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 grew up in Beckley, West Virginia. He had many popular 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), which he recorded with Grover Washington Jr. He won three Grammy Awards out of nine nominations he received.

A 2009 documentary film called Still Bill focused on his life. He 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 Galloway, a maid, and William Withers, a miner. As a child, he struggled with a speech disorder called a stutter, which made it difficult for him to feel accepted by others. His parents separated when he was three years old, and he was raised by his mother’s family in Beckley, West Virginia. A statue honoring him was placed in a public area in Beckley in 2025. He was 13 years old when his father passed away.

Career

Bill Withers joined the United States Navy when he was 17 years old and served for nine years. During this time, he developed an interest 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. The song was arranged by Mort Garson but did not gain attention at the time. Later, Withers reworked it into the song "Harlem."

While working as a mechanical assembler for companies such as 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, Clarence Avant, owner of Sussex Records, listened to Withers' demo tape and liked it. Avant signed Withers to a record deal and assigned Booker T. Jones to produce his first album. Originally, four three-hour recording sessions were planned, but funding issues caused the album to be 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 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, which paid $3.50 per hour. The other was from The Tonight Show, inviting him to perform "Ain't No Sunshine" on NBC.

The album was successful, and Withers began touring with a band formed from members of 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 copies. His next single, "Use Me," released in August 1972, sold over one million copies and earned a gold disc in October 1972. His performance at Carnegie Hall on October 6, 1972, was recorded and 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 about Sussex Records, "They weren’t paying me." He claimed to have erased an entire album he recorded for the label out of frustration. He later said, "I could probably have handled that differently." 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 the label, Making Music, included the single "She's Lonely," which was featured in the film Looking for Mr. Goodbar. Over the next three years, he released albums each year: Naked & Warm (1976), Menagerie (1977; containing the successful song "Lovely Day"), and 'Bout Love (1978).

Because of problems with Columbia Records and difficulties 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. This album included a song co-written and sung by Withers, "Apple Pie," an upbeat disco song about New York City.

In 1985, Withers released Watching You, Watching Me, which included the R&B single "Oh, Yeah!" This album ended his business relationship with Columbia Records. Withers explained that many songs on the album were ones that had been rejected in 1982. He also expressed frustration that Columbia Records released an album for actor Mr. T while preventing him from releasing his own music. He toured with Jennifer Holliday in 1985 to promote 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. Remixes of his older music were released later. Withers said he found success in music later in life, at age 32, and did not feel the need to keep recording once he lost interest in the industry. After leaving the music business, he said he did not miss touring or performing.

In 1988, a new version of "Lovely Day" from the 1977 album Menagerie, called "Lovely Day (Sunshine Mix)," was released. It reached number 4 in the UK. At the 30th Annual Grammy Awards in 1988, Withers won a Grammy for Best Rhythm and Blues Song as a songwriter for the re-recording of "Lean on Me" by Club Nouveau. This was his ninth Grammy nomination and third win.

Withers contributed two songs to Jimmy Buffett's 2004 album License to Chill. After reissues of Still Bill (2003) and Just As I Am (2005), there were rumors about previously unreleased material. In 2006, Sony Music returned With

Legacy

Withers is known for his smooth baritone voice and rich soul music arrangements. He wrote some of the most covered songs from the 1970s, including "Lean on Me" and "Ain't No Sunshine." "Lean on Me" reached the Hot 100 chart through different versions, such as Club Nouveau's 1987 cover, making it one of nine songs to top the chart with different artists. With "Lovely Day," he set a record for the longest held note on a popular song, holding a high E for 18 seconds.

Editors from The Guardian said Withers' songs are among the most loved in American music, 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 helping each other. Alex Petridis from The Guardian wrote that Withers blended deep emotions like pain and worry into his seemingly gentle songs and left the music world early after exploring many genres, including gospel, funk, blues, and disco. Rolling Stone noted that several of his songs are deeply connected to culture and have been performed many times by other artists.

Giovanni Russonello from The New York Times described Withers as a soulful singer who created simple but memorable songs, focusing on everyday themes like work, family, love, and loss. A Billboard article called him one of the most respected singer-songwriters in R&B and soul music. The same magazine noted that Withers' influence has continued over the years, as many artists have covered or sampled his songs or named him as an inspiration.

Questlove, a musician and journalist, called Withers' 1974 album Justments a personal diary, comparing it to a pre-reality-show look at his life. Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys called Withers "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 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. In 2024, the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry added "Ain't No Sunshine" to its 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 ended their marriage 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 became involved in these businesses as they grew older.

Withers passed away due to heart complications 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 later.

The family statement said:

He was cremated at the Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills Cemetery's crematory. His ashes were then 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 received three Grammy Awards 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