Bill Withers

William Harrison Withers Jr. (4 July 1938 – 30 March 2020) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He recorded several major hits, won three Grammy Awards and was nominated for six more. Withers worked as a professional musician for just 15 years, from 1970 to 1985, after which he moved on to other occupations. His life was the subject of the 2009 documentary film Still Bill. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.

Quotes


It's not warm when she's away Ain't no sunshine when she's gone And she's always gone too long Anytime she's goes away
 * Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
 * "Ain't No Sunshine", on  Just as I Am (1971) · 1972 performance

I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know I know Hey I oughta leave the young thing alone But ain't no sunshine when she's gone.
 * And I know I know I know I know
 * "Ain't No Sunshine", on Just as I Am (1971)

We all have sorrow But if we are wise We know that there's always tomorrow.
 * Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
 * "Lean on Me", on Still Bill (1972) Live performance (1972) · Rock & Roll Hall of Fame performance (2015)

And I'll be your friend I'll help you carry on For it won't be long 'Til I'm gonna need Somebody to lean on.
 * Lean on me, when you're not strong
 * "Lean on Me", on Still Bill (1972)

Rollingstone interview (2015)

 * "Bill Withers : The Soul Man Who Walked Away", Rollingstone (14 April 2015)


 * I grew up in the age of Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Nancy Wilson … It was a time where a fat, ugly broad that could sing had value. Now everything is about image. It’s not poetry. This just isn’t my time.


 * What few songs I wrote during my brief career, there ain’t a genre that somebody didn’t record them in. I’m not a virtuoso, but I was able to write songs that people could identify with. I don’t think I’ve done bad for a guy from Slab Fork, West Virginia.


 * My first goal was, I didn’t want to be a cook or a steward … So I went to aircraft-mechanic school. I still had to prove to people that thought I was genetically inferior that I wasn’t too stupid to drain the oil out of an airplane.
 * On entering the US Navy in 1956.