Grapthar's Daily Hive Music Feature: Bill Withers - 'Who is He (And What is He to You)?'

really get into until the last four or five years, but immediately realized upon first listen that I had been completely missing out. I suppose I had heard his big hits, as most people had, but I never really knew the rest of his music, which gave me a LOT to listen to and discover! Withers was one of six kids, born in West Virginia in a small town. At 17 he joined the US Navy, and after serving, moved to LA to try and start a music career. He picked up playing guitar, and started paying for demo recordings by working various jobs including for IBM and Ford. In 1970, one of his demo's got the attention of a record rep. and Withers was signed to Sussex records. Withers continued to write music and release albums throughout the '70s, and a single album in the '80s, though after that disappeared from the music world, though he did receive many awards and accolades in the years that followed for his massive contribution to the world of R&B. Today's song is from his 1972 album Still Bill, and is definitely a favorite of mine. His voice and style is clearly incredible, but I LOVE the guitar here; it has a warbly, out-of-tune quality that just instantly catches my ear and works great for the sort of confused, heartbroken themes.