RALEIGH COUNTY, WV (WOAY) – An iconic singer-songwriter and one of Beckley’s own is being honored.
The city welcomes the community to celebrate music legend Bill Withers’ sculpture unveiling on Friday, March 28, from noon to 1 pm at Beckley Intermodal Gateway.
Withers songs like Lean On Me and Ain’t No Sunshine continue to resonate.
The Beckley native was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015 and received an honorary doctorate from West Virginia University in 2017.
Director of Beckley Events Jill Moorefield says the city is excited to install the statue and memorial that has been in the making for several years.
“We have Mrs. Withers here, who will talk a little bit. We’ll have the Beckley Stratton kids up here singing Lean on Me as it’s unveiled,” said Moorfield. “And then we’ve got other musicians and speakers.”
Withers means so much to our region.
“He was born in Slab Fork and raised in Beckley. He attended Stratton High School, but his songs are so iconic and live on through the years,” Moorfield said. “We want to honor him, and hopefully, this will inspire youth to know they can do something special, being from here.”
