Canadian Guitarist Does Classic Style Cover Video Of 'Ain't No Sunshine'

Feb 21, 2020 by apost team

"Ain't No Sunshine," is one of those classic songs that never seems to leave the public imagination. It's sad and sweet, the perfect demonstration of the power of love and the desperation that abandonment makes us feel.

But no matter how many times you have heard this classic, there is a cover version on Youtube by Canadian singer Matt Andersen that deserves your attention. He performs the classic with such soul and style, it's almost impossible not to be captivated.

Discogs says Andersen has been a touring musician since 2002, regularly performing around his native country. He does covers, but he also has an impressive repertoire of his own material, all of which can be found on major streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify, according to his website.

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Andersen's performance of "Ain't No Sunshine," shows his full range of musical abilities. His guitar work is that of a true virtuoso, with the instrumental introduction offering a prime example of his ability to make the strings come alive. He is also blessed with a gritty, bluesy voice, the type that seems a natural sympathy-inducer, as if it was designed to transmit feelings of love, longing, and pain.

Bill Withers first released "Ain't no Sunshine" in 1971. And while it might be an old song, it still feels as much a part of popular culture as ever before. Since Withers' original, some of the biggest artists in the world have performed covers, with Michael Jackson, Neil Diamond, and Joe Cocker among them, chronicles Secondhandsongs.com. Rolling Stone magazine has listed it as one of the best five hundred songs of all time.

Andersen performed this version in New Scotland at the Pearl Theater. Despite the low-key setting, his performance put his cover up there with the best of them.

From start to finish, the video never ceases to amaze. Something about Andersen's presence and demeanor draw the audience in before he has even played a note, and from there it just gets better and better. The audience cheers the first vocals, then hushes in eager anticipation of what is to follow.

First uploaded in 2009, this video just continues to rack up the views. Once you have seen it, you will understand why. Andersen is a master, and his work shows that music with artistry and feeling is still very much around. Make sure your friends and family check out this modern virtuoso.