![\"Bill](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Bill-Withers-and-Granmas-Hands.jpg\")
Bill Withers \u2013 Grandma\u2019s Hands<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tBill Withers \u2013 Grandma\u2019s Hands<\/p>\n
*Some songs don\u2019t fade. They just find new ways to reach us. Bill Withers<\/a>\u2018 \u201cGrandma\u2019s Hands\u201d has lived in the collective soul of music lovers since 1971, a tender acoustic meditation on the woman who shaped him.<\/p>\n Now, more than five decades later, that song has become something new: a children\u2019s book. And the women who knew Bill best are bringing it to life.<\/p>\n On Friday, April 17, at 12:00 PM ET, Bill\u2019s wife, Marcia Withers, and their daughter, Kori Withers, will appear at Barnes & Noble<\/a> on Fifth Avenue (555 Fifth Avenue at 46th Street) in New York City for a special book signing of Grandma\u2019s Hands.<\/p>\n This is not a drill. And it\u2019s not just a book. It\u2019s a passing of the torch.<\/p>\n From Song to Page<\/p>\n Originally featured on Withers\u2019 debut album Just As I Am, \u201cGrandma\u2019s Hands\u201d captures the comfort, security, and unconditional love he found in his grandmother\u2019s embrace. With soulful simplicity, Withers painted a portrait of a woman whose hands clapped in church, soothed his fears, and reached out to a world in need.<\/p>\n Now, multiple award-winning artist R. Gregory Christie<\/a> has transformed that portrait into vibrant illustrations, transporting readers back in time to experience Bill\u2019s childhood through color and line.<\/p>\n The result is a children\u2019s book published by Joel Harper\u2019s Freedom Three Publishing<\/a> that works on two levels: a gentle bedtime story for little ones, and a gut-punch of nostalgia for anyone who remembers the original.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also, as the announcement notes, a \u201cgreat gift for Mother\u2019s Day, Grandparents Day and many other occasions.\u201d But let\u2019s be honest \u2014 the best gift is the music itself, now wrapped in a new package for a new generation.<\/p>\n The April 17 event is a ticketed affair \u2014 $20.68 gets you a copy of Grandma\u2019s Hands and admission into the signing line with Marcia and Kori. Photos will be taken on attendees\u2019 cellphones, with the authors seated behind the signing table. Late arrivals may miss their chance, so the advice is clear: show up on time.<\/p>\n Tickets are available now via Eventbrite<\/a>, and organizers stress that non-ticketholders will not be permitted into the event space. Space is limited. If you want to be in that room, reserve your spot.<\/p>\n The Vinyl Revival<\/p>\n But the Withers family isn\u2019t stopping at books. All nine of Bill Withers\u2019 albums are being reissued on limited edition colored vinyl over the next two years through Music on Vinyl (Sony). For collectors and new fans alike, this is a moment.<\/p>\n Already released:<\/p>\n Making Music, Making Friends (November 14, 2025) \u2013 The 50th anniversary of his 1975 Columbia Records debut, featuring studio giants Ray Parker Jr., Harvey Mason Sr., the Brothers Johnson, and Motown arranger Paul Riser. Includes new liner notes by Grammy-winning producer Leo Sacks.<\/p>\n Just As I Am (February 6, 2026) \u2013 Withers\u2019 debut, featuring \u201cGrandma\u2019s Hands\u201d and \u201cAin\u2019t No Sunshine.\u201d Grammy winner for Best R&B Song in 1972. Ranked #304 on Rolling Stone\u2019s 100 Greatest Albums of All Time. Includes an essay by writer and civil rights activist Kevin Powell. That\u2019s a lot of vinyl for a man who once walked away from it all. But Bill Withers was never about the machine. He was about the feeling. And these releases \u2014 like the book \u2014 are about preserving that feeling for people who weren\u2019t even born when \u201cLean on Me\u201d first hit the airwaves.<\/p>\n Three days after the book signing, on Monday, April 20, Kori Withers will perform at the NYC benefit gala for SAY (Stuttering Association for the Young). The organization, which supports young people who stutter, was deeply important to Bill, who struggled with stuttering until early adulthood. Marcia Withers serves on the board. Fox TV host Meredith Vieira serves as Co-Chairperson.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a fitting tribute. Bill Withers found his voice despite the odds. Now his family is helping others do the same.<\/p>\n How to Be There<\/p>\n The Barnes & Noble signing takes place Friday, April 17 at 12:00 PM ET at 555 Fifth Avenue (46th Street), New York, NY. Tickets are available via Eventbrite. Don\u2019t wait \u2014 space is limited, and this is the kind of event that sells out.<\/p>\n For those who can\u2019t attend, the book and the vinyl are available online. But if you can be there? Stand in that line. Meet the women who loved Bill Withers. Hold a copy of Grandma\u2019s Hands in yours.<\/p>\n Some songs don\u2019t fade. They just find new hands to hold them.<\/p>\n Tickets: www.Eventbrite.com<\/a> | More information: Barnes & Noble<\/a> Fifth Avenue | Bill Withers vinyl reissues: Music on Vinyl (Sony)<\/p>\n (If You Like\/Appreciate This EURweb Story, Please\u00a0SHARE\u00a0it!)<\/p>\n MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM:\u00a0GBK Brand Bar Presented a One-Day Pre-Grammy Luxury Lounge with Some of Music\u2019s Brightest Stars<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Marcia](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Marcia-and-Kori-Withers-Barnes-Noble-Grandmas-Hands-signing-e1776038066987.jpg\")
Marcia and Kori Withers \u2013 Barnes & Noble Grandma\u2019s Hands signing
\nMore Than a Book Signing<\/p>\n
\nStill Bill (March 27, 2026) \u2013 His most celebrated release, featuring \u201cLean on Me\u201d and \u201cUse Me.\u201d Ranked #333 on Rolling Stone\u2019s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Includes a reflective poem by Kevin Powell.<\/p>\n![\"Kori](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Kori-Withers-screenshot-e1776038664801.jpg\")
Kori Withers \u2013 screenshot
\nKori Withers Takes the Stage<\/p>\n