A one-man band, Stevie Wonder redefined R&B music during the 1970s. His use of electronic musical instruments and synthesizers helped to drive the genre into an album-oriented frontier. His fame lent itself to charitable causes and socially conscious stances as he embarked on high-profile collaborations with such artists as Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson. Let’s take a look at five fascinating facts about Stevie Wonder.
Videos by American Songwriter
Motown Producer Clarence Paul Gave Him the Name “Little” Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Judkins was born in Saginaw, Michigan, on May 13, 1950. The six-week premature baby suffered retrolental fibroplasia as a result of oxygen therapy used in the development of the lungs. This caused the infant to lose his sight completely. At 4, his mother moved the children to Detroit, where young Stevie began singing and playing piano, harmonica, and drums. At age 11, he sang “Lonely Boy,’ a song he wrote, to Ronnie White, the baritone singer from The Miracles. White introduced Wonder and his mother to executives of Motown Records, and he performed again. A record deal with Tamla Records was drawn up. Several ideas were thrown around for a new professional name for the young phenom. Wonder Steve, Little Wonder. were among those considered. Finally, Little Stevie Wonder was agreed upon. At this same time, he legally changed his surname to Morris.
His First Big Hit Was an Improvised Performance
There were a few false starts in the career of Little Stevie Wonder. Two albums and three singles failed to make the charts before Wonder joined the Motortown Revue, a live-touring extravaganza featuring The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, The Temptations, and The Miracles. A performance was recorded at the Regal Theater in Chicago. As Wonder did “Fingertips,” a mostly instrumental song written by Clarence Paul and Henry Cosby, Wonder showed off his talents on the harmonica and bongos. As emcee Winehead Willie encouraged the crowd to “give him a hand,” signaling the end of the song, Wonder changed his mind and kept going. The backing band was in the process of changing over to back the next artist, Mary Wells. Bassist Larry Moses stepped aside as Joe Swift took over. You can hear him yelling in the recording, “What key? What key?”
The song was a smash, and it raced to the top of the R&B and pop charts. Wonder was 13, making him the youngest, at that time, to ever top the Billboard Hot 100.
An Automobile Accident Left Him in a Coma for Four Days
Wonder co-wrote “Uptight (Everything’s Alright),” which was a big hit, and “The Tears of a Clown,” which Smokey Robinson & The Miracles took to No. 1. The hits continued with “I Was Made to Love Her,” “For Once in My Life,” “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours,” and “My Cherie Amour.” In 1972, he recorded the album Music of My Mind, marking the beginning of his albums taking on a new direction. Rather than just a collection of singles and covers, this was an artistic statement with social and political themes. “Superstition,” “You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” and “Higher Ground” followed.
On August 6, 1973, Wonder was in a car that hit the back of a truck, sending the singer into a coma for four days. When he came to, he lost part of his sense of smell and, temporarily, his sense of taste. Doctors ordered Wonder to rest, but he performed at a homecoming benefit for Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, with LaBelle and The Chambers Brothers in November 1973. Songs in the Key of Life featured “I Wish,” “Sir Duke,” and “Isn’t She Lovely.
He Led a Campaign to Make Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday a Federal Holiday
Wonder continued to experiment with electronic music and, in 1980, released “Happy Birthday,” which was a main ingredient in a campaign to make Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday a national holiday. In 1983, President Reagan signed a bill making the third Monday in January a federal holiday. Meanwhile, he continued to make big hits. “Master Blaster (Jammin’),” “That Girl,” “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” and “Part Time Lover” were all hits in the ’80s. He played harmonica on Chaka Khan, Prince, Eurythmics, Elton John, and John Denver recordings, and appeared on the charity single “We Are the World.”
He Has Won 25 Grammy Awards
One of the most successful songwriters and musicians of the 20th century, Wonder has pioneered and influenced musicians of various genres, including pop, R&B, soul, funk, and rock. Although best known for his harmonica, he has also made incredible contributions on keyboards and drums. With more than 30 Top-10 hits and 10 No. 1s, he has sold more than 100 million records.
Wonder became the first African American to win an Oscar for Best Original Song for “I Just Called to Say I Love You” from the movie The Woman in Red. Wonder won 25 Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award. He was nominated 69 times. He has been inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, Rock & Rock Hall of Fame, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In 2004, Wonder told Oprah Winfrey, “When I was a child, kids used to make fun of me because I was blind. But I just became more curious: ‘How can I climb this tree and get an apple for this girl?’ That’s what mattered to me. … I was known as the blind boy who was always making noise, beating on walls, hitting on boxes, singing, and playing the bongos from morning till sunset on the front porch. People were like, ‘Give us a break. … God has given me an incredible gift—the gift of music—and it’s a blessing that’s self-contained. I can go anywhere in the world with absolutely nothing, and I can still find a keyboard and play. No matter what, no one can take that away from me.”
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for dcp
