released in 1971 with the tracks "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Grandma's Hands" as singles. The album features Stephen Stills playing lead guitar.[2]

The album was a success and Withers began touring with a band assembled from members of The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band: drummer James Gadson, guitarist Benorce Blackmon, keyboardist Ray Jackson, and bassist Melvin Dunlap.

At the 14th annual Grammy Awards on Tuesday, March 14, 1972, Withers won his first Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song for "Ain't No Sunshine."

During a hiatus from touring, Withers recorded his second album, Still Bill. The single "Lean on Me" went to number one the week of July 8, 1972. A Friday, October 6, 1972 performance on a rainy night was recorded for the live album Bill Withers, Live at Carnegie Hall released November 30, 1972. Withers married actress Denise Nicholas in 1973, during her stint as the main actress of the popular sitcom, Room 222. The couple did not have any children and divorced the next year, during which Withers recorded the album +'Justments. But he became involved in a legal dispute with the Sussex company and was unable to record thereafter.

During this time, he wrote and produced two songs on the Gladys Knight & the Pips record I Feel a Song, and in October 1974 performed in concert together with James Brown, Etta James, and B. B. King at the historic Rumble in the Jungle fight between Foreman and Ali in Zaire.[3] Footage of his performance was included in the 1996 documentary film When We Were Kings, and he is heard on the accompanying soundtrack.

[edit] Columbia Records

Withers signed with Columbia Records in 1975. His first release with the label, Making Music, Making Friends, included the single "She's Lonely" which was featured in the film Looking for Mr. Goodbar. During the next three years he released an album each year with Naked & Warm (1976), Menagerie (1977, containing the successful "Lovely Day") and 'Bout Love (1978).

Due to problems with Columbia, he concentrated on joint projects between 1977 and 1985, including the success, "Just the Two of Us", with jazz saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr., which was released during June 1980. It won a Grammy on February 24, 1982. Withers next did Soul Shadows with The Crusaders, and In the Name of Love with Ralph MacDonald, the latter being nominated for a Grammy for vocal performance.

In 1985 came Watching You, Watching Me, which featured the Top 40 rated Rhythm&Blues single "Oh Yeah". But Withers ended his business association with the Columbia company after this release.

In 1988, a new version of "Lovely Day" from the 1977 Menagerie album, titled "Lovely Day (Sunshine Mix)" and remixed by Ben Liebrand, reached the Top 10 in the United Kingdom, leading to Withers' performance on the long-running Top of the Pops that year. The original release had scored #7 in the UK in 1977, and the re-release scored to #4.

In 1987, he received his ninth Grammy award nomination and on March 2, 1988 his third Grammy for Best Rhythm and Blues Song as songwriter for the re-recording of Lean On Me by Club Nouveau on their debut album Life, Love and Pain, released in 1986 on Warner Bros. Records.

In 1996, a portion of his song "Grandma's Hands" was sampled in the song "No Diggity" by BLACKstreet, featuring Dr. Dre. The single went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and sold 1.6 million copies and won a grammy in 1998 for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

Withers contributed two songs to Jimmy Buffett's July 13, 2004 release "License To Chill." Following the reissues of Still Bill on January 28, 2003 and Just As I Am on March 8, 2005, there was speculation of previously unreleased material being issued as a new album.[4] In 2006, Sony gave back to Withers his previously unreleased tapes.

Bill Withers was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and into the inaugural class of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2007. Also, in 2007 his "Lean On Me" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

A feature documentary about Withers entitled Still Bill, directed by Damani Baker and Alex Vlack is soon to be released.

[edit] Family

During the professional semi-hiatus which began in the late 1970s, Withers concentrated more on personal matters than professional recording. In 1976, he married Marcia Johnson and they had two children, Todd and Kori, a law student and a singer/song writer respectively. Marcia eventually assumed the direct management of his Beverly Hills-based publishing companies, in which his children also became involved as they became adults.[5]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Studio albums

Year Album Chart positions[6][7][8] U.S.
certifications[9]		 Record label
US US
R&B		 UK
1971 Just as I Am 35 9 — — Sussex
1972 Still Bill 4 1 — Gold
1974 +'Justments 67 7 — —
1975 Making Music 81 7 — — Columbia
1976 Naked & Warm 169 41 — —
1977 Menagerie 39 16 27 Gold
1979 'Bout Love 134 50 — —
1985 Watching You, Watching Me 143 42 60 —
"—" denotes the album failed to chart, was not released, or was not certified

[edit] Compilation and Live albums

Year Album Chart positions[6][7][8] U.S.
certifications[9]
US US
R&B		 UK
1973 Live at Carnegie Hall 63 6 — —
1975 The Best of Bill Withers 182 33 — —
1981 Greatest Hits 183 58 90 Gold
1994 Lean on Me: The Best of Bill Withers — — — —
2000 The Best of Bill Withers: Lean on Me — — — —
2005 Lovely Day: The Very Best of Bill Withers — — 35 —
2008 Ain't No Sunshine: The Best of Bill Withers — — — —
"—" denotes the album failed to chart, was not released, or was not certified

[edit] Singles

Year Single Chart positions[6][7][8] Album
US US
R&B		 US
AC		 UK
1971 "Ain't No Sunshine" 3 6 2 40 1 Just as I Am
"Grandma's Hands" 42 18 — —
1972 "Lean on Me" 1 1 4 18 Still Bill
"Use Me" 2 2 — —
"Let Us Love" 47 17 — — Live at Carnegie Hall
1973 "Kissing My Love" 31 12 — — Still Bill
"Friend of Mine" 80 25 — — Live at Carnegie Hall
1974 "The Same Love That Made Me Laugh" 50 10 — — +'Justments
"You" — 15 — —
"Heartbreak Road" 89 13 — —
1975 "Make Love to Your Mind" 76 10 — — Making Music
1976 "I Wish You Well" — 54 — —
"If I Didn't Mean You Well" — 74 — — Naked & Warm
"Close to Me" — 88 — —
1977 "Lovely Day" 30 6 — 7 Menagerie
1978 "Lovely Night for Dancing" — 75 — —
1979 "Don't It Make It Better" — 30 — — 'Bout Love
"You Got the Stuff (Part 1)" — 85 — —
1985 "Oh Yeah!" — 22 — 60 Watching You, Watching Me
"Something That Turns You On" — 46 — —
1987 "Lovely Day" (re-release) — — — 92 single only
1988 "Lovely Day" (remix) — — — 4
"Ain't No Sunshine" (remix) — — — 82
1990 "Harlem" (remix) — — — 98
"—" denotes the single failed to chart or was not released
  • 1 The original version of "Ain't No Sunshine" did not chart on the UK Singles Chart until 2009, 38 years after its original release.

[edit] As featured performer

Year Single Chart positions[6][7][8] Album
US US
R&B		 US
AC		 UK
1975 "It's All Over Now" (Bobby Womack with Bill Withers) — 68 — — I Don't Know What the World Is Coming To
1981 "Just the Two of Us" (Grover Washington, Jr. featuring Bill Withers) 2 3 2 34 Winelight
1984 "In the Name of Love" (Ralph MacDonald featuring Bill Withers) 58 13 6 95 Universal Rhythm
"—" denotes the single failed to chart or was not released

[edit] Awards

Year Award Result Category Song
1971 Grammy Award Win Best Rhythm & Blues Song "Ain't No Sunshine"
1981 Win Best Rhythm & Blues Song "Just the Two of Us" (Shared with songwriters Ralph MacDonald and William Salter)
1987 Win Best Rhythm & Blues Song "Lean on Me"
1972 NAACP Image Awards Win Male Singer of the Year
-

[edit] Honors

[edit] Cover versions and sampling

As well as Al Jarreau's Tribute to Bill Withers (1998)[2] Withers' songs have been covered by many artists across multiple genres. Notable versions include:

"Use Me" has also been covered by Al Jarreau, Grace Jones, Japanese singer Kimiko Kasai, Hootie & the Blowfish, Mick Jagger/Lenny Kravitz, Better Than Ezra, Widespread Panic, D'Angelo, My Brightest Diamond Lindsay Mac and Fiona Apple who additionally covered "Kissing My Love" on her 1998 tour.

Several songs written by Bill Withers have been sampled in many notable songs by other artists:

Other songs that sample Bill Withers's songs include:

  • Will Young sampled "Who Is He (And What Is He to You)?" in the song "Free". (2003)
  • Kanye West sampled "Rosie" in the song "Roses."
  • LL Cool J sampled the Creative Source version of "Who Is He (And What Is He to You)?" in his hit single "Phenomenon" (1997).
  • "Use Me" is heavily sampled by rap duo UGK for their song "Use Me Up" (1992).
  • "Kissing my Love" used by Dr. Dre in "Let me Ride" (1992).
  • Reggae artist Red Rat sampled "Grandma's Hands" in his song "Charlene". Blackstreet also sampled 'Grandma's hands' on 'No Diggity' produced by Dr Dre.
  • "Same Love That Made Me Laugh" (Bill Withers) "Ain't No Sunshine" - Covered by Maroon 5 on "Live Friday the 13th"
  • Joe Budden sampled "Don't You Want to Stay" for the song "The Future" from his mixtape Mood Muzik 2: Can It Get Any Worse?

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.billwithersmusic.com/htmlWork/bio1.html
  2. ^ a b Billboard
  3. ^ Bill Withers' web site
  4. ^ Mitchell, Gail (2005-10-14). "Withers In No Hurry To Make New Album". Billboard.
  5. ^ Elsworth, Catherine (2006-10-08). "Still A Lovely Day". Telegraph.
  6. ^ a b c d "Bill Withers Chart History". billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/bill-withers/chart-history/6043. Retrieved 2009-07-02. 
  7. ^ a b c d "Bill Withers Chart History". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:wiftxqr5ldfe~T5. Retrieved 2009-07-02. 
  8. ^ a b c d "Bill Withers UK Chart History". chartstats.com. http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=2346. Retrieved 2009-07-02. 
  9. ^ a b "Bill Withers U.S. Certification History". riaa.com. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS. Retrieved 2009-07-02. 
  10. ^ Associated Press (2006-06-02). "LL Cool J, Bill Withers to Be Honored"
  11. ^ Morris, Edward (2007-11-12). "Little Jimmy Dickens Joins West Virginia Music Hall of Fame". cmt.com. http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1574116/little-jimmy-dickens-joins-west-virginia-music-hall-of-fame.jhtml. 
  12. ^ Phil Escobedo's homepage "[1]".

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Withers"