Still Bill

I bought my ticket last weekend to Still Bill. Do you know about it? Are you going?

Still Bill is the documentary feature film about Bill Withers. If you want the perfect teaser then click here to see the trailer. It sets it up nicely, I think - doesn't give away a whole heap but provides the context for why the film exists.

There are two screenings of the documentary next week. In Wellington, Paramount, Tuesday, February 9, and then in Auckland, Academy Cinemas, Thursday, February 11.

The recent documentary Soul Power featured a stunning version of Withers' Hope She'll Be Happier.

But let's go a bit further back than this current round of Bill appreciation.

I'm not sure when I first cottoned on to Bill Withers' brilliance - songs like Ain't No Sunshine and Lean on Me just seem to have always existed - radio staples from my childhood.

But at some point, after piecing together that it was the same man who had written those songs and gems like Grandma's Hands,  Who Is He (And What Is He to You?) and Use Me, I hunted out this compilation.

It's still a favourite.

But the real love affair with Bill Withers came with my introduction to the great Live at Carnegie Hall album.

To this day it's one of my favourite albums - and it would of course be on my list of favourite live albums. It's certainly something that any kid wanting to be a musician should be made to listen to. This is how a band plays together. A perfect example of each musician listening to the others and to the song - working for the song. Here's one example from the record.

Withers was different from the other soul singers that were superstar songwriters and singers (Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye...). He played acoustic guitar but he wasn't quite as folky or jazzy as someone like Terry Callier. He was still a soul singer - a soul singer with near-perfect pop instincts.

And as a songwriter Withers seemed to know when it was time to step down from performing. Sick of fighting with the record companies over publishing, not wanting to miss out on crucial family time by touring - subscribing to a life on the road as opposed to a life - Bill Withers pulled the pin. He walked away from music - or at least from the music business.

His songs remain.

But Withers wandered away.

And you can buy one of several best-of compilations. You can still get the Live at Carnegie Hall album (highly recommended) and there were reissues of his first two albums, Just As I Am and Still Bill. There was even one long-play CD covering both albums - it's pretty much all you need, studio version-wise.

But I hope the documentary film Still Bill answers a few questions. Certainly. One of the things I have loved about Withers' music over the years is that he walked away. And seemingly he knew when to do that. And if he is the only person who really knows why - well I'm happy with that.

So long as he's happy...

And for some reason I really do care about that. With Bill Withers I do. This is the reason I am excited to be seeing the documentary.

But the magic will forever be on those albums - and in those songs.

So - is anyone else going to the movie screenings? Or will you check out the film on DVD, or hunt out some more information online?

And what are your favourite things about Bill Withers' music? What are your favourite albums/songs? Or have you never been much of a fan?

Postscript: and one of my favourite jokes is:

Q: - How do you turn a duck in to a soul singer?
A: - put it in the microwave and its bill withers.

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