CLEVELAND, Oh. –– A Raleigh County native was among the legendary musicians inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during the annual ceremony Saturday night in Cleveland, Oh.
Stevie Wonder handled the induction of Bill Withers, 76, known best for hits like “Lean On Me” and “Ain’t No Sunshine,” calling Withers “a great man who has written some incredibly great songs.”
“It’s been a wonderful, odd odyssey with ups, downs and sometimes screw-me-arounds, but I will always remember the good things,” Withers told the crowd.
“Bottom line is, check this out, Stevie Wonder knows my name and the brother just put me in the Hall of Fame.”
Wonder performed “Ain’t No Sunshine” and was joined by John Legend for “Use Me,” another Withers classic.
Withers, who rarely performs publicly these days, did sing with Wonder and Legend on a version of “Lean On Me” during Saturday’s ceremony.
Withers, who was born in Slab Fork, W.Va. in 1938, was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2007.
In addition to Withers, the 2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class celebrated Saturday included Ringo Starr, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Green Day, Lou Reed and the “5” Royales.
The 2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be televised on HBO on May 30.