William Harrison Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) was an American singer and songwriter who performed soul and R&B music. He was born in Slab Fork, West Virginia, and raised in Beckley, West Virginia. Over a career lasting 18 years, he created several popular songs, 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), which he recorded with Grover Washington Jr. Withers received three Grammy Awards from nine total nominations.

A 2009 documentary film titled Still Bill focused on his life. He was honored by 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 added to 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. He had a stutter as a child and later said it was hard for him to feel like he belonged. His parents divorced when he was three years old, and he was raised by his mother's family in Beckley, West Virginia. He was 13 years old when his father passed away. A statue that honors him was unveiled in 2025 in Beckley, West Virginia.

Career

Bill Withers joined the United States Navy at the age of 17 and served 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 music release was "Three Nights and a Morning" in 1967. Mort Garson arranged the song, but it was not noticed at the time. Later, Withers changed the song and released it as "Harlem."

While working as a mechanical assembler for companies like Douglas Aircraft Corporation, IBM, and Ford, Withers recorded demo tapes with his own money. He shared these tapes with music producers 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, learning to play the guitar.

In early 1970, Clarence Avant, owner of Sussex Records, liked Withers' demo tape and signed him to a record deal. Booker T. Jones, a former Stax Records producer, was assigned to create Withers' first album. Originally, four recording sessions were planned, but 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 singles "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Grandma's Hands." Stephen Stills played lead guitar on the album. The album cover shows Withers holding his lunchbox at his job at Weber Aircraft in Burbank, California.

In October 1971, Withers received two letters on the same day. One was from Weber Aircraft, offering him his job back at a pay rate of $3.50 per hour. The other 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 a success, and Withers began touring with a band made up of members from the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band. In 1972, he won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for "Ain't No Sunshine." The song 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 in July 1972 and became his second gold single, with confirmed sales exceeding three million. His next release, "Use Me," became his third million-seller, earning 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, he wrote and produced two songs for the Gladys Knight & the Pips album I Feel a Song. In October 1974, he performed in Zaire with James Brown, Etta James, and B.B. King, 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 film Soul Power.

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

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 albums: Naked & Warm (1976), Menagerie (1977; containing the successful "Lovely Day"), and 'Bout Love (1978).

Because of issues 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 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, the latter of 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 sang "Apple Pie," an upbeat disco song about New York City.

In 1985, Withers released Watching You, Watching Me, which included the Top 40 R&B single "Oh, Yeah!" This album ended his business relationship with Columbia Records. Withers stated that many songs on the album were the same ones rejected in 1982, contributing to an eight-year gap between his albums. He also expressed frustration that Columbia released 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 criticized 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 and re-signing with labels after 1985, effectively ending his performing career. Remixes of his older music were released later. Withers said he did

Legacy

Withers is known for his smooth baritone vocals and rich soul arrangements. He wrote some of the most covered songs from the 1970s, including "Lean on Me" and "Ain't No Sunshine." "Lean on Me" appeared on the Hot 100 chart in different 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" celebrates the power of friendship. Alex Petridis from the same newspaper wrote that Withers "laid pain and paranoia under his seemingly gentle songs" and retired early after creating music in many genres, including gospel, funk, blues, and disco. Andy Greene from Rolling Stone said several of his songs are deeply embedded in culture and have been covered many times.

Giovanni Russonello from The New York Times called Withers "a soulful singer with a gift for writing understated classics," adding that he had a natural ability to create memorable songs and focused on everyday themes like work, family, love, and loss. A Billboard article described Withers as "one of R&B/soul music's most revered singer-songwriters." The same magazine noted that Withers' influence has grown over the years, as many artists have covered, sampled, or cited him as an inspiration.

Questlove, a musician and journalist, described Withers' 1974 album Justments as "a diary" that offered a glimpse into his life before reality shows were common. Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys called him "a songwriter's songwriter." Artists like Sade, D'Angelo, Justin Timberlake, John Legend, and Ed Sheeran have said Withers influenced their music.

Withers' songs have been widely used by 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 sound 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 during her time on the sitcom Room 222. They divorced in 1974.

In 1976, Withers married Marcia Johnson. They had two children, Todd and Kori. Marcia took over managing his publishing companies, and his children later helped with them as they grew older.

Withers died from heart problems in a Los Angeles hospital on March 30, 2020, at age 81. His family announced his death four days later.

The family statement said:

He was cremated at Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills Cemetery in its crematory. His ashes were then buried 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 received three Grammy Awards out of nine nominations.

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