Folks from Beckley and beyond came out to celebrate the 4th Annual Bill Withers Music Festival this Saturday.
Attendees enjoyed food, fun and electrifying musical numbers from artists such as The Appalachian Soul Man himself, Aristotle Jones and Lady D. and The MI$$ION. Like many local art enthusiasts, Lady D, also known as West Virginia’s First Lady of Soul, emphasized the importance of celebrating Withers’ undeniable talent and influence.
“Bill Withers is one of our own,” Lady D. said, “He’s from West Virginia. And he’s not from Charleston or Morgantown or one of the big cities. He’s from SLAB FORK, West Virginia in Raleigh County. So he knows what it’s like for families to work in the coal mines and he knows what it’s like to go through segregation in schools. He persevered and he went on to be world-known.”
As the festival grows, so does support for the completion of a Bill Withers statue by Sculpture Frederick Hightower. Hightower said he is elated to see people all over the mountain state finally honoring Withers.
“I think it’s the right time,” Hightower said, “Bill Withers is inarguably the best musician to come out of West Virginia.”
Hightower said he talked about his desire to sculpt Withers’ likeness for almost ten years before being asked to carry out that very task. He credits Beckley’s Black community for nudging their city’s mayor and making this dream a reality.
“I thank God,” Hightower said, “They hooked a brother up. I’m very appreciative.”
Hightower, who is known for crafting incredible monuments of figures such as Katherine Johnson for West Virginia State University, said he’s almost done with the clay phase of his Withers’ project and will soon send his work off to a foundry for bronzing.
“I got some pictures of him and found a friend that was about his size,” Hightower explained, “Then I had him sit on a stool, took some pictures and just brought it together. You just sculpt it until you get it right.”
Once completed, the statue will be placed atop the Beckley Intermodal Gateway, which will later be re-named the “Bill Withers Plaza”. Jill Moorefield of Beckley Events stated the statue will be installed in Fall 2024.
The late and great Bill Withers was born July 4, 1938 in the small coal mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia. He went on to strike big with hits like “Ain’t No Sunshine”(1971), “Lean On Me”(1972), “Lovely Day”(1977) and “Just The Two Of Us”(1981), which featured Jazz Saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr.
Withers’ music has been sampled all across Soul, R&B and Hip-Hop by artists such as Tupac, UGK, Aaliyah and most recently, Kendrick Lamar.
Lady D. encourages locals to exalt Bill Withers and his many contributions to the music world at-large.
“We should celebrate him right here in Beckley and honor his legacy any time we get a chance,” Lady D. said.
Stay updated through the Bill Withers Memorial Statue Fund on Facebook!
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