William Harrison Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) was an American soul and R&B singer and songwriter. He was born in Slab Fork, West Virginia, and raised in Beckley, West Virginia. He had many successful songs during his 18-year career, including "Ain't No Sunshine" (1971), "Grandma's Hands" (1971), "Use Me" (1972), "Lean on Me" (1972), "Lovely Day" (1977), and "Just the Two of Us" (1980) (recorded with Grover Washington Jr.). Withers won three Grammy Awards out of nine total nominations.

His life was featured in the 2009 documentary film Still Bill. Withers was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, and the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in 2025. Two of his songs, "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Lean on Me," were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Early life

William Harrison Withers Jr., the youngest of six children, was born on July 4, 1938, in Slab Fork, West Virginia, a small town known for coal mining. His parents were Mattie (née Galloway), a maid, and William Withers, a miner. As a child, he developed a stutter and later described having difficulty making friends. His parents divorced when he was three years old, and he was raised by his mother’s family in Beckley, West Virginia. A commemorative statue of him was unveiled in Beckley in 2025. His father passed away when William was 13 years old.

Career

Bill Withers joined the United States Navy when he was 17 years old and worked there for nine years. During this time, he became interested in singing and writing songs. He left the Navy in 1965 and moved to Los Angeles in 1967 to begin a music career.

His first song, "Three Nights and a Morning," was released in 1967. The song was arranged by Mort Garson but did not receive much attention at first. Later, Withers reworked the song and released it as "Harlem."

While working as a mechanical assembler for companies like Douglas Aircraft Corporation, IBM, and Ford, Withers used his own money to record demo tapes. He shared these tapes with others and performed in clubs at night. When his song "Ain't No Sunshine" became popular in 1971, he refused to quit his job because he believed the music industry was unpredictable. He continued to improve his musical skills, including learning to play the guitar.

In early 1970, Withers sent a demo tape to Clarence Avant, owner of Sussex Records. Avant liked the tape and signed Withers to a record deal. He assigned Booker T. Jones, a former member of Stax Records, to produce Withers' first album. Due to funding issues, the album was recorded in three sessions with a six-month break between the second and final sessions. The album, Just As I Am, was released in 1971 and included the songs "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Grandma's Hands" as singles. Stephen Stills played lead guitar on the album. The album cover showed Withers holding his lunch box at his job with Weber Aircraft in Burbank, California.

In October 1971, Withers received two letters on the same day. The first was from Weber Aircraft, offering him his job back, which paid $3.50 an hour. The second letter was from Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show, inviting Withers to perform "Ain't No Sunshine" on NBC.

The album Just As I Am was successful, and Withers began touring with a band formed from members of the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band. He won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for "Ain't No Sunshine" at the 14th Annual Grammy Awards in 1972. The track had sold over one million copies and received a gold disc from the RIAA in September 1971.

During a break from touring, Withers recorded his second album, Still Bill. The single "Lean on Me" reached number one on July 8, 1972, and was later awarded a gold disc for sales exceeding three million. His next single, "Use Me," released in August 1972, also sold over one million copies and received a gold disc in October 1972. His performance at Carnegie Hall on October 6, 1972, was released as the live album Bill Withers, Live at Carnegie Hall in November 1972. In 1974, Withers recorded the album +'Justments.

During this time, Withers wrote and produced two songs for the Gladys Knight & the Pips album I Feel a Song. In October 1974, he performed with James Brown, Etta James, and B.B. King in Zaire, four weeks before the Rumble in the Jungle fight between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali. Footage of his performance was included in the 1996 documentary When We Were Kings and the 2008 documentary Soul Power.

Withers said that Sussex Records did not pay him fairly and that he erased an entire album he recorded for the label in frustration. A legal dispute with Sussex Records prevented him from recording for a while.

After Sussex Records closed, Withers signed with Columbia Records in 1975. His first album with Columbia, Making Music, included the single "She's Lonely," which appeared in the film Looking for Mr. Goodbar. Over the next three years, he released three more albums: Naked & Warm (1976), Menagerie (1977; containing the successful song "Lovely Day"), and 'Bout Love (1978).

Because of problems with Columbia Records and difficulty getting his songs approved, Withers focused on joint projects from 1977 to 1985. These included "Just the Two of Us" with jazz saxophonist Grover Washington Jr., which won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song in 1981. He also released "Soul Shadows" with the Crusaders and "In the Name of Love" with Ralph MacDonald, which was nominated for a Grammy.

In 1982, Withers sang on the album Dreams in Stone by French singer Michel Berger. He co-wrote and performed a song called "Apple Pie," an upbeat disco song about New York City.

In 1985, Withers released the album Watching You, Watching Me, which included the Top 40 R&B single "Oh, Yeah!" This album ended his business relationship with Columbia Records. He stated that many songs on the album were ones he had previously been rejected for, which contributed to an eight-year break between his albums. He also expressed frustration about Columbia Records releasing an album for actor Mr. T while preventing him from releasing his own music. He toured with Jennifer Holliday in 1985 to promote what would be his final studio album.

Withers disliked Columbia Records' A&R executives, whom he called "blaxperts," for trying to control his music to sell more albums. This led him to stop recording or re-signing with a label after 1985, effectively ending his performing career. However, remixes of his earlier music were released after his retirement. Withers said he did not feel the need to keep recording once he lost interest in the music industry. After leaving, he said he did not miss touring or performing and did not regret leaving music behind.

In 1988, a new version of "Lovely Day" from the 1977 album Menagerie, called "Lovely Day (Sunshine Mix)," was released. The original version had reached number 7 in the UK in 1978, and the re-release reached number 4.

At the 30th Annual Grammy Awards in 1

Legacy

Withers is known for his "smooth" baritone vocals and "rich" soul arrangements. He wrote some of the most covered songs of the 1970s, including "Lean on Me" and "Ain't No Sunshine." "Lean on Me" reached the Hot 100 chart through multiple versions, including Club Nouveau's 1987 cover, which made the song one of nine to reach the top of the chart through different artists. With "Lovely Day," he set the record for the longest sustained note on an American chart hit, holding a high E for 18 seconds.

Editors from The Guardian said Withers' songs are "some of the most beloved in the American songbook," noting that "'Ain't No Sunshine' is considered one of the greatest breakup songs, while 'Lean on Me' is a song about the importance of friends." For the same newspaper, Alex Petridis wrote that Withers "put pain and worry into his gentle songs and left the music world early after achieving success in gospel, funk, blues, disco, and more." In Rolling Stone, Andy Greene noted that several of his songs "are deeply connected to culture and have been covered many times."

Giovanni Russonello of The New York Times described Withers as "a soulful singer with a gift for writing simple but memorable classics," adding that he "had a natural sense of what made a song special and focused on everyday themes like work, family, love, and loss." A Billboard article said Withers "is one of R&B/soul music's most respected singer-songwriters." In the same magazine, Gail Mitchell wrote that "Withers' influence has grown over the years, as many artists have covered or used his songs or named him as an inspiration."

Questlove, a musician and journalist, called Withers' 1974 album Justments "a diary of his life" and said it was "like a preview of what later artists would do, before Marvin Gaye released Here, My Dear." Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys called Withers "a songwriter's songwriter." Musicians like Sade, D'Angelo, Justin Timberlake, John Legend, and Ed Sheeran have said Withers inspired them.

Withers' music has been used by many hip hop and pop artists, including Basehead, Blackstreet, Kendrick Lamar, DMX, Tupac Shakur, Jennifer Lopez, and Aaliyah.

In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Withers at number 106 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. The Library of Congress' National Recording Registry added "Ain't No Sunshine" to its 2024 list of 25 important recordings.

In September 2025, Withers was chosen for induction into the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame and was honored in October.

Personal life

Withers married actress Denise Nicholas in 1973 while she was appearing on the television show Room 222. They separated in 1974.

In 1976, Withers married Marcia Johnson. Together, they had two children, Todd and Kori. Later, Marcia took over managing his publishing companies, and his children became involved in these businesses as they grew older.

Withers passed away due to heart-related health issues in a hospital in Los Angeles on March 30, 2020, at the age of 81. His family shared the news of his death four days after his passing.

The family statement said:
He was cremated at Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills Cemetery using its cremation facility. His ashes were later placed in an unmarked grave.

Discography

• Just as I Am (1971)
• Still Bill (1972)
• +'Justments (1974)
• Making Music (1975)
• Naked & Warm (1976)
• Menagerie (1977)
• 'Bout Love (1978)
• Watching You, Watching Me (1985)

• Live at Carnegie Hall (1973)

• The Best of Bill Withers (1975)
• The Best of Bill Withers (1980)
• Bill Withers' Greatest Hits (1981)
• Lean on Me: The Best of Bill Withers (1994)
• The Best of Bill Withers: Lean on Me (2000)
• The Ultimate Bill Withers Collection (2000)
• Lovely Day: The Very Best of Bill Withers (2005)
• Ain't No Sunshine: The Best of Bill Withers (2008)
• Playlist: The Very Best of Bill Withers (2009)
• The Essential Bill Withers (2013)

Accolades

The Grammy Awards are given by The Recording Academy. Withers has won three Grammys out of nine nominations.

• 2005: Inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame
• 2006: Received ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage award
• 2007: Inducted into West Virginia Music Hall of Fame
• 2015: Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• 2017: Received honorary degree from West Virginia University
• 2025: Inducted into National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame