Bill Withers Dead at 81

pitchfork.com:

Bill Withers has died, The Associated Press reports. According to The AP, the legendary soul singer-songwriter, behind enduring hits like “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Lean on Me,” and “Lovely Day,” died from heart complications on Monday, March 30.

He was 81 years old. Born in rural West Virginia, Bill Withers endured poverty and heartbreak from an early age, with his father dying when he was 13.

After a stint in the Navy, Withers moved to the Bay Area, and in his late twenties he took up the guitar and began to make music.

Soon enough, he attracted the attention of noted black music executive Clarence Avant, who signed him to a record deal. Over the span of eight years, Withers recorded seven studio albums, beginning with Just as I Am in 1971 and