Bill Withers, the man behind soulful, enduring hit songs such as "Lean On Me" and "Lovely Day,” has died at the age of 81, according to Withers' family.
“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved, devoted husband and father," Withers' family said in a statement. "A solitary man with a heart driven to connect to the world at large, with his poetry and music, he spoke honestly to people and connected them to each other.
“As private a life as he lived close to intimate family and friends, his music forever belongs to the world. In this difficult time, we pray his music offers comfort and entertainment as fans hold tight to loved ones.”
A Navy veteran born into poverty in Slab Fork, West Virginia, Withers only took up the guitar in his late twenties, buying a pawn shop acoustic after seeing Lou Rawls perform in Oakland.
One of Withers' early demos soon landed in the hands of black record executive Clarence Avant, who signed him to Sussex Records. Withers' first album, 1971's Just As I Am, featured Donald “Duck” Dunn on bass and Stephen Stills on guitar, and - propelled by the haunting hit single, "Ain't No Sunshine" - was an immediate smash.
Withers' follow-up, 1972's Still Bill, was an even bigger hit, thanks to Withers' signature song, the chart-topping "Lean On Me."
Withers soon grew disenchanted with the music business though, and retired from both the studio and (with a single exception in 2004) the stage after his final album, 1985’s Watching You Watching Me. His legacy, however, has only grown in the intervening decades.
"Lean On Me" in particular, has endured as an anthem of camaraderie, and is one of only nine songs in music history to top the Billboard Hot 100 two separate times, with recordings by two different artists.
Withers was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, and is survived by his wife, Marcia, and children, Todd and Kori.
* This article was originally published here
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