Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611

  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
Bill Withers: From Coal Miner's Son to Musical Legend

Bill Withers: From Coal Miner's Son to Musical Legend

Avitabile, Alex S.
Shipp, James

Hardcover

MusiciansBlues & SoulGeneral Music

PREORDER - Expected ship date April 1, 2027

ISBN13: 9798216454847
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Published: Apr 1 2027
Pages: 304
Weight: 1.00
Height: 1.00 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English

The remarkable story of the revered singer-songwriter, looking at his unlikely rise, unique career, surprising exit from the spotlight, resurgence, and enduring legacy.

Lovely Day, Lean On Me, Just the Two of Us - these are just a few Bill Withers songs that have become household staples. But who would have thought that a shy young stutterer, born a coal miner's son in hardscrabble country West Virginia, could come out of nowhere to become a unique musical talent revered by generations? This biography covers Bill Withers's life and career within the context of larger historical, societal, and cultural trends and taps into new and rare sources to reexamine major events and his legacy, including his failed marriage to Denise Nicholas, the demise of Sussex Records, the Zaire '74 Music Festival, his sudden departure, and surprising resurgence on the music scene.

After a stint in the navy and working jobs ranging from milkman to factory worker, a 33-year-old Withers shocked the industry by reaching the top of the charts with Ain't No Sunshine in 1971. More hits like Lean on Me and Use Me follow, and Withers is acknowledged as a major star. But soon thereafter, he is buffeted by personal and professional issues - a failed marriage, the financial implosion of his record label, the breakup of his band - and certain external forces such as the rise of disco and the economic cycles of the music industry. The impaired arc of his career is made worse by Columbia Records executives interfering with his songs, and he abruptly ends his music career in 1985. Despite this, interest and appreciation for his catalogue persist, and he is duly acknowledged as a musical giant who appeals to and inspires music lovers everywhere.

Also in

General Music

View All