Los Angeles (AFP)

The American singer Bill Withers, one of the greatest voices of soul, to whom we owe in particular titles like "Ain't No Sunshine" or "Lean On Me", died from heart complications at the the 81-year-old family announced on Friday.

"We are devastated by the loss of our adored and devoted husband and father," she wrote in a statement, referring to "a lonely man" nevertheless "connected to the world through his poetry and his music".

Despite a relatively short career, over fifteen years, he left behind world famous soul pieces, including "Just the Two of Us" or "Ain't No Sunshine".

He only had one number one sales in the United States, with "Lean On Me", which peaked in July 1972 and was played at the inaugurations of Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

Sign of his influence in modern music, his main hits have been taken up by many prominent singers, including "Ain't No Sunshine", by Michael Jackson.

"He was an incredible writer and storyteller," singer John Legend wrote on Twitter about his "friend and inspirer." "Life would not be the same without him".

- Blue collar singer -

His warm and powerful voice will have marked several generations, even if the man withdrew very early from the scene, from the mid-1980s, when he was not yet 50 years old, saying he was disgusted by the music industry.

"My soul will always be filled with your music," tweeted singer Lenny Kravitz in tribute to an artist whose voice and songs "gave us love, hope and strength."

Bill Withers has also been sampled very regularly by rappers, from 2Pac to Kendrick Lamar, via Snoop Dogg or Eminem.

Three Grammy Award winner Bill Withers entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.

His titles have known an exceptional longevity, marked by a relative melodic simplicity and few artifices.

"He was our Springsteen ... Our ordinary man," wrote The Roots co-founder, Questlove, an authority on music.

A Benjamin of a family of six, a stutterer, Bill Withers grew up in poverty, in a mining community in West Virginia, in the midst of racial segregation.

He was only 13 years old when his father, a minor, died.

After having chained the odd jobs and to be enlisted in the Navy, he goes to Los Angeles to start in music, but will not break until 30 years ago.

Signed by Sussex Records in 1970, he met the musician Booker T. Jones, of the group Booker T. and the MG's, who will produce his first album, "Just As I Am", released in 1971.

The album cover perfectly illustrates the image of blue-collar singer Bill Withers. The photo was taken during a lunch break while the thirty-something was still a worker in an aeronautical assembly plant.

"The few songs I wrote during my brief career have been recorded in all musical genres," he said to Rolling Stones magazine in an interview published in 2015.

"I managed to write songs in which people recognized themselves".

"He spoke honestly to people and brought them closer to each other," his relatives wrote. "Although he lived discreetly with his close family and friends, his music forever belongs to the whole world".

"In this difficult time," they added, "we pray that his music will provide comfort and entertainment while his fans take care of those they love."

© 2020 AFP