Matt OsbornLast Tuesday, we lost an R&B legend – Bill Withers. A native of West Virginia and a Navy veteran, Withers had no experience in the music business. Didn’t know how to play an instrument. Had never sung in public before. And had never written a song. But at 32, a dinosaur age to start in music, he decided he wanted to get into the business. And in a very short time, he changed it forever.
They had this rhythm and blues syndrome in their minds with the horns and the three chicks and the gold lame suit, you know, and I wasn’t really into that. So I thought, I had a job, you know, so I thought, well, you know, if they won’t let me do it like I want to do it, I got this good job making these toilets, I don’t need you guys.”
Bill Withers
In 2009, a documentary titled Still Bill detailed Withers’ life, career, and overall mindset. You quickly realize Withers’ power – he was humble and happy where he was before his music career began. When he broke into music, he was perfectly fine with his day job of making toilets for airliners. As he told Johnny Carson, “Oh yeah, it was a good job. I had a lot of fun doing that.”
And that made him fearless. He didn’t need the music business and so he wasn’t beholden to the executives who ran it. He recorded what he wanted, how he wanted it and was more than happy to walk away from it if need be. And eventually, in 1985, he did.
“I’ve had people ask me that question a lot. You know, ‘How could you just stop?’ Well to me, it wasn’t stopping anything, it was doing something else . . . I mean, I like music, but I’m not gonna place my whole worth on it.”
Bill Withers
It’s strange how the confidence and wherewithal to simply walk away from something gives you all the power you ever need to be successful in that very thing. You see, if Withers had been dependent on the music business and not willing to go back to working on airplanes, he would have never had the gumption to record his music his way and pushback when the music execs wanted his music to fit into the standard R&B mold.
Boy you sure do get better looking when you have a hit record.”
Bill Withers
He also knew exactly what fame was – artificial and fleeting. And he wasn’t interested. He didn’t like the road and being away from his family. And he certainly didn’t like making those sacrifices while also putting up with all the music business BS that came along with it.
So in’85, he left it. He never released another record. And never looked back. He leaves behind two successful children and his wife of 44 years.
You know how unhappy you would be if you thought that the way you are is not okay. I started out my life like that. I don’t want it ending up like that.”
Bill Withers
Aside from the love of him as a musician, there is so much to learn from Bill Withers the man. You see someone who knew himself, who knew what he wanted to do, and was willing to give it all up – the money, the fame, everything – when it went against who he was. We should all hope to have such conviction.
In 2015, Withers was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His 13-minute speech tells you nothing changed with him – from his breakout in ’72, to his walking away in ’85, to his induction in ’15.
The documentary is currently not available on any for-pay streaming service (I watched it on HBO years ago), but it is currently on Youtube – give yourself 70 minutes and learn about Mr Withers. And have a Lovely Day.
Duck Newton
