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Bill Withers Quotes

William Harrison Withers Jr. was an American singer and songwriter. He had several hits over a career spanning 18 years, including "Ain't No Sunshine" , "Grandma's Hands" , "Use Me" , "Lean on Me" , "Lovely Day" and "Just the Two of Us" . Withers won three Grammy Awards and was nominated for six more.

His life was the subject of the 2009 documentary film Still Bill. Withers was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. Two of his songs were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Wikipedia  

✵ 4. July 1938 – 30. March 2020
Bill Withers photo
Bill Withers: 7 quotes0 likes

Famous Bill Withers Quotes

“My first goal was, I didn’t want to be a cook or a steward … So I went to aircraft-mechanic school. I still had to prove to people that thought I was genetically inferior that I wasn’t too stupid to drain the oil out of an airplane.”

Bill Withers

On entering the US Navy in 1956.
Rollingstone interview (2015)

“What few songs I wrote during my brief career, there ain’t a genre that somebody didn’t record them in. I’m not a virtuoso, but I was able to write songs that people could identify with. I don’t think I’ve done bad for a guy from Slab Fork, West Virginia.”

Bill Withers

Rollingstone interview (2015)

“I grew up in the age of Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Nancy Wilson … It was a time where a fat, ugly broad that could sing had value. Now everything is about image. It’s not poetry. This just isn’t my time.”

Bill Withers

Rollingstone interview (2015)

“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.”

Bill Withers

"Lean on Me", on Still Bill (1972)

“Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there's always tomorrow.”

Bill Withers

"Lean on Me", on Still Bill (1972) Live performance (1972) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw6HeeuvTWo · Rock & Roll Hall of Fame performance (2015) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YapAxPfRyI

“And I know I know I know I know
I know I know I know I know I know
I know I know I know I know I know
I know I know I know I know I know
I know I know I know I know I know
I know I know
Hey I oughta leave the young thing alone
But ain't no sunshine when she's gone.”

Bill Withers

"Ain't No Sunshine", on Just as I Am (1971)

“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's goes away”

Bill Withers

"Ain't No Sunshine", on Just as I Am (1971) · 1972 performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CICIOJqEb5c

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