Anthony David: Hello Like Before – The Songs of Bill Withers

 

Bill Withers is one of the greatest and best-selling singer-songwriters of all time. He scored such classic hits as “Lean On Me,” “Use Me,” “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Lovely Day” and many more. Neo-soul singer/songwriter Anthony David has, for more than a decade, been considered “the Bill Withers of his generation”. This is due to his warm, resonant baritone and thought-provoking songs, scoring radio hits and successful collaborations. Hello Like Before is the album David’s fans have been waiting for. Here, David performs heartfelt, expressive interpretations of both famous and lesser-known Bill Withers songs.

 

Anthony David was born Anthony Harrington in Savannah, Georgia. A Gulf War vet, he began writing songs during a stint in the military in Iraq. There, as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne, he took part in twenty-eight combat missions. Writing songs was a life-affirming act while facing the real possibility of dying.

 

He got involved in the music scene in Atlanta in the late 1990s, meeting a then-unknown singer-songwriter named India.Arie. They became friends and collaborators, with Anthony co-writing songs on her first three albums. Then, these received several Grammy nominations. David would sing backup for her on tour and eventually opened for her. This visibility led to the release of Anthony’s debut album, 2004’s Three Chords & The Truth. Here, he carved out a unique lane with his personalized brand of acoustic soul. Extensive touring revealed Anthony to be a free-wheeling, engaging performer. Further, he was able to hold a crowd with just the sound of his voice and an acoustic guitar.