Live At Carnegie Hall

Description

Bill Withers was a modest, gentle yet imposing musical figure, responsible for some of the greatest soul hits universally known ever written. It is no surprise that "Just the Two of Us" and "Ain't No Sunshine" earned him two Grammy Awards and undoubtedly played a major role in his induction into both the Songwriters and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Live at Carnegie Hall is Withers' only live album, recorded on October 6, 1973, but released only on April 21, 1973. The fact that Bill was able to play his sincere and honest soul in one of the most prestigious venues in classical and pop music speaks volumes: his first two albums Just As I Am and Still Bill truly had a great influence. Withers appears here on stage with a band made up solely of the best session musicians that the 1970s could offer: Melvin Dunlap, Ray Jackson, James Gadson, Benorce Blackmon, and Bobbye Hall, then one of the few female session percussionists. They had all worked together on Still Bill and had the gift of expanding Bill's intimate songs to fit a venue of this size and stature. And when it comes to the recording, no detail was spared; you really feel like you are at their level. The set includes tracks like "Ain't No Sunshine," "Lean On Me," "Grandma's Hands," but also tracks only available in this live performance, like "World Keeps Going Around" and "I Can't Write Left-Handed."