Bill Withers
Lives, loves, dreams and possibilities – all connect in the enduring artistry of Bill Withers, an authentic American musical icon.
His songs speak for themselves. Mary J. Blige‘s version of “Lean on Me” echoed in Washington D.C.’s Lincoln Memorial at the “We Are One” pre-inaugural festivities for president Barack Obama, just as Withers’ words had similarly honored president Bill Clinton. “Ain’t No Sunshine” set the scene for a much talked about episode in the hit series Scandal in 2013. Commercial uses, including the Amazon Prime’s campaign featuring “Lovely Day,” match the music to new markets. Alternative Rock group Alt-J brings a new interpretation to “Lovely Day” while Justin Timberlake performs a mash-up of the song at the Oscars in 2018; Willie Nelson and Mavis Staples’ duet of “Grandma’s Hands” is a striking rendition on his latest release To All The Girls; and at the unveiling of the Bill Russell Legacy Project in Boston, a newly-penned song “I Am My Father’s Son” is performed by Johnny Mathis
Legacy Recordings’ box set of all nine of Withers albums, The Complete Sussex and Columbia Albums, released in late 2012, won a Grammy for Best Historical Recording in 2014.