Pour One Out for Bill Withers

Why do these crappy things always happen in threes? The world was informed today that Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Bill Withers passed away on Monday, March 30th at the age of 81 due to complications with his heart.

William Harrison Withers, Jr. was born with a stutter on Independence Day 1934 in Slab Fork, West Virginia. A veteran of the United States Navy, Withers discovered his passion for singing and songwriting during his nine years in the service and relocated to Los Angeles, California when his duty was complete. Although he refused to give up his day job as a machinery assembler after he released his first single (because he believed music was a "fickle" business), he went on to have a successful career that spanned close to twenty years. He was married twice and had two children. He was instrumental in the genres of soul, R&B, the blues, and funk. He could sing, play the guitar, and play the keys. He was a songwriter, a performer, a producer, and a huge influence on many musicians since the 1970s.

Listed below are a few of Withers' most popular songs to honor his memory.

Ain't No Sunshine (written by B. Withers)

His first single - I've loved this song as long as I can remember. It's been covered by more artists than I could possibly name here in one post.

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone/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 goes away/Wonder this time where she's gone/Wonder if she's gone to stay/Ain't no sunshine when she's gone, and this house just ain't no home/Anytime she goes away

Lean On Me (written by B. Withers)

If you don't know this song, where have you even been?

Sometimes in our lives/We all have pain, we all have sorrow/But if we are wise/We know that there's always tomorrow/Lean on me when you're not strong/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

Lovely Day (written by B. Withers, S. Scarborough)

A classic '70s bop.

When I wake up in the morning, love/And the sunlight hurts my eyes/And something without warning, love/Bears heavy on my mind/Then I look at you/And the world's alright with me/Just one look at you/And I know it's gonna be a lovely day/Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day/Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day/A lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day/Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day

Just the Two of Us with Grover Washington, Jr. (written by B. Withers, R. MacDonald, W. Salter)

Another absolute classic that you for sure know at least the chorus to.

I see the crystal raindrops fall and the beauty of it all/Is when the son comes shining through/To make those rainbows in my mind, when I think of you some time/And I wanna spend some time with you/Just the two of us, we can make it if we try/Just the two of us, just the two of us/Just the two of us, building castles in the sky/Just the two of us, you and I

Use Me (written by B. Withers)

A proper example of '70s funk.

My friends feel it's their appointed duty/They keep trying to tell me all you want to do is use me/But my answer, yeah, to all that "use me" stuff/I want to spread the news that if it feels this good getting used/Oh, you just keep on using me/Until you use me up/Until you use me up

Rest In Peace, Bill Withers. I hope you have an endless supply of sunshine in Heaven.