Stevie Wonder, born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, is an American musician, singer, and songwriter known for his innovative music. Born blind since infancy, Wonder’s extraordinary talent has earned him numerous Grammy Awards throughout his career. His music spans multiple genres, including rhythm and blues, soul, funk, rock, and jazz.
Wonder’s recording career was briefly put on hold due to changing his voice, but he began studying classical piano at the Michigan School for the Blind. He dropped “Little” from his stage name and became a skilled composer of a vast catalogue of pop songs, many of which are hits. At forty-four, Wonder is revered as the composer of a thick catalogue of pop songs, an international star, and a former child prodigy who became an international star.
In his spare time, Wonder enjoys weightlifting in the gym, training for a gladiatorial bloodbath in a Muay Thai class, and practicing yoga. He also participates in numerous charitable events and benefit concerts.
As an American singer, songwriter, producer, and activist, Wonder has been a significant influence in the music industry, drawing from various musical styles such as rhythm and blues, soul, funk, rock, and jazz. His philanthropic efforts are evident in his participation in numerous charitable events and benefit concerts.
📹 Los Hobbies – Stevie Wonder Medley (Pinto 2015)
Plaza de la constitución de Pinto, Madrid – 29 de Marzo de 2015.
What good things did Stevie Wonder do?
The individual has been recognized for his philanthropic efforts by various organizations, including the U. S. President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, the Children’s Diabetes Foundation, Junior Blind of America, and the Wonder Vision Awards Program. He was designated as a Messenger of Peace in 2009, focusing on persons with disabilities. He has advocated for the adoption of the WIPO Marrakesh Treaty to facilitate access to published works for blind, visually impaired, or print disabled individuals.
Approximately 15 percent of the world’s population, including 80 in the developing world, has some form of impairment. Discrimination against persons with disabilities can take various forms, including denial of education or work opportunities, segregation, and isolation. The United Nations has been working to establish standards for equal treatment and access to services since its inception.
What were Stevie Wonder’s skills?
Stevie Wonder, born in 1950 in Michigan, became blind after birth and learned to play the harmonica, piano, and drums by age 9. His singing and musical skills were known in his neighborhood, and he was given a recording contract by Motown Records at age 12. Wonder’s early hits included “Fingertips”, “Uptight (Everything’s All Right)”, “For Once in My Life”, “My Cherie Amour”, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours”, and “If You Really Love Me”. He studied classical piano and music theory, and began writing more of his own material in 1967.
In the early 1970s, Wonder toured with the Rolling Stones and had major hits with songs “Superstition” and “You are the Sunshine of My Life”. His album “Songs in the Key of Life” topped the charts for 14 weeks in the mid-70s. Wonder has won 25 Grammy Awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. He was inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, became the youngest honoree of the Kennedy Center Honors in 1999, and won the Johnny Mercer Award in 2004.
What was Stevie Wonder interested in?
Stevie Wonder, a musical prodigy, began playing piano at the age of four and became a skilled musician by the age of eight. At the age of 11, he signed his first recording contract with Motown Records’ “Tamla” label. His first hit was ” Fingertips”, recorded live at the Regal Theater in Chicago at the age of 12. Wonder was influenced by many big names in the music industry, including Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Jackie Wilson, and King Curtis.
Marvin Gaye had a profound impact on him, encouraging him to let his music come out. Wonder was a prolific songwriter, writing or co-writing songs for many popular artists, including The Supremes, the Marvelettes, Brenda Holloway, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, The Temptations, Ramsey Lewis, the Spinners, Syreeta, LaBelle, Rufus, Minnie Riperton, Roberta Flack, The Pointer Sisters, James Taylor, Michael Jackson, and Quincy Jones. In 1983, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
What were Stevie Wonder’s interesting facts?
Stevie Wonder, born in Detroit in the early 20th century, was a skilled musician who made his recording debut at age 12. He was introduced by Ronnie White, a member of the Miracles, and his high-pitched singing and frantic harmonica playing were evident in his first hit single, ” Fingertips (Part 2)”, recorded during a show at Chicago’s Regal Theatre in 1963. By 1964, he was no longer described as “Little” and had cowritten “The Tears of a Clown”.
Over the next five years, Wonder had hits with ” I Was Made to Love Her”, ” My Cherie Amour”, and ” For Once in My Life”, songs that suited dancers and lovers. His albums, Talking Book, Innervisions, Fulfillingness’ First Finale, and Songs in the Key of Life, were considered masterpieces, each winning a slew of Grammy Awards, each being named album of the year. These albums produced a steady stream of classic hit songs, among them “Superstition”, ” You Are the Sunshine of My Life”, “High Ground”, ” Living for the City”, ” Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing”, ” Boogie On Reggae Woman”, ” I Wish”, and ” Sir Duke”.
Wonder appeared to have mastered virtually every idiom of African-American popular music and synthesized them into a language of his own. His command of the new generation of electronic keyboard instruments made him a pioneer and an inspiration to rock musicians, while his inventiveness of vocal phrasing resembled the greatest jazz singers. The fertile period ended in 1979 with a fey and overambitious extended work called Stevie Wonder’s Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants.
After his recordings became sporadic and often lacked focus, his concerts were never less than rousing. The best of his work formed a vital link between the classic rhythm-and-blues and soul performers of the 1950s and ’60s and their less commercially constrained successors.
Who inspired Stevie Wonder?
Stevie Wonder has been influenced by numerous artists throughout his career, including Ray Charles, Smokey Robinson, Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, and King Curtis. Marvin Gaye is considered the most influential person to Wonder, as he encouraged him to let his music come out and supported him in his transition to creative control. Wonder collaborated with, mentored, and inspired numerous musicians, with Rolling Stone Record Guide Magazine stating that his albums “pioneered stylistic approaches that helped determine the shape of pop music for the next decade”.
However, his impact has been felt for a long time, with contemporary artists such as Beyoncé, Drake, Frank Ocean, Janelle Monae, and Lauryn Hill exemplifying his presence. Wonder’s influence extends beyond his career, with his music influencing countless artists and influencing the music industry.
What inspired Stevie Wonder?
Stevie Wonder has been influenced by numerous artists throughout his career, including Ray Charles, Smokey Robinson, Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, and King Curtis. Marvin Gaye is considered the most influential person to Wonder, as he encouraged him to let his music come out and supported him in his transition to creative control. Wonder collaborated with, mentored, and inspired numerous musicians, with Rolling Stone Record Guide Magazine stating that his albums “pioneered stylistic approaches that helped determine the shape of pop music for the next decade”.
However, his impact has been felt for a long time, with contemporary artists such as Beyoncé, Drake, Frank Ocean, Janelle Monae, and Lauryn Hill exemplifying his presence. Wonder’s influence extends beyond his career, with his music influencing countless artists and influencing the music industry.
How did Stevie Wonder learn to play?
Stevland Morris, born Stevland Morris in 1950, is a renowned musician known for his hits like “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” and “You Are the Sunshine of My Life”. Born in Detroit, Morris taught himself to play various instruments, eventually mastering the harmonica, piano, organ, and drums by age 10. In 1961, he auditioned with Berry Gordy at Motown Records and was given the stage name Little Stevie Wonder. The release of Fingertips in 1963 established his commercial success, with the label marketing him as the “12-year-old genius”.
Morris created the lyrics and tunes for his ten-year-in-the-making CD, A Time To Love, in Hollywood music studios called Wonderland. He has had some incredibly triumphal things happen in his life, such as his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, the birth of his seven children, and his recovery from a near-fatal car accident in 1973. Morris is still as much a messenger as a musician, as his music raises the challenge of coming together for a greater good.
How did Stevie Wonder learn music?
Stevland Morris, born Stevland Morris in 1950, is a renowned musician known for his hits like “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” and “You Are the Sunshine of My Life”. Born in Detroit, Morris taught himself to play various instruments, eventually mastering the harmonica, piano, organ, and drums by age 10. In 1961, he auditioned with Berry Gordy at Motown Records and was given the stage name Little Stevie Wonder. The release of Fingertips in 1963 established his commercial success, with the label marketing him as the “12-year-old genius”.
Morris created the lyrics and tunes for his ten-year-in-the-making CD, A Time To Love, in Hollywood music studios called Wonderland. He has had some incredibly triumphal things happen in his life, such as his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, the birth of his seven children, and his recovery from a near-fatal car accident in 1973. Morris is still as much a messenger as a musician, as his music raises the challenge of coming together for a greater good.
Did Stevie Wonder marry?
In 1970, Stevie Wonder entered into a marital union with Syreeta Wright, which was subsequently dissolved in a cordial manner. He subsequently entered into a second marriage with Kai Millard in 2001, which was dissolved by divorce in 2009 and again in 2012. In 2017, he entered into a marital union with Tomeeka Bracy, which continues to this day. Stevie Wonder has two children: Aisha Morris, born to Yolanda Simmons in 1975, and Kwame, born to an unidentified woman.
What is Stevie known for?
Stevie Wonder, an American musician and former child prodigy, is known for his creative musical contributions of the 20th century. Born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, in Saginaw, Michigan, Wonder made his recording debut at age 11, becoming a significant figure in the 1960s with chart-topping hits like “Fingertips, Pt. 2”, “I Was Made to Love Her”, and “My Cherie Amour”. Over the next decade, Wonder had numerous No. 1 songs on the pop and R&B charts, including “Superstition”, “You Are the Sunshine of My Life”, and “Higher Ground”.
He continued to produce hits into the 1980s, including “I Just Called to Say I Love You” and “Part-Time Lover”. Wonder’s early life was marked by retinopathy of prematurity, an eye disorder exacerbated by excessive oxygen in an incubator.
What is Stevie Wonder passionate about?
Stevie Wonder, born in South Africa, has become an artist who combines musical innovation with political activism. He has been a vocal critic of apartheid and has been involved in the global war against famine. Wonder’s music touches people’s consciences and aims to reach people’s consciences on matters other than the heart. Born blind since birth, Wonder mastered the harmonica and drums at age 7, and at 11, he had a contract with Motown, leading to the birth of “Little Stevie Wonder”.
In 1963, he became one of Motown’s finest artists, recording a series of brilliant singles for nine years. By the end of the 1960s, Wonder was not only hitting the charts with his own records but also writing for other Motown artists. However, his creative spirit felt constrained by Motown’s strict production and publishing contracts. When his record contract expired in 1971, Wonder recorded two full albums by himself and used them as a bargaining tool during contract negotiations.
The record label gave him total artistic control of his albums and the rights to his own songs. In the first decade of his artistic ancipation, Wonder released seven classic albums, including “Music of My Mind”, which helped usher in a new era where soul and R&B albums became more than just collections of singles.
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