Stevie Wonder is one of the most influential and versatile musicians of the 20th and 21st centuries. His songs span across genres such as soul, R&B, pop, funk, gospel, and jazz, and reflect his social consciousness, personal struggles, and spiritual faith. He is also a pioneer of using synthesizers and electronic instruments to create innovative sounds and arrangements.
Despite being blind since shortly after his birth, he has achieved remarkable success and recognition, winning 25 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and numerous other honors.
He has also been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame. In this blog post, we will explore his life and career, from his humble beginnings as a child prodigy to his current status as a musical legend.
Early Life and Career
Stevie Wonder was born as Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, in Saginaw, Michigan. He was the third of six children born to Calvin Judkins and Lula Mae Hardaway, who divorced when he was four years old. He and his siblings moved with their mother to Detroit, where she worked as a songwriter and housekeeper. Wonder was born prematurely, and suffered from retinopathy of prematurity, a condition that causes the blood vessels in the eyes to grow abnormally and detach the retina. He became completely blind by the age of 12 months.
Wonder showed an early interest and talent in music, learning to play the harmonica, piano, and drums by the age of nine. He sang in the church choir and performed on the street corners and at parties. He was discovered by Ronnie White, a member of the Motown group the Miracles, who arranged for him to audition for Berry Gordy, the founder and president of Motown Records. Gordy was impressed by Wonder’s abilities and signed him to his label under the name Little Stevie Wonder. He also became Wonder’s legal guardian and mentor.
Wonder made his recording debut in 1962, at the age of 12, with the album The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie, which showcased his instrumental skills. His first hit single was “Fingertips (Part 2)”, a live recording of a performance at the Regal Theater in Chicago in 1963. The song featured Wonder’s energetic vocals and harmonica playing, and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making him the youngest artist ever to top the chart. He also became the first artist to have a No. 1 hit on both the pop and R&B charts simultaneously.
Classic Period
By 1964, Wonder dropped the “Little” from his name, and began to mature as a singer and songwriter. He had several successful singles in the mid-1960s, such as “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)”, “I Was Made to Love Her”, “For Once in My Life”, and “My Cherie Amour”. He also collaborated with other Motown artists, such as Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, and the Supremes. However, he was not satisfied with the creative control and royalties he received from Motown, and wanted to explore new musical directions. In 1971, he negotiated a new contract with Motown that gave him more artistic freedom and a higher percentage of profits. He also changed his legal name to Stevland Hardaway Morris, and set up his own publishing company and recording studio.
The 1970s marked the peak of Wonder’s critical and commercial success, as he released a series of groundbreaking albums that are widely regarded as his masterpieces. He experimented with various genres, styles, and themes, and used innovative technology, such as synthesizers, drum machines, and multitrack recording, to create his own distinctive sound.
He also addressed social and political issues, such as racism, poverty, war, and environmentalism, in his lyrics, and expressed his personal views on love, spirituality, and identity. Some of his most acclaimed albums from this period include Music of My Mind (1972), Talking Book (1972), Innervisions (1973), Fulfillingness’ First Finale (1974), and Songs in the Key of Life (1976).
These albums produced many classic songs, such as “Superstition”, “You Are the Sunshine of My Life”, “Higher Ground”, “Living for the City”, “You Haven’t Done Nothin’”, “Sir Duke”, “I Wish”, and “Isn’t She Lovely”. Wonder won 15 Grammy Awards in this decade, including three consecutive awards for Album of the Year, a feat that has not been matched by any other artist.
Commercial Period
In the 1980s, Wonder continued to enjoy popularity and acclaim, but also faced some challenges and changes in his life and career. He took a hiatus from recording after the release of Songs in the Key of Life, and focused on his personal life and humanitarian causes. He married his first wife, Syreeta Wright, a singer and songwriter who had worked with him at Motown, in 1970, but they divorced in 1972.
He married his second wife, Kai Millard, a fashion designer, in 2001, but they separated in 2009 and divorced in 2012. He has nine children from five different women, the youngest of whom was born in 2014. He is also a devout Christian, and has incorporated his faith into his music.
Wonder was also involved in several social and political movements, such as the anti-apartheid campaign, the fight against AIDS, and the promotion of world peace. He was instrumental in campaigning for the establishment of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a national holiday in the U.S., and wrote the song “Happy Birthday” in 1980 to honor King’s legacy.
He also performed at several benefit concerts, such as Live Aid in 1985, and collaborated with other artists, such as Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, and Dionne Warwick, on charity singles, such as “Ebony and Ivory”, “We Are the World”, and “That’s What Friends Are For”.
Wonder’s musical output in the 1980s was less prolific and innovative than in the previous decade, but he still produced some memorable songs and albums. He won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “I Just Called to Say I Love You” from the 1984 film The Woman in Red, and a Grammy Award for Song of the Year for “That’s What Friends Are For” in 1986. He also released the albums Hotter than July (1980), In Square Circle (1985), and Characters (1987), which featured hits such as “Master Blaster (Jammin’)”, “Part-Time Lover”, “Overjoyed”, and “Skeletons”.
Later Years and Legacy
In the 1990s and 2000s, Wonder’s musical activity slowed down, as he released only two studio albums, Conversation Peace (1995) and A Time to Love (2005), both of which received mixed reviews and moderate sales. He also faced some health problems, such as a car accident in 1973 that left him in a coma for four days, a near-fatal asthma attack in 1988, and a kidney transplant in 2019.
However, he remained active in performing and collaborating with other artists, such as Prince, Whitney Houston, Sting, Beyoncé, and Ariana Grande. He also received numerous honors and awards, such as the Kennedy Center Honors in 1999, the Billboard Century Award in 2004, the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize in 2009, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014. He was also named one of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2010.
What Is Stevie Wonder Songs?
Stevie Wonder songs are the musical compositions and recordings of Stevie Wonder, a legendary singer, songwriter, musician, and producer. He has released over 30 studio albums and hundreds of songs, spanning genres such as soul, R&B, pop, funk, gospel, and jazz.
Some of his most famous songs include “Superstition”, “You Are the Sunshine of My Life”, “I Just Called to Say I Love You”, and “Isn’t She Lovely”. He has also won 25 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and many other honors for his music.
What's Stevie Wonder's Net Worth
Stevie Wonder’s net worth is estimated to be around $200 million. He is one of the top-selling artists of all time, with over 100 million records sold worldwide. He has also won 25 Grammy Awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Stevie Wonder is a legendary musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who has influenced many genres of music, despite being blind since shortly after his birth.
Controversy And Activism Of Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder is not only a musical icon, but also a civil rights activist who has used his voice and influence to support various social causes. Some of his notable contributions are:
He campaigned for the creation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a national holiday to honor the legacy of the slain civil rights leader. He released a song called “Happy Birthday” in 1980 to raise awareness and rally support for the cause.
He dedicated his Oscar-winning song “I Just Called To Say I Love You” to Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid activist and former president of South Africa, in 1985. His music was banned by the apartheid regime, but he continued to advocate for Mandela’s release.
He participated in charity projects such as “We Are The World” (1985) and “That’s What Friends Are For” (1988) to raise funds and awareness for humanitarian aid in Africa and AIDS research.
He spoke at the United Nations in 2016, praising Mandela’s struggle for democracy, human rights, and social justice. He also expressed his concern for the issues of climate change and inequality.
He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States, in 2014, for his musical achievements and his humanitarian efforts.
Conclusion
Stevie Wonder is widely regarded as one of the most influential and important musicians of all time, and his music has inspired and influenced generations of artists across various genres and cultures. He is also admired for his humanitarian and social justice efforts, and his positive and uplifting message of love, peace, and harmony. He is a musical genius who has enriched the world with his talent, vision, and spirit.
