Bill Withers: Singer of Lean on Me and Ain't No Sunshine Dies at 81

Bill Withers was an American singer-songwriter who wrote and recorded some of the most beloved soul songs of the 1970s. Born on July 4, 1938, in Slab Fork, West Virginia, he served nine years in the U.S. Navy before launching his music career.

Withers released his debut album, Just as I Am, in 1971, with "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Grandma's Hands." In 1972 "Lean on Me" reached No. 1, and he later scored with "Use Me" and "Lovely Day." In 1981 he sang "Just the Two of Us" with Grover Washington Jr. He won three Grammy Awards, all for Best R&B Song.

Withers stopped recording after his 1985 album, citing burnout and conflicts with record executives. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. He married Marcia Johnson in 1976, and they had two children. He died of heart complications in Los Angeles on March 30, 2020, at age 81.

Achievements: "Ain't No Sunshine" (1971), "Lean on Me" at No. 1 (1972), "Lovely Day" (1977), three Grammy Awards, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2015).

Birth: July 4, 1938 - Slab Fork, West Virginia.

Profession: Singer-songwriter.

Interesting Facts: He served nine years in the Navy before music. He stepped away from recording after 1985.