Author Archives: Marcia

Commentary in LA Times suggests change to National Anthem: Bill Wither’s Classic, “Lean On Me”

Legendary Bill Withers

A commentary by Jody Rosen in the LA Times recently suggested a change to the National Anthem: A Bill Wither’s Classic, “Lean On Me” We share this as it’s such a kind thought. Bill would truly be humbled by this. Read excerpts from the article below: The Francis Scott Key monument in San Francisco’s Golden […]

Bill Withers Post-Columbia Career

On January 26, 2014, at the 56th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, Bill Withers: The Complete Sussex & Columbia Albums Collection, a nine-disc set featuring Withers’s eight studio albums, as well as his live album Live at Carnegie Hall, received the “Best Historical” Grammy Award (in a tie with The Rolling Stones’ “Charlie Is My Darling […]

Bill Withers Columbia Records Part 1

Making Music, Making Friends Cover Art Withers

After Sussex Records folded, Withers signed with Columbia Records in 1975. His first album 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”), “Bout Love” (1978) […]

Bill Charms at 2015 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction

Bill Withers Hall of Fame

R&B legend Bill Withers may be one of the more underappreciated songwriters of all-time. But Withers certainly got the legend treatment during the 2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction when an icon introduced him. When Withers hit the stage, he quickly proved himself to be the night’s most charismatic speaker. Read the full […]

Bill Withers Inducted Into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!

Bill Withers Duet

Though he hasn’t properly performed in years, Bill Withers proved he’d lost none of his performing chops with the most memorable speech of the night, maybe one of the greatest in Hall of Fame history, packed with classic one-liners and personal reflection. Read the full story

Bill Withers: The Complete Sussex And Columbia Albums

Bill Withers - Still Bill Album

It didn’t hurt that Bill Withers had musicians playing on his album that read like a who’s who throughout his career: Booker T. Jones (Booker T. & The MG’s); Stephen Stills (Crosby, Stills, & Nash); James Gadson, Ray Jackson, Melvin Dunlap, and Benorce Blackmon (The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band); Dorothy Ashby; Keni Burke; Ralph […]

Bill Withers Makes No Apologies

Bill-Withers-Jam-Early-Years

In 1972, a year after the release of his first album, “Just As I Am,” Bill Withers performed a song on British television. “Harlem,” the record’s first single, had done little on the charts, but radio d.j.s had picked up on its B-side. Wearing a ribbed orange turtleneck and sweating visibly, the thirty-three-year-old rookie introduced the first song he had ever written…