Kori Withers, daughter of soul legend Bill Withers, will bring her father’s beloved songs and stories to life in a special performance at the Cultural Arts Center in Glen Allen. The concert, set for Saturday, June 28, will feature both afternoon and evening seatings.

The show is part of a larger effort to celebrate the spirit of friendship, kindness and community that runs through Bill Withers’ music — and through the work of FreeHorse Arts, a local nonprofit providing equine-based programs for people with diverse abilities.

Withers’ involvement with the program runs deeper than the two shows; she serves on the board of FreeHorse Arts, having heard about the program from co-founder Nancy Munoz. The nonprofit’s mission resonated with her because it reflected her father’s lifelong bond with nature, shaped by his upbringing in West Virginia and expressed through his approach to fatherhood.

The legendary composer of “Lean on Me” and “Ain’t No Sunshine” took Kori’s older brother, Todd, on school-hosted father-son dude ranch trips.

“My dad was crazy-proud of my brother, because he was the only kid that could mount a horse,” Kori says.

She says her father made her promise to always stay connected to the animals, whose calm demeanor and quiet depth gave him a place of peace. FreeHorse Arts offers a way to fulfill that promise.

“A big part of our work as a family is trying to return to the landscape that inspired his sound,” Kori says.

Having dealt with a childhood stutter, Bill Withers knew what it meant to be seen as differently abled. His daughter explains that he came to regard this challenge as a kind of superpower.

“There was an advantage to his difference,” Kori says. “He was much more interested in people who are different, who had a heart and something human to bring to the table.”

“The folks who are involved with FreeHorse Arts in general share a similar passion and vision for the world,” says Alex Ginsberg, FreeHorse Arts’ creative director. “They’re all very caring, thoughtful, creative [and] are committed to the impact — committed to creating [a] conscious community.”

The concert, the second installment in FreeHorse Arts’ Songwriters series, combines two of the nonprofit’s weekly programs: the in-person live sessions and the online InterConnected workshops. Withers, an accomplished songwriter herself, participated in some virtual sessions to share her expertise as part of a comprehensive curriculum covering everything from lyrical inspiration to recording, mixing and publishing.

  

In addition to Bill Withers’ material, the show at the Cultural Arts Center will feature a new song called “Love Sandwich,” which was written by the FreeHorse Arts Herd. The First African Baptist Church choir will provide a vocal assist, part of a lineup of local guests that also includes the City Dance troupe, which learned choreography for Withers’ “Harlem,” and members of the versatile funk and soul band Weekend Plans.

“The idea that we need to help each other, support each other, forgive each other [and] root for each other is a timeless concept. Maybe that›s why his songs continue to be relatable,” Kori Withers says of her father’s music.