Last week, singer-songwriter Bill Withers passed away on at the age of 81. As the author of such hits as “Ain’t No Sunshine”, “Lean On Me”, “Lovely Day”, and many more, Withers’ music had once again become a source of inspiration to many, as they try to cope with the fallout of the spread of coronavirus.
Over his storied career that began in 1970 and lasted until his retirement in 1985, Withers inspired countless musicians with his original brand of feel-good soul music. As news of his death spread throughout the music world, musicians from all walks of life took to social media to pay their respects. Many artists offered a kind word, a memory of Withers, or a lesson they took from his music. Others took the time to pay tribute to Withers and his legacy of music with some choice covers. Below you’ll find a selection of some thoughtful tributes to Withers’ loving impact on the world he left behind.
While some of these tributes were put together following the singer’s death, others were dug up by artists and reposted to show the timeless quality of Withers’ work.
Bill Withers On How Justin Timberlake Got His Name, Per The Movie Trolls
[Video: bethjahnsen]
Portugal. The Man – “Lovely Day”
[Video: Portugal. The Man]
Lukas & Micah Nelson – “Use Me”
[Video: Lukas Nelson]
Sheryl Crow Ft. Citizen Cope – “Lonely Town, Lonely Street”
[Video: Sheryl Crow]
Hozier – “Ain’t No Sunshine”
Alicia & Egypt Keys – “Lean On Me”
RIP #BillWithers. Alicia Keys and her son Egypt performance of the Bill Withers timeless classic “Lean On Me” pic.twitter.com/njeeloY70F
— Roxana Agata (@aliciakeysonly) April 3, 2020
Eric Krasno – “Grandma’s Hands”
Jim James – “Lean On Me”
[Video: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert]
Goose – “Lovely Day” – 3/11/20
[Video: Goose]
John Legend, The Roots – “I Can’t Write Left Handed”
[Video: pogos17]
Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder, John Legend – “Lean On Me”
[Video: Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame]
Rest in peace, Bill Withers. Clearly, you are already missed.