Make a Smile for Me













Since I just reviewed the Bill Withers documentary Still Bill,
here are a few of my favorite Withers covers. And if you can't get
enough, the Docurama DVD includes The Swell Season (Glen Han-
sard and Markéta Irglová) with "Stories," Corey Glover (Living
Colour) with "Who Is He and What Is He to You" and Yim Yam-
es (Jim James/My Morning Jacket) with "Ain't No Sunshine."

Of the three, I prefer the latter as James takes the most under-
stated approach to the material (overstatement seems gauche).
The extras also offer brief chats with Withers associates like ac-
tor/football great Jim Brown and Graham Nash (Hollies, CSNY).


Corey Glover's heartfelt, if overstated cover can't quite compare.


Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, and the inimitable Ms. Jones.


Holly Golightly adds reverb and twang to this Withers classic.


Diana's disco extravaganza trumps the Bonnie Prince Billy version.



Update: Still Bill will have its US broadcast premiere this Fri, 2/4,
at 8:30PM on Showtime. For more information, please click here.



Click here for part two

Endnote: Image from Grio.com (AP Photo/Reed Saxon). Click
here for my review of +'Justments (which includes "The Same
Love That Made Me Laugh"), here for Just As I Am/Still Bill, here
for Soul Power, and here for Golightly's God Don't Like It (which
includes "Use Me"). I'll be posting my DVD review next month.