US singer-songwriter Bill Withers, whose hits include Lean On Me, has died at the age of 81.
The performer, who also sings Lovely Day and Ain’t No Sunshine, passed from heart complications, according to Associated Press, with his family confirming the news today.
He died in Los Angeles on Monday.
A statement from his family read: ‘We are devastated by the loss of our beloved, devoted husband and father.
‘A solitary man with a heart driven to connect to the world at large, with his poetry and music, he spoke honestly to people and connected them to each other.
‘As private a life as he lived close to intimate family and friends, his music forever belongs to the world. In this difficult time, we pray his music offers comfort and entertainment as fans hold tight to loved ones.’
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Even though the performer withdrew from making music in t he 80s, during his short career in the spotlight he won three-time Grammy Awards.
His songs have gone down in history with Lean On Me, an iconic paean to friendship, being performed at the inaugurations of both Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
The song was originally released as the B-side of his debut single, Harlem. However after radio DJs flipped the disc, the song climbed to No. 3 on the Billboard charts and spent a total of 16 weeks in the top 40.
Lean On Me, along with Ain’t No Sunshine, are among Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, with the former was used as the title theme of a 1989 movie starring Morgan Freeman.
His music has been sampled and covered by such artists as BlackStreet for hit No Diggity, Will Smith’s version of Just The Two Of Us, Black Eyed Peas’ song Bridging The Gap and Twista’s Sunshine.
His songs have appeared in countless films, including The Hangover, 28 Days, American Beauty, Jerry Maguire, Crooklyn, Flight, Beauty Shop, The Secret Life of Pets and Flight.
Speaking to Rolling Stone in 2015, Withers said: ‘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.’
He is survived by his wife, Marcia, and children, Todd and Kori.
More to come.
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