Perhaps the most impressive thing about Bill Withers was his determination.

It seems that he lived life more or less the way he chose to. He was already in his mid-thirties and working in a factory when he decided to send out demos of his songs, and fame came relatively quick.

The cover of this album features a photo of Withers standing outside of the factory where he worked, dutifully carrying his lunchbox, so he was not your ordinary star trying to present a glorified image of himself. He was just ‘that guy’. After about fifteen years, when the music business no longer let him work on his own terms, he simply walked away from it and it’s my understanding that he never regretted that decision, either.

His debut album appeared smack dab in the middle of the singer-songwriter era, and Withers offered a soulful take on folk music, writing songs about the pains and pleasures of everyday life. What we could not have known was that these songs would take on a life of their own. Five decades later his music still sounds fresh.

Featured tracks include:

Harlem

Ain’t No Sunshine

Grandma’s Hands

Sweet Wanomi

Everybody’s Talkin’

Do It Good

Hope She’ll Be Happier

Let It Be

I’m Her Daddy

In My Heart

Moanin’ and Groanin’

Better Off Dead

May 1971 - Billboard Charted #39