Let's talk about Bill Withers.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/20/arts/music/bill-withers-still-himself-but-hell-allow-the-attention.html

Ben Sisario talks to him

how do you turn a duck into a soul singer?

put it in a microwave until its bill withers.

― michael wells (michael w.), Friday, April 18, 2003 9:51 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

how do you turn a duck into a soul singer?

put it in the microwave until its bill withers

― del a robbo, Saturday, May 17, 2003 11:39 AM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

hey, it's a good joke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59-Dven7bnY

Heads up

Bill Withers has a new song released this Friday. And it's a cover of a Little Jimmy Dickens recitation. https://t.co/Pq9vG4zaRR

— Charles Hughes (@CharlesLHughes2) August 31, 2017

Whew! Thought he'd died for a sec...

Yeah! I like Wilie Nelson and Mavis Staples' version of "Grandma's Hands":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3K0u6Kxgog

RIP? Some lovely songs but I feel I’ve never explored his discography

First three albums full of greatness, others will need to vouch for what's best from what followed. RIP.

God damn this week is brutal. RIP.

Oh shit. Yeah.

His live album is among the best I've heard. Rarely has a sense of warmth and communion between performer and audience been more palpable.

welp I know what I'll be cranking all morning

otm

The between-song banter is as essential as the songs

the GOAT

I’d advise anybody who hasn’t seen it to check out the documentary ‘Still Bill’ which was released a few years ago...what a wonderful,humane and humble person he seemed...RIP Mr Withers

RIP, the documentary about him was great, seemed like a mensch as well as a wonderful artist and writer.

...and made some of the most majestic music ever recorded

and he gave it all up! Marvelous.

motherfucker packed more greatness into the first 7.5 minutes of his first album than almost anyone else's entire careers

iconic cover shot too

https://img.discogs.com/Qs6U1D1Zq-cr6lidSh97WdRSOb8=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-4746799-1550014522-8988.jpeg.jpg

Damn

the GOAT

― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Friday, April 3, 2020 9:34 AM (nine minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

otm

damn.

RIP. one of the all time giants.

honestly I can't be TOO sad about this cause as Alfred said he pretty much nailed the whole career thing, had hits and got the respect he deserved while he was around to enjoy it, and 81 is a good run.

one of the all-time greatest, rip to the man

No doubt like many legacy artists he saw his revenue streams dry up in the last fifteen years, but he sold millions at the peak of the record industry's reach and his songs kept getting covered. By all accounts he seemed to have invested and saved wisely.

Hard to think of many artists whose most famous songs are likely to resonate more strongly at this precise historical moment.

RIP. One of my absolute heroes and Alfred otm. Live at Carnegie Hall is essential.

Just As I Am is one of 20 or so favourite albums ever, and that's when he was just getting started. A legend. RIP.

he sold millions at the peak of the record industry's reach and his songs kept getting covered

I'm glad he kept getting $$ in but I will never understand why people record studio covers of Bill Withers songs. What are you gonna do, improve on them? (Not even gonna let it slide for Mark Eitzel.)

Yeah, I feel the same way about the Jose James album, with one of the more incredible bands you could dream up. They're killing it, but the originals are perfect.

I can't think of a cover of any of his songs that I honestly like, but I'm open to recommendations (mention Club Nouveau and get FP'D).

Conversely, his is the only version of "Let It Be" I ever need to hear.

'm glad he kept getting $$ in but I will never understand why people record studio covers of Bill Withers songs. What are you gonna do, improve on them?

hehe, yeah that's kind of otm. playing live, sure. and experimental covers (what if "I Know, I know..." on a loop for 15 minutes + foghorn?). but a faithful studio recreation of a bill withers song just makes me want to listen to the real thing, which is untouchable.

I recommended a bunch of concert films to my students and while I was checking them (to make sure the youtubes actually worked) I was totally mesmerized by Bill Withers' performance
it starts at 41:49

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jogVNf1x_Xw&feature=youtu.be

My favorite. Menacing, erotic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vlM1ekJ144

lemme try that again -- it's Zaire '74

https://youtu.be/jogVNf1x_Xw

Actually I take it back, I like the (young) Michael Jackson version of Ain't No Sunshine, it's haunting and has cool Motown production (although I'm using to listened to a screwed version I made years ago):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXQMrhu7eIU

Among all the stuff on my Facebook wall, something I never knew: he had a stutter.

http://www.stutteringhelp.org/famous-people/bill-withers

Also Willie Nelson and Mavis Staples, "Grandma's Hands." Willie even contributes another hook (guitar: "cha-chow" before choruses)

a giant, RIP

Damn. RIP.

Ike and Tina Turner, "Use Me Up," w added context of realness, re brushing off all those do-gooders trying to interfere with her marriage, "all that 'Use Me' stuff."

My favorite. Menacing, erotic:

― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 3 April 2020 15:07 (twenty-two minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

mine too, that and "use me" should not have been written by the guy who wrote lean on me or lovely day

his banter, spoken word, etc. was truly great. i love it on 'do it good' when he says 'if you read the album cover by now, you know what my name is.'

:-(

A hero, that is all.

RIP. That spoken intro to I Can’t Write Left-Handed shows his humanity and empathy: he writes a highly political anti war song not about politics, politicians, or movements, but about a personal aftermath. “I tried to put myself in his position” indeed.

Thanks, La Lechera!

absolutely the worst. he was one of the best voices, best songwriters, best musicians i ever heard. this totally breaks my heart. RIP.