Lean On Me

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This refers to a song recorded by Bill Withers “Lean On Me”. What is truly amazing is that he has never been in a recording studio until he reached the age of 32 and two years later on July 8, 1972 he came out with this song which quickly rose up on the pop charts to number one. Withers was born in a coal-mining town called Slab Fork, Virginia in 1938. His father died when he was 13 and he left school to help support his family. At the age of 17 he was in the Navy and when he was discharged nine years later is settled down in California. By the time he turned 29 he was set on a music career but finding no takers he kept working in full-time factory jobs. Finally in 1970 Sussex Records signed him up and he came out with his debut album Just As I Am in 1971. He received a Grammy Award for his hit single “Ain’t No Sunshine” and the R&B classic “Grandma’s Hands”. Through all of this he continued to be a factory worker. Finally he struck the big time with “Lean On Me”. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007 and Withers was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lean-on-me-begins-its-first-stay-at-1