“Lean on Me”

A Reason To Smile

Credit: Getty Images

Simple, heartfelt lyrics, a catchy melody, and great harmonies, Bill Withers’ — “Lean on Me” checks all of those boxes and is this week’s reason to smile. Fifty-four years ago this week, Withers’ song reached No. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and soul charts and has since become a classic.

Withers grew up in the small coal-mining town of Slab Fork, West Virginia. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he moved to Los Angeles in 1967 to pursue a career in music. Withers said he missed the tight-knit community of his youth and that the support he felt there was the inspiration for “Lean on Me.”

Withers was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. He, along with John Legend and Stevie Wonder, performed his Grammy winning song during the induction ceremony.

We chose “Lean on Me” for all of these reasons and because in these troubling times it is important to remember that sometimes “we all need somebody to lean on.” We here at Steady are ready to be leaned on at any time. That’s what makes our community special. Thanks for your comments and for your support.

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Stay Steady,

Dan