Still Bill

My first introduction to the music of Bill Withers was the song "Lean On Me". I would not exactly say that it was my all time favorite song but the song in itself struck a chord with me. I had no idea who the mastermind behind the song until certain years later. I only first came to know of the name Bill Withers as a result of having become a hardcore soul fan since 2002. It was only through my soul music journey that I decided to buy his 1981 Greatest Hits CD over 10 years ago.I am proud to say that I still have the CD to this very day. It was then that I could perhaps say that I was formally introduced to the singer that sang and wrote songs such as "Ain't No Sunshine", "Lovely Day" and so forth.

Although the documentary may have come out eight years ago, I did not think much about it until recently. I am not certain as to what drove me to watch the documentary yesterday evening but it allowed me to gain a glimpse of who this man really was and how did not give into the system. I would not wish to say that Bill Withers is a pop star in the true sense of the word but he did not put fame above his principles. That is why I believe God has blessed this man with so many years. May God continue to bless him as his nearing 80. There are not many of his caliber that can actually stand up for what they believe in. I wish that the current crop of musicians can learn from this wonderful man.

If there is perhaps one thing that "Still Bill" has taught me is to be true to myself. I do not have to owe anyone any apology to the principles for which I stand. Of course, this is not to say that Mr. Withers was a perfect man in any sense of the term. He also did make mistakes along the way but this should not detract from the fact that the morale behind this 78-minute film is we need to know who we are, where we come from and what we stand for. Mr. Withers exemplified these virtues mentioned here. I specifically recommend it to anyone who may have not heard the name Bill Withers before. It gives you a perspective of the man behind the songs that we often sing in our showers, kitchens, cars, churches or even when we walk alone in the street. It is never a documentary you would simply want to watch once and forget about it. I am actually going to watch it again after this review. There is a lot we can learn from the one of the last living soul legends of the 20th century.

If you're a fan of Bill Withers, you'll truly appreciate this in depth and personal documentary. It focuses primarily on his life and achievements at the age of 70, but it also revisits his past and how events and people shaped him and who he is today. Withers is amazingly funny and wise - full of life lessons that shouldn't be missed.

If I had a complaint about the documentary (or why I wouldn't give it a 10/10) I would say that some of the material ventures into overly sentimental themes but that's not easy to avoid.

After seeing it, I immediately began rooting through my music collection to find my Bill Withers material.

This guy, Bill Withers, is an example of how to be happy with yourself and your life. He is serene, content and relaxed with who and what he is and his place in popular culture. he has written a few absolutely classic popular songs and seems unaware of just how good he is and they are. He imparts a lesson to his contemporaries and his admirers of how to conduct a career. Do good work and sit back and relax about it. His modesty is in no way false or disingenuous , it is just the way he is. Withers is the genuine article and he comes across as someone you would like to spend time with given the chance. He seems incredibly wise and in tune with himself. His assessment of the "suits" he encountered when he went looking for a record deal is straight to the point and razor-sharp accurate. I love that he has a low-key but comfortable life due to the superb catalogue of great songs with which he has graced the world. This is one of the best documentaries about a musician and his life I have seen.

There is plenty of sunshine when this film is on. We have all heard his music, no matter what age you are, and sing along to his songs. This film is about the life of 70's musician, Bill Withers. I really loved this film because it gives a history of this mans life. In other words, its not all about his music. But more about the after math of a successful music career gone limp after a few years. The film captures Bill as he is now and then takes you back to when he was most famous. Sting makes a guest appearance in the film. Sting is always nice to see. I really liked the archival footage. I felt like the images really took me back to the moments of the 70's/80's. I mostly liked watching the way Bill interacted with his daughter who, by the way, is a talented singer like her dad. Still Bill is clean fun and such an important film to see because singers from his time will not be around forever.

"Still Bill" is pretty straightforward and to the point. Taking its title from Bill Withers' second album, this documentary builds a subtle, deeply human portrayal of an incredibly wise and honest individual. By the time the film ends, you feel as if you've walked beside the man, seen and felt everything that ever really meant something to him. Bill feels at home with the camera. Not in the sense that he plays to it, but in the way he approaches it without so much as acknowledging its presence. "Still Bill" leaves you with a sense of pure observation. You're walking with him, sitting there and talking with him, and listening to him speak. This film is perfect for what it is.