Bill Withers will be honored at Carnegie Hall in October, as performers including Ed Sheeran, D'Angelo and Sheryl Crow will perform his songs for the charity concert.
Among the musicians listed for the "Lean On Him" concert are Aloe Blacc, Keb Mo', Michael McDonald, Dr. John, Gregory Porter, Amos Lee, Ledisi and Kathy Mattea. More performers will be announced as the concert approaches, according to Rolling Stone.
One of the treats will be the presence of Withers himself at the concert. Granted, he won't perform—if he did, the event would mark one of the momentous concerts of the year—but his attendance is a coup of its own circa 2015. Withers walked away from the music industry during 1985 out of disdain for recording labels, however he hasn't toured in the time since either. Your correspondent was among many who hoped Withers would perform onstage at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony earlier this year, but he simply sat onstage while Stevie Wonder and John Legend covered his classics, such as "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Lean On Me."
The concert is meant to pay tribute to Withers' 1973 concert recording Live At Carnegie Hall, however the tribute will ultimately serve a charitable purpose. All profits from the concert will go to the Stuttering Association for The Young, an organization close to Withers' heart. It may be tough to believe, but the performer long struggled with a stutter of his own during his recording career.
That explains why some of these ticket prices are so high: A standard ticket will cost you $300, a backstage pass will set you back $2,000, or you can enjoy a classy dinner with Withers, his wife and 40 other attendees for $10,000.
Of course, if you want to see Withers (performing or not), it may be worth the investment.
