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This week, soul music lost one of its most prolific voices, Bill Withers.
According to his family, Withers passed away on Monday from heart complications at the age of 81.
“We are devastated by the loss of our beloved, devoted husband and father. A solitary man with a heart driven to connect to the world at large, with his poetry and music, he spoke honestly to people and connected them to each other,” the family statement read. “As private a life as he lived close to intimate family and friends, his music forever belongs to the world. In this difficult time, we pray his music offers comfort and entertainment as fans hold tight to loved ones.”
His tunes, serving as inspiration to many popular artists of our day, including John Legend, who tweeted the following on Friday:
Withers’ music also served as the launching pad for many producers of some of hip-hop’s greatest hits. It would be apropos to shine a light on these joints as we honor his legacy this weekend and beyond.
We invite you to get into our playlist below. If we missed any songs, let us know in the comments.
Related: Remembering Bill Withers Through His Greatest Songs
Related: Bill Withers, ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ & ‘Lovely Day’ Singer Dead At 81
Use Me: A Look Back On Bill Withers’ Legacy In Hip-Hop [Video] was originally published on magicbaltimore.com