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Bill Withers

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As Im sitting here reminiscing, I can remember as a young boy sitting on my porch on the Ave. counting cars, beacause I love cars, and hearing the Bill Withers funky sound…You Just Keep On Using Me…..until you use me up, man…..and Lean On Me…when youre not strong and I’ll be your friend, wow, such a part of the 70’s culture and a part of what made me interested in radio and especially slowjams. His  Grandmas Hands and Hello Like Before are Quiet Storm classics that made nighttime the right time putting you in the mood. And till this day, I still try to sing and hold that note on his hit  Lovely day. Needless to say my breath control isnt the way it use to be…LOL…I digress

In my radio career including working the “Quiet Storm,” I played that music of the legend that is Bill Withers. Withers’s smooth, calming voice gave us hits including “Ain’t no Sunshine” and “Lovely Day” but his classic “Lean On Me” feels different today. With the world at a crossroads, the title of the song from his 1972 album “Still Bill” means more today than it as ever has before.

The song tells us to call on each other when you need a hand. While we should be practicing social distance during this time, it does give us time to reflect and think about ways to help our fellow man.

The  3-time Grammy winner and R&B pioneer He died on Monday in Los Angeles form heart complications. He left us with a great legacy and a great legacy of music.

Bill Withers was 81.