Editor’s Note: Welcome to Quarantainment, Vanyaland’s new series on what to watch, what to hear, and how to deal as the world engages in social distancing to combat the spread of coronavirus, or COVID-19. We’re all at home, we’re all online, and we’re all in this together. #StayTheFHome
After news spread a few days ago that the legendary Bill Withers had died from heart complications at the age of 81, many musicians took to the internet to perform his iconic songs. Sheryl Crow, as it turns out, had a cover of Withers’ “Lonely Town, Lonely Street” already recorded, with help from Citizen Cope and producer Steve Jordan. And this week, she set it free into the world.
“I love Bill Withers,” Crow says. “His passing last week was a heavy blow, on top of the challenges we’re all facing just trying to live day to day right now. After making incredible, beautiful, funky records like “Ain’t No Sunshine”, “Grandma’s Hands”, “Use Me”, and “Lean On Me”, Bill got tired of the music business and stopped recording in 1985. When I was fortunate enough to meet him, I begged him to make music again and he replied, ‘I am a stonemason now and I am good at it!’ He told me he was happy and didn’t want to make music anymore. Times like these remind us about what’s really important in life — love, family, living life in harmony with each other and our planet. Bill’s music was about that, and so much more.
Crow says she’s releasing the track “in loving memory” of Withers, and you can hear it below.
The photo up top, by the way, is from Crow’s appearance at Tempe’s Innings Fest in 2019, by Kelly Fox for Vanyaland.