Funding for Bill Withers statue nears completion; installation expected in fall

A statue honoring Raleigh County native and musical legend Bill Withers could be in place in Beckley as early as this fall.

After raising nearly $170,000 over the past three years, Jill Moorefield of Beckley Events said the city wil have enough funds to pay for the statue, which will be placed on the top plaza of the Beckley Intermodal Gateway.

Moorefield said she’d love to have the 7-foot bronze statue in place before Beckley’s annual Chili Night, which takes place in October, or by Veterans Day.

“It’s going to be a really nice additional attraction for our community,” she said. “It’s honoring a Beckley musical legend that everybody still hears his timeless songs often on the radio and commercials and movies. They’re just wonderful songs, and it proves to kids that you can follow your dreams and who knows where it will lead.”

This news comes just weeks before the 4th Annual Bill Withers Music Festival, which will take place from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 6, at the Beckley Intermodal Gateway.

The first Bill Withers Music Festival in 2021 kicked off the initial fundraising for the statue.

The overall cost for the statue, crafted by West Virginia artist Frederick Hightower, is $171,338.

As of Thursday, Moorefield said they needed a little over $3,000 to reach that goal.

Since 2021, various community organizations and individuals, including the Carter Family Foundation, the Beckley Area Foundation, the governor’s office and several others, have contributed funds for the statue.

The Beckley-Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce recently raised thousands for the statue during its annual gala.

The Beckley Common Council approved the allocation of $30,000 to the statue fund during its meeting Tuesday, matching a grant from the Coal Heritage Authority.

Moorefield said they plan to rename the plaza in honor of Bill Withers once the statue is installed.

As part of renaming the existing space as the Bill Withers Plaza, Moorefield said she’d also like to install musical playground equipment, picnic benches, artwork and interpretive signs.

“It will be a place that you can go take the family to see the statue and get a picture, and hopefully, if we have a few little playground things there, it’ll make it even better,” Moorefield said. “But I think it’ll be a really nice addition to town.”

For more information about the statue or to find out how to donate, visit the Bill Withers Memorial Statue Fund on Facebook.