"Lean On Me" Singer Dies From Heart Complications

Bill Withers -- the soulful singer-songwriter known for his string of hits in the '70s -- has died from heart complications ... according to his family.

Withers died Monday in Los Angeles, but his family announced it Friday morning, saying ... "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."