Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be the 50 Greatest Live Albums of All Time, representing a varied cross-section of genres, styles and time periods. Click “Next Album” below to explore each album or view the full album index here.

BILL WITHERS | Live at Carnegie Hall
Sussex (1973)
Selected by Patrick Corcoran

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Great live albums communicate more than the music on offer—they manage to capture the essence of the artist and the relationship between them and their audience. Bill Withers Live at Carnegie Hall is an utterly immersive and transportative experience that does just that.

Showcasing grooves that weren’t always obvious on record, the album exudes the warmth and generous “everyman” quality that Withers had in abundance. With a band that included legendary drummer (and recent co-conspirator of D’Angelo) James Gadson, it offered a haven from the dismal New York autumn of 1972 for those lucky enough to attend and a record of soul music’s very finest for those listening to the album.

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