Stevie Wonder's Early Gift For Music

Stevie Wonder was born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, in Saginaw, Michigan. He was born six weeks early with retinopathy of prematurity, an eye disorder which lead to his blindness. Wonder showed an early gift for music, first with a church choir in Detroit, Michigan, where he and his family had moved to when he was four years old, and then later with a range of instruments including the harmonica, piano, and drums in which he taught himself before the age of 10. Stevie Wonder was just 11 years old when he was discovered by Ronnie White of the Motown band the Miracles. An audition followed with Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. who didn't hesitate to sign the young musician to a record deal. Stevie Wonder began working with Motown
songwriter Clarence Paul and released his debut The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie Wonder, an instrumental album that showed off his remarkable musicianship. The same year he also released Tribute to Uncle Ray, where Wonder covered the songs of soul icon Ray Charles. He then began to develop an audience with Little Stevie Wonder the 12 Year Old Genius, an album recorded live. The song “Fingertips, Pt. 2" became Wonder's first No. 1 song which reached the top of both the R&B and pop charts. Wonder scored two more R&B hits with a cover of Bob Dylan’s "Blowin' in the Wind" and the jubilant "I Was Made to Love Her," reaching No. 2 on the pop charts. The 1968 album For Once in My Life offered produced more singles with the songs "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" and "You Met Your Match," with Wonder serving as co-writer on all the songs. Wonder then released of My Cherie Amour, with the top 5 pop/R&B title ballad as well as the top 5 R&B "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday." Wonder would remain a consistent hit-maker over the next two decades, with the artist co-producing 1970's Signed, Sealed and Delivered; the album featured the No. 1 R&B title track and a top 5 R&B cover of the Beatles’ "We Can Work It Out." In 1971, Wonder negotiated a new contract with Motown that gave him almost total control over his records and greatly increased his royalty rate. 1971's Where I'm Coming From, with its groovy top 10 single "If You Really Love Me," marked the first time Wonder had written or co-wrote credits for every song on an album. 1972's Music of My Mind offered the song "Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You) was also a successful hit. Talking Book (1972), Innervisions (1973), Fulfillingness' First Finale (1974) and Songs in the Key of Life (1976) were considered Stevie Wonder’s best and most creative albums that would make music history. Talking Book offered two No. 1 hits, the jaunty funk jam "Superstition" and "You Are the Sunshine of My Life.” Next up was Innervisions which featured two No. 1 R&B hits, "Higher Ground" and "Living for the City," as well as the humorous "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing," which reached No. 2 on the R&B chart. All three singles fared well on the pop charts as well. Songs in the Key of Life that many have hailed as Wonder's most legendary project and one of the greatest records of all time. Songs in the Key of Life had two pop/R&B No. 1 singles,: the Duke Ellington tribute "Sir Duke" and the back-in-the-day paean "I Wish." Wonder had additional hit songs with "Another Star and "As," and "Isn't She Loveley.” During the 1970s Wonder also collaborated with other artist and produced more hits.
The 1980s were not as successful as the 1970s but he continued and released the album Hotter Than July which featured a disco track "All I Do" as well as the No. 1 R&B hit "Master Blaster (Jammin')," a reggae-influenced tribute to Bob Marley, and the top 5 R&B, country influenced song "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It." In 1982, Wonder teamed up with ex-Beatle Paul McCartney for the No. 1 U.S./U.K. single "Ebony and Ivory," a song promoting racial harmony that was featured on the McCartney album Tug of War. The list continues with more albums and song hits all the way into the 1990s. I n 1989, Wonder was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Wonder also tackled social issues through his music and appearances. He successfully created a national holiday recognizing the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A celebration he sang about in the track "Happy Birthday" from Hotter Than July. "Happy Birthday" became a major U.K. hit as well, reaching No. 2. Wonder had dedicated his Oscar win to Nelson Mandela and had performed on the No. 1 charity singles "We Are the World," to raise money for famine relief in Africa. He also preformed "That's What Friends Are For," with Warwick, Elton John and Gladys Knight, benefiting the American Foundation for
AIDS Research. In recent years Wonder released the well-received A Time to Love in 2005. Wonder also put out the concert DVD Live At Last: A Wonder's Summer Night in 2009. In Wonder’s personal life he married fellow Motown singer/songwriter Syreeta Wright in 1970 then divorcing two years later. Wonder had his first child, Aisha, with Yolanda Simmons in 1975. His daughter was the inspiration for "Isn't She Lovely." The couple had a son, Keita, who was born in 1977. In 1983, he had a son, Mumtaz, with Melody McCulley. Wonder had a daughter, Sophia, and son, Kwame, with a woman whose name has not been publicized. Wonder married Karen Millard Morris in 2001. The couple had two sons, Kailand and Mandla, together and divorced in 2015. After their divorce, Wonder began a relationship with Tomeeka Robyn Bracy with whom he has two children. As you could see Stevie wonder was an enormous inspiration to many and music had an impact on many, especially in the 1970s, and I grantee his music will live on for decades to come. I like Stevie Wonder’s cover of “Sir Duke” by Duke Ellington. The instruments and vocals were really neat.