US singer-songwriter Bill Withers, whose hits included Lean On Me, has died aged 81, his family said.

The three-time Grammy Award winner, who withdrew from making music in the mid-1980s, died on Monday in Los Angeles, his family said.

His death comes as the public has drawn inspiration from his music during the coronavirus pandemic, with healthcare workers, choirs, artists and more posting their own renditions of Lean On Me to help get through the difficult times.

"We are devastated by the loss of our beloved, devoted husband and father. A solitary man with a heart driven to connect to the world at large, with his poetry and music, he spoke honestly to people and connected them to each other," the family statement read.

"As private a life as he lived close to intimate family and friends, his music forever belongs to the world. In this difficult time, we pray his music offers comfort and entertainment as fans hold tight to loved ones."

Withers' songs during his brief career have become the soundtracks of countless engagements, weddings and parties.

They have powerful melodies and perfect grooves melded with a smooth voice that conveys honesty and complex emotions without vocal acrobatics.

Lean On Me, a paean to friendship, was performed at the inaugurations of both Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.

Ain't No Sunshine and Lean On Me are among Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

"He's the last African-American Everyman," musician and band leader Questlove told Rolling Stone in 2015. "Bill Withers is the closest thing black people have to a Bruce Springsteen."

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