| Author | Message | ||
  DyvaNaye (westside314) 6-Zenith Username: westside314 Post Number: 522 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 209.212.74.198 |
Bill Withers is an underrated artist in my book. I enjoy his down home country-soul-R&B style, and that country 'twang' singing voice that goes with it. The other night I jsut in the mood to play the 'Still Bill' album, which is probably his best, to me. There are other notable songs by BW that I should mention: Lovely Day Grandma's Hands I Wish You Well - I need to know what album this is on Soul Shadows and others...Someone please refreshen my memory as to where Bill is from, his musical background, and what he is up to now. Definetly a class act. Peace, DyvaNaye | ||
Funkyone D.J. Dollar Bil (funkyone) 2-Debutant Username: funkyone Post Number: 11 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 216.221.81.99 |
"Can We" Pretend is a bare bones tear jerkin' classic."Kissin My Love" is a dance floor favorite. | ||
DyvaNaye (westside314) 6-Zenith Username: westside314 Post Number: 524 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 209.212.74.198 |
'Kissing My Love' is on that 'Still Bill' joint...classic... Bill do you know what album the 'I Wish You Well' song comes from? | ||
johneflat (johneflat) 4-Laureate Username: johneflat Post Number: 77 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 149.174.164.24 |
I do know that Bill hails from Virginia, and "I Wish You Well" is from the MAKING MUSIC MAKING FRIENDS lp. | ||
roger (roger) 4-Laureate Username: roger Post Number: 76 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 217.35.87.17 |
Hello Everyone. Here's a link to BILL WITHER's website. http://www.billwithersmusic.co m/index1.cfm Have a "Lovely Day". Roger | ||
DyvaNaye (westside314) 6-Zenith Username: westside314 Post Number: 525 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 209.212.74.198 |
Thank you John in the key of E Flat...lol.... I must have that..that was a WWRL/WLIB/WBLS NY radio classic back in the day...what year was that? | ||
dvdmike (dvdmike) 4-Laureate Username: dvdmike Post Number: 127 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 65.208.234.61 |
"Can We Pretend" was co-written by his wife at the time, Denice Nicholas. | ||
DyvaNaye (westside314) 6-Zenith Username: westside314 Post Number: 526 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 209.212.74.198 |
Thanks Roger! | ||
DyvaNaye (westside314) 6-Zenith Username: westside314 Post Number: 527 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 209.212.74.198 |
Slabfork, West Virginia..'goodgoogamooga'.... Now THAT's country...lol! I noticed the gap between 1978 and 1985 of him not recording. Anybody know what the deal was? Also until this day Aint No Sunshine can stop me deal in my tracks...what a hauntingly beautiful song. The violins are priceless in this cut. | ||
roger (roger) 4-Laureate Username: roger Post Number: 77 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 217.35.87.17 |
Hi there again everyone. I'm intrigued by his links with BOOKER T JONES, as there is a track that EDDIE FLOYD recorded for Stax in 1969 called "Oh How It Rained" which sounds just like the type of material that BILL WITHERS was having hits with two years later. I shall have to check my C.D. with it on tonight to see who is credited as having written it. Roger | ||
DyvaNaye (westside314) 6-Zenith Username: westside314 Post Number: 530 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 209.212.74.198 |
Me too Roger!... and I did not know he wrote the song 'I Feel A Song'...what an underrated talent! | ||
DyvaNaye (westside314) 6-Zenith Username: westside314 Post Number: 531 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 209.212.74.198 |
Bill also did the song 'Cold Baloney', which is a favorite of mine by the Isley's but his version is sung like a coal miners son, for sure! | ||
Manny (manny) 5-Doyen Username: manny Post Number: 178 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 217.124.51.249 |
Hello Like Before! This is a salute and the title of my favorite Bill Wither's tune. He also created a very "standard", "Ain't No Sunshine" is covered by dozens of other soul and fusion artists (I likes especially the one by Isaac Hayes live on "Wattstax"). Also i likes the period by Crusaders betwen "Crusaders I" and "Street Life", but in the "Soul Shadows" LP, IMHO the only interesting (with diference!) is the Bill collaboration. Peace & Soul Food! | ||
johneflat (johneflat) 4-Laureate Username: johneflat Post Number: 79 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 149.174.164.24 |
1975, here's a pic  | ||
Wonder B (wonder_b) 5-Doyen Username: wonder_b Post Number: 392 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 81.49.154.35 |
And a very joyful Bill...  If you buy this DVD you can see and hear a wonderful live rendition of Ain't No Sunshine... http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/202-6168754-4359827  Wonder B If you mess with the 'fro, you gotta go! | ||
DyvaNaye (westside314) 6-Zenith Username: westside314 Post Number: 535 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 209.212.74.198 |
Wonder B is the man...thanks! | ||
Kdubya (paladin) 3-Pundit Username: paladin Post Number: 39 Registered: 5-2004 Posted From: 206.185.64.23 |
Love Bill Withers, heres my 2 cent: Heartbreak Road Use Me Grandma's Hands I want to make love to your mind Who is He and What is he too you Bill sung from the heart and many of his songs were,how shall we say semi-autobiographical ?? Having been a fan for a number of years, his marriage to the beautiful Ms Nicolas was chock full of controversy. Brother was hurting a lot o times when he was sangin ''''''''''' Kdub PS: the young soulster Anthony Hamilton is picking up where Bill left off and he's doing a dam good job of it too. I'd like to hear him and Bill team up on one of Bill's classic cuts.........or better yet a new joint..... | ||
DyvaNaye (westside314) 6-Zenith Username: westside314 Post Number: 538 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 209.212.74.198 |
Anthony Hamilton, huh? Thanks forthe shout out. Ill look into it...thanks KDub. | ||
Kdubya (paladin) 3-Pundit Username: paladin Post Number: 41 Registered: 5-2004 Posted From: 206.185.64.23 |
You wont be sorry, his hit record Coming Where I Come From is the absolute snizzet!!! He has fronted (vocals) for Black Eyed Peas and others, this young man is lighting in a bottle and you'll be glad you picked up his CD........ | ||
DyvaNaye (westside314) 6-Zenith Username: westside314 Post Number: 540 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 209.212.74.198 |
will do! | ||
Juicefree20 (juicefree20) 6-Zenith Username: juicefree20 Post Number: 1068 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.46.184.162 |
The best example of his style is in my opinion found on the Live At Carnegie Hall LP. Simply great performances of those classic songs. I was a kid, listening to this LP on 8 Track. Especially good was Harlem/Cold Baloney & Grandmas' Hands. I'll never forget that LP & am happy to own it. Of course there is Lovely Day & the 12' version of You Got The Stuff....great break for the skaters! | ||
1wicked (1wicked) 4-Laureate Username: 1wicked Post Number: 76 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.126.64.72 |
Kdubya...check out his vocals on the Roy Hargrove "Hard Groove" CD too....beautiful song ! | ||
Charise (mistrivia1) 4-Laureate Username: mistrivia1 Post Number: 91 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 198.81.26.46 |
Funkyone!!! I was waiting for someone to mention "Can We Pretend" and you did it, thank you!! Have to give props to Denise Nicholas for writing that song!!! That whole album is BADDDD!!!  Anyone who has that album, if you look at the front, to the left, you can see Denise standing there as Bill is writing on that partition. | ||
Charise (mistrivia1) 4-Laureate Username: mistrivia1 Post Number: 92 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 198.81.26.46 |
DyvaNaye, I love Cold Baloney!!!! On the Isley's version, Bill is playing guitar on that album!!! | ||
kevin quinn (kevin_quinn) 1-Arriviste Username: kevin_quinn Post Number: 5 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 141.151.14.204 |
"Who Is He..." was always a favorite, and for latter day Bill "OH Yeah!" from the mid 80's album "Watching You Watching Me." Keb Mo did a great remake of "Grandma's Hands." | ||
K-Bee (kbee) 2-Debutant Username: kbee Post Number: 27 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 129.142.211.170 |
Im glad somebody's bringing up the "Watching You Watching" 1985 LP. I don't know for sure, but I could imagine this LP sunk without a trace, since it wasn't really sounding like the rest of the mid 80s r&b/funk/soul (no vocoders and laserbeam sounds here! LOL) A great album indeed! Bill Withers was so much more than "Ain't No Sunshine" Another good cover of "Grandma's Hand's" is the one done by Will Downing in 2000. | ||
Largo161 (largo161) 1-Arriviste Username: largo161 Post Number: 9 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 205.142.0.75 |
I know I'm late chiming in on this thread, but anyway...Bill Withers recorded a haunting Christmas ballad called "The Gift Of The Giving" that I think is outstanding. It gets the seasonal message across with a hint of sugary sentiment. | ||
Jester (jester) 2-Debutant Username: jester Post Number: 12 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 62.255.64.7 |
Two that are ALWAYS in my box are 'Something That Turns You On' ...KILLER 2STEP ...from his Watching You Watching LP & 'It Ain't Because Of Me Baby' ....swirling guitar chops from Ray Parker Jnr. & String arrangements to die for from Paul Riser... taken from his Menagerie LP !!!! Nicolas Bearde's version of 'Can We Pretend' from his Crossing The Line LP 1998 is pure class as well! Jester. | ||
Destruction (destruction) 4-Laureate Username: destruction Post Number: 97 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 199.173.224.20 |
Largo161, I'm a big collector of Xmas music...do you know what album/cd it's on? | ||
Largo161 (largo161) 1-Arriviste Username: largo161 Post Number: 10 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 205.142.0.77 |
Destruction, I found the song on a compilation called Smooth Grooves: A Sensual Christmas (1999). Towerrecords.com has it. Oh and I just reread my original post and I meant to say that Bill's song does NOT have any sugary sentiment. The Christmas message is there, but the tone is very melancholy. Y'know sometimes the holidays aren't happy times. |
