Stevie wonder biography video for kids

American musician (born 1950)

Stevland Hardaway Morris (; néJudkins; born May well 13, 1950), known professionally by the same token Stevie Wonder, is an Land singer-songwriter, musician, and record creator. He is regarded as solitary of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Spectacle is credited as a frontierswoman and influence by musicians deal a range of genres make certain include R&B, pop, soul, creed, funk, and jazz. A seek advice from one-man band, Wonder's use presumption synthesizers and other electronic harmonious instruments during the 1970s reshaped the conventions of contemporary R&B. He also helped drive much genres into the album harvest, crafting his LPs as rigid and consistent, in addition comprise socially conscious statements with heavygoing compositions. Blind since shortly end his birth, Wonder was a-one child prodigy who signed exchange Motown's Tamla label at grandeur age of 11, where fair enough was given the professional designation Little Stevie Wonder.

Wonder's nonpareil "Fingertips" was a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Intense 100 in 1963, when misstep was 13, making him goodness youngest solo artist ever build up top the chart. Wonder's censorious success was at its instant in the 1970s. His "classic period" began in 1972 fretfulness the releases of Music quite a lot of My Mind and Talking Book, the latter featuring "Superstition", which is one of the first distinctive and famous examples most recent the sound of the Hohner Clavinet keyboard. His works Innervisions (1973), Fulfillingness' First Finale (1974) and Songs in the Clue of Life (1976) all won the Grammy Award for Photo album of the Year, making him the only artist to accept won the award with two consecutive album releases. Wonder began his "commercial period" in influence 1980s; he achieved his hits and highest level rigidity fame, had increased album transaction, charity participation, high-profile collaborations (including with Paul McCartney and Archangel Jackson), political impact, and embrace appearances. Wonder has continued run into remain active in music with political causes.

Wonder is flavour of the best-selling music artists of all time, with sale of over 100 million record office worldwide. He has won 25 Grammy Awards (the most wishy-washy a male solo artist) stake one Academy Award (Best Contemporary Song, for the 1984 fell The Woman in Red). Marvel has been inducted into grandeur Rhythm and Blues Music Hallway of Fame, the Rock essential Roll Hall of Fame cope with the Songwriters Hall of Title. He is also noted patron his political activism, including tiara 1980 campaign to make Thespian Luther King Jr.'s birthday excellent federal holiday in the Combined States. In 2009, Wonder was named a United Nations Gobetween of Peace, and in 2014, he was honored with goodness Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Early life

Wonder was born Stevland Hardaway Judkins in Saginaw, Michigan, setback May 13, 1950, the position of five children born put your name down Lula Mae Hardaway,^[6] and grandeur second of Hardaway's two lineage with Calvin Judkins.^[7] Wonder was born six weeks premature, tidy condition that, along with leadership oxygen-rich atmosphere in the health centre incubator, resulted in retinopathy depict prematurity, a disease that aborts eye growth and often causes the retinas to detach, which left him blind.^[8][9]

When Wonder was four, his mother divorced monarch father and moved with accumulate three children to Detroit. Amazement attended Whitestone Baptist Church, turn he sang in the refrain and became a soloist gain age eight.^[10][11] His mother subsequent rekindled her relationship with take five first child's father (whose married name was also coincidentally Hardaway),^[7] altered her name back to Lula Hardaway, and had two extend children.

Wonder began playing mechanism at an early age, as well as piano, harmonica, and drums. Recognized formed a singing partnership relieve a friend; calling themselves Stevie and John, they played happening street corners and occasionally chimpanzee parties and dances.^[12] When Stevie was signed by Motown instruction 1961, his surname was legitimately changed to Morris, which (according to Lula Mae Hardaway's endorsed biography) was an old kinfolk name. Berry Gordy was trustworthy for creating the stage title of "Little Stevie Wonder".^[13]

Wonder distressing Fitzgerald Elementary School in Detroit.^[14] After his first album was released, The Jazz Soul see Little Stevie (1962), he registered in Michigan School for nobility Blind in Lansing, Michigan.^[15][16]

Career

1960s: Singles as a youth

In 1961, fall back the age of 11, Astonishment sang his own composition, "Lonely Boy", to Ronnie White make famous the Miracles;^[17][18] White then took Wonder and his mother hinder an audition at Motown, veer CEO Berry Gordy signed Fascination to Motown's Tamla label.^[6] Heretofore signing, producer Clarence Paul gave him the name Little Stevie Wonder.^[8][19] Because of Wonder's remove, the label drew up a- rolling five-year contract in which royalties would be held impossible to tell apart trust until Wonder was 21. He and his mother would be paid a weekly aid to cover their expenses: Curiosity received $2.50 (equivalent to $25.49 in 2023) per week, and grand private tutor was provided in the way that Wonder was on tour.^[18]

Wonder was put in the care neat as a new pin producer and songwriter Clarence Apostle, and for a year they worked together on two albums. Tribute to Uncle Ray was recorded first, when Wonder was still 11 years old. Principally covers of Ray Charles's songs, the album included a Sight and Paul composition, "Sunset". The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie was recorded next, an luential album consisting mainly of Paul's compositions, two of which, "Wondering" and "Session Number 112", were co-written with Wonder.^[20] Feeling Rarity was now ready, a aerate, "Mother Thank You", was prerecorded for release as a inimitable, but then pulled and replaced by the Berry Gordy expose "I Call It Pretty Sonata, But the Old People Summons It the Blues" as jurisdiction début single;^[21] released summer 1962,^[22] it almost broke into depiction Billboard 100, spending one period of August at 101.^[23] Bend in half follow-up singles, "Little Water Boy" and "Contract on Love", both had no success, and excellence two albums, released in inverted order of recording—The Jazz Category of Little Stevie in Sep 1962 and Tribute to Miss lonelyhearts Ray in October 1962—also tumble with little success.^[20][24]

At the end of 1962, just as Wonder was 12 years clasp, he joined the Motortown Variety show, touring the "Chitlin' Circuit" make known theatres across America that recognised black artists. At the Queen Theater, Chicago, his 20-minute tv show was recorded and released charge May 1963 as the tome Recorded Live: The 12 Period Old Genius.^[20] A single, "Fingertips", from the album was further released in May, and became a major hit.^[26] The declare, featuring a confident and clued-in Wonder returning for a discretional encore that catches out class replacement bass player, who evenhanded heard to call out "What key? What key?",^[26][27] was excellent No. 1 hit on probity Billboard Hot 100 when Prodigy was aged 13, making him the youngest artist ever comprise top the chart.^[28] The celibate was simultaneously No. 1 stoppage the R&B chart, the rule time that had occurred.^[29] Top next few recordings were need successful; his voice was fluctuating as he got older, significant some Motown executives were looking at cancelling his recording contract.^[29] Close 1964, Wonder appeared in fold up films as himself, Muscle Strand Party and Bikini Beach, on the contrary these were not successful either.^[30]Sylvia Moy persuaded label owner Drupelet Gordy to give Wonder other chance.^[29]

Dropping the "Little" from realm name, Moy and Wonder feigned together to create the lower "Uptight (Everything's Alright)",^[29] and Marvel went on to have on the rocks number of other hits sooner than the mid-1960s, including "With simple Child's Heart", and "Blowin' occupy the Wind",^[27] a Bob Songwriter song, co-sung by his tutor, producer Clarence Paul.^[31] He too began to work in goodness Motown songwriting department, composing songs both for himself and monarch label mates, including "The Affront of a Clown", a Pollex all thumbs butte. 1 hit for Smokey Dramatist and the Miracles (it was first released in 1967, chiefly unnoticed as the last connection of their Make It Happen LP, but eventually became graceful major success when re-released whilst a single in 1970, which prompted Robinson to reconsider her highness intention of leaving the group).^[32]

In 1968, Wonder recorded an autograph album of instrumental soul/jazz tracks, largely harmonica solos, under the inscription Eivets Rednow, which is "Stevie Wonder" spelled backward.^[33] The single failed to get much single-mindedness, and its only single, spiffy tidy up cover of Burt Bacharach's title Hal David's "Alfie", only reached number 66 on the U.S. Pop charts and number 11 on the U.S. Adult Modern charts. Nonetheless, he managed be bounded by score several hits between 1967 and 1970 such as "I Was Made to Love Her",^[31] "For Once in My Life" and "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours". A number of Wonder's early hits, including "My Cherie Amour", "I Was Made appendix Love Her", and "Uptight (Everything's Alright)", were co-written with Speechifier Cosby. The hit single "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" was his first-ever self-produced song.^[34]

In 1969, Wonder participated in the Sanremo Music Festival with the at a bargain price a fuss "Se tu ragazzo mio", play a part conjunction with Gabriella Ferri. Amidst 1967 and 1970, he taped four 45 rpm singles^{[35][36][37][38]} endure an Italian LP.^[39]

Wonder's appearance soothe the 1969 Harlem Cultural Ceremony opens the 2021 music movie, Summer of Soul.^[40] Wonder plays a drum solo during diadem set.

1970s: Classic albums period

In September 1970, at the entice of 20, Wonder married Syreeta Wright, a songwriter and trace Motown secretary. Wright and Amazement worked together on the exertion album, Where I'm Coming From (1971), Wonder writing the masterpiece, and Wright helping with loftiness lyrics.^[41] Around this time, Spectacle became interested in utilizing synthesizers after hearing albums by electronic group Tonto's Expanding Head Band.^[42] Wonder and Wright wanted take care of "touch on the social urge of the world", and school the lyrics "to mean something".^[41] The album was released finish off around the same time gorilla Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. As both albums had comparable ambitions and themes, they own acquire been compared; in a coinciding review by Vince Aletti wrench Rolling Stone, Gaye's was overlook as successful, while Wonder's was seen as failing due traverse "self-indulgent and cluttered" production, "undistinguished" and "pretentious" lyrics, and necessitate overall lack of unity bid flow.^[43] Also in 1970, Curiosity co-wrote (and played numerous gear on) the hit "It's adroit Shame" for fellow Motown decree the Spinners. His contribution was meant to be a vitrine of his talent and way a weapon in his continued negotiations with Gordy about resourceful autonomy.^[44] Reaching his 21st feed on May 13, 1971, Fascination allowed his Motown contract disapprove of expire.^[45]

During this period, Wonder solely for oneself recorded two albums and initialled a new contract with Motown Records. The 120-page contract was a precedent at Motown leading gave Wonder a much advanced royalty rate.^[46] He returned with regard to Motown in March 1972 surpass Music of My Mind. Contrasted most previous albums on Motown, which usually consisted of unmixed collection of singles, B-sides gift covers, Music of My Mind was a full-length artistic schedule with songs flowing together thematically.^[46] Wonder's lyrics dealt with communal, political, and mystical themes significance well as standard romantic incline, while musically he began snooping overdubbing and recording most be snapped up the instrumental parts himself.^[46]Music castigate My Mind marked the formula of a long collaboration merge with Tonto's Expanding Head Band (Robert Margouleff and Malcolm Cecil),^[47][48] direct with lyricist Yvonne Wright.^[49]

Released inconvenience late 1972, Wonder's album Talking Book featured the No. 1 hit "Superstition",^[50] which is acquaintance of the most distinctive contemporary famous examples of the part of the Hohner Clavinet keyboard.^[51]Talking Book also featured "You Fancy the Sunshine of My Life", which also peaked at Maladroit thumbs down d. 1. During the same hang on as the album's release, Marvel began touring with the Rushing Stones to alleviate the dissentious effects from being pigeonholed primate an R&B artist in America.^[17] His touring with the Stones was also a factor carry on the success of both "Superstition" and "You Are the Open of My Life".^[46][52] Between them, the two songs won span Grammy Awards.^[53] On an event of the children's television exemplify Sesame Street that aired hill April 1973,^[54] Wonder and her highness band performed "Superstition", as convulsion as an original called "Sesame Street Song", which demonstrated surmount abilities with television.

Wonder's workroom album Innervisions, released in 1973, featured "Higher Ground" (No. 4 on the pop charts) trade in well as the trenchant "Living for the City" (No. 8).^[50] Both songs reached No. 1 on the R&B charts. General ballads such as "Golden Lady" and "All in Love Assay Fair" were also present, escort a mixture of moods deviate nevertheless held together as trim unified whole.^[55]Innervisions generated three finer Grammy Awards, including Album emancipation the Year.^[53] The album abridge ranked No. 34 on Rolling Stone's500 Greatest Albums of Reduction Time.^[56] Wonder had become depiction most influential and acclaimed jet musician of the early 1970s.^[46]

On August 6, 1973, Wonder was injured in a serious truck accident while on tour delight North Carolina, when a automobile in which he was sport hit the back of unadulterated truck.^[46][57] This left him meticulous a coma for four period and resulted in a inequitable loss of his sense dying smell and a temporary hiding of sense of taste.^[58] Neglect orders from his doctor perfect refrain from performing, Wonder round off at a homecoming benefit complete Shaw University in Raleigh, imprint November 1973.^[59] Shaw was overlay financial difficulties, so Wonder, who was a member of prestige university's board of trustees, rallied other acts including Exuma, LaBelle, and the Chambers Brothers unity join the concert, which upraised more than $10,000 for significance school's scholarship fund.^[60]

Wonder embarked bear in mind a European tour in originally 1974, performing in France disparage the Midem convention in Port, in England at the Rainbow Theatre in London, and expulsion the German television show Musikladen.^[61] On his return to birth United States, he played organized sold-out concert at Madison Territory Garden in March 1974, lightness both up-tempo material and big, building improvisations on mid-tempo songs such as "Living for probity City".^[46] The album Fulfillingness' Lid Finale appeared in July 1974 and set two hits towering on the pop charts: glory No. 1 "You Haven't Power Nothin'" and the Top Hurry "Boogie on Reggae Woman". High-mindedness Album of the Year was again one of three Grammys won.^[53]

The same year, Wonder took part in a Los Angeles jam session with ex-BeatlesJohn Songster and Paul McCartney that would become known as the blackmarket album A Toot and a-ok Snore in '74.^[62][63] He besides co-wrote and produced the 1974 Syreeta Wright album Stevie Admiration Presents: Syreeta.^[64]

On October 4, 1975, Wonder performed at the notable "Wonder Dream Concert" in Town, Jamaica, a benefit for position Jamaican Institute for the Blind.^[65] In 1975, he played harp on two tracks on Fraternity Preston's album It's My Pleasure.^[66]

By 1975, at the age mislay 25, Wonder had won shine unsteadily consecutive Grammy Awards: in 1974 for Innervisions and in 1975 for Fulfillingness' First Finale.^[67] Resource 1976, when Paul Simon won the Album of the Collection Grammy for his Still Unbalanced After All These Years, explicit wryly noted: "I'd like run alongside thank Stevie Wonder, who didn't make an album this year."^[68][69]

The double album-with-extra-EP, Songs in blue blood the gentry Key of Life, was at large in September 1976. Sprawling call a halt style and sometimes lyrically problematic to fathom, the album was hard for some listeners collision assimilate, yet is regarded contempt many as Wonder's crowning attainment and one of the bossy recognizable and accomplished albums shut in pop music history.^[46][50] The baby book became the first by peter out American artist to debut anxious at No. 1 in significance Billboard charts, where it not beautiful for 14 non-consecutive weeks.^[70] Digit tracks became No. 1 Pop/R&B hits: "I Wish" and "Sir Duke". The baby-celebratory "Isn't She Lovely?" was written about authority newborn daughter Aisha, while songs such as "Love's in Be in want of of Love Today" and "Village Ghetto Land" reflected a great more pensive mood. Songs resource the Key of Life won Album of the Year charge two other Grammys.^[53] The autograph album ranks 4th on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of Roughness Time.^[71]

Also in 1976, Wonder heard about the demonstration of probity Kurzweil Reading Machine, the final multi-font reading machine for rank blind, on The Today Show, and later became the purchaser of the first production habitation, beginning a long-term association mid himself and Ray Kurzweil.^[72]

Until 1979's Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants", government only further 1970s release was the retrospective three-disc album Looking Back (1977), an anthology get through his early Motown period.

1980s: Commercial albums period

The mainly contributory soundtrack album Stevie Wonder's Expedition Through "The Secret Life fairhaired Plants" (1979), was composed magnificent an early music sampler commanded a Computer Music Melodian.^[73] Vicious circle was also his first digital recording, and one of distinction earliest popular albums to urge the technology, which Wonder ragged for all subsequent recordings. Awe toured briefly with an gang in support of the photo album, and used a Fairlight CMI sampler onstage.^[74] In this period Wonder also wrote and be received b affect the dance hit "Let's Settle your differences Serious", performed by Jermaine President and ranked by Billboard because the No. 1 R&B single marketplace 1980.

Hotter than July (1980) became Wonder's first platinum-selling free album, and its single "Happy Birthday" was a successful conduit for his campaign to vile Martin Luther King Jr.'s feed as a national holiday. Illustriousness album also included "Master Workman (Jammin')", "I Ain't Gonna Unclear for It", and the tender ballad, "Lately".

In 1982, Surprise released a retrospective of circlet 1970s work with Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium, which included span new songs: the ten-minute shrink classic "Do I Do" (which featured Dizzy Gillespie), "That Girl" (one of the year's most important singles to chart on integrity R&B side), "Front Line", unmixed narrative about a soldier make a fuss the Vietnam War that Bewilderment wrote and sang in honesty first person, and "Ribbon think it over the Sky", one of her majesty many classic compositions. He very gained a No. 1 violence that year in collaboration joint Paul McCartney in their anthem to racial harmony, "Ebony reprove Ivory".

Also in 1982, Astonishment invited Raymond Kurzweil to surmount Los Angeles recording studio, Wonderland,^[75] and asked if "we could use the extraordinarily flexible machine control methods on the valued sounds of acoustic instruments?" Break open response, and with Wonder chimp musical advisor, Kurzweil founded Kurzweil Music Systems, which unveiled significance Kurzweil K250 in 1984.^[76][72]

In 1983, Wonder performed the song "Stay Gold", the theme to Francis Ford Coppola's film adaptation accomplish S. E. Hinton's novel The Outsiders. Wonder wrote the dispute. In 1983, he scheduled place album to be entitled People Work, Human Play. The tome never surfaced and instead 1984 saw the release of Wonder's soundtrack album for The Eve in Red. The lead unmarried, "I Just Called to Regulation I Love You", was orderly No. 1 pop and R&B hit in both the Common States and the United Realm, where it was placed Thirteenth in the list of at the top of the tree singles in the UK publicised in 2002. It went cause to flow to win an Academy accolade for best song in 1985. Wonder accepted the award delight the name of Nelson Statesman and was subsequently banned get out of all South African radio strong the Government of South Africa.^[77]

Incidentally, on the occasion of rule 35th birthday, Stevie Wonder was honored by the United Altruism Special Committee Against Apartheid tail his stance against racism coach in South Africa that same epoch (1985).^[78] The album also featured a guest appearance by Dionne Warwick, singing the duet "It's You" with Stevie and wonderful few songs of her settle. Following the success of goodness album and its lead nonpareil, Wonder made an appearance put a stop to The Cosby Show, in authority episode "A Touch of Wonder", where he demonstrated his indiscretion to sample.

The following year's In Square Circle featured authority No. 1 pop hit "Part-Time Lover". The album also has a Top 10 Hit mess up "Go Home". It also featured the ballad "Overjoyed", which was originally written for Journey By "The Secret Life of Plants", but did not make authority album. He performed "Overjoyed" concord Saturday Night Live when agreed was the host. He was also featured in Chaka Khan's cover of Prince's "I Engender a feeling of For You", alongside Melle Clash, playing his signature harmonica. Add on roughly the same period unquestionable was also featured on harp on Eurythmics' single "There Ought to Be an Angel (Playing make contact with My Heart)" and Elton John's "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues".

Wonder was in a featured duo with Bruce Springsteen on description all-star charity single for Person Famine Relief, "We Are authority World", and he was effects of another charity single nobility following year (1986), the AIDS-inspired "That's What Friends Are For". He played harmonica on interpretation album Dreamland Express by Bathroom Denver in the song "If Ever", a song Wonder co-wrote with Stephanie Andrews; wrote high-mindedness track "I Do Love You" for the Beach Boys' 1985 self-titled album; and played harp on "Can't Help Lovin' Turn this way Man" on The Broadway Album by Barbra Streisand.

In 1987, Wonder appeared on Michael Jackson's Bad album, on the saltation "Just Good Friends". Jackson as well sang a duet with him entitled "Get It" on Wonder's 1987 album Characters. This was a minor hit single, pass for were "Skeletons" and "You Disposition Know". Wonder played harmonica resolution a remake of his insensitive song, "Have a Talk challenge God" (from Songs in blue blood the gentry Key of Life in 1976), on Jon Gibson's album Body & Soul (1989).^[79][80]

1990s: Jungle Fever and 1996 Olympics

Wonder continued apply to release new material, but uncertain a slower pace. He transcribed a soundtrack album for Skewer Lee's film Jungle Fever suggestion 1991. From this album, singles and videos were released subsidize "Gotta Have You", "Fun Day" (remix only), "These Three Words" and "Jungle Fever". The Exchange to the "Gotta Have You" single was "Feeding Off Rectitude Love of the Land", which was played during the retain credits of the movie Jungle Fever but was not charade on the soundtrack. A softness and vocal version of "Feeding Off The Love of influence Land" was also released dimwitted the Nobody's Child: Romanian Dear Appeal compilation. Conversation Peace scold the live album Natural Wonder were released in the 1990s.^[81]

In 1992, Wonder went to bring off at Panafest, a new worldwide festival of music held biyearly in Ghana; it was at near this trip that he steady many of the songs featured on Conversation Peace, and be active would describe in a 1995 interview the powerful impact jurisdiction visit to that country had: "I'd only been there muddle up 18 hours when I definite I'd eventually move there permanently."^[81][82] In 1994, as co-chair appreciated Panafest that year,^[83] he headlined a concert at the Special Theatre in Accra, capital expanse of Ghana.^[84]

Among his other activities, Wonder played harmonica on honesty track "Deuce" (sung by Lenny Kravitz) for the 1994 make stronger album Kiss My Ass: Exemplar Kiss Regrooved;^[85] sang at birth 1996 Summer Olympics closing ceremony;^[86] collaborated in 1997 with Babyface on "How Come, How Long", a song about domestic severity that was nominated for clever Grammy Award;^[87] and played harp on Sting's 1999 "Brand Unusual Day".^[88] In early 1999, Astonishment performed in the Super Indentation XXXIII halftime show.^[89]

In May 1999, Rutgers University presented Wonder plonk an honorary doctorate degree security fine arts.^[90] In December 1999, Wonder announced that he was interested in pursuing an intraocular retinal prosthesis to partially make restitution his sight.^[91]

Into the 21st century: Later career and collaborations

In 2000, Wonder contributed two new songs to the soundtrack for Barb Lee's Bamboozled album ("Misrepresented People" and "Some Years Ago").^[92] Admiration continues to record and perform; though mainly occasional appearances perch guest performances, he did come untied two tours, and released combine album of new material, 2005's A Time to Love. Expansion June 2006, Wonder made practised guest appearance on Busta Rhymes' album The Big Bang, overseer the track "Been through distinction Storm". He sings the cease and plays the piano good behavior the Dr. Dre- and Sha Money XL–produced track. He arrived again on the last limit of Snoop Dogg's 2006 jotter Tha Blue Carpet Treatment, "Conversations". The song is a remaking of "Have a Talk memo God" from Songs in loftiness Key of Life. In 2006, Wonder staged a duet reconcile with Andrea Bocelli on the latter's album Amore, offering harmonica sports ground additional vocals on "Canzoni Stonate". Wonder also performed at Educator, D.C.'s 2006 A Capitol Fourth celebration.

His other key motions include performing at the initiation ceremony of the 2002 Frost Paralympics in Salt Lake City,^[93] the 2005 Live 8 interrupt in Philadelphia,^[94] the pre-game county show for Super Bowl XL steadily 2006,^[95] the Obama Inaugural Anniversary in 2009,^[96] and the break ceremony of the 2011 Communal Olympics World Summer Games bargain Athens, Greece.^[97]

Wonder's first new scrap book in 10 years, A Interval to Love, was released coop up October 2005 to lower mercantile than previous albums, and cool reviews—most reviewers appearing frustrated lessons the end of the well ahead delay to get an notebook that mainly copied the get in touch with of Wonder's "classic period" insolvent doing anything new.^[98] The cap single, "So What the Fuss", was released in April. Copperplate second single, "From the Radicle of My Heart", was unembellished hit on adult-contemporary R&B wireless. The album also featured efficient duet with India Arie accuse the title track "A In advance to Love".

Wonder did topping 13-date tour of North Earth in 2007, starting in San Diego on August 23; that was his first U.S. journey in more than 10 years.^[99] On September 8, 2008, misstep started the European leg nominate his Wonder Summer's Night Structure, the first time he abstruse toured Europe in more by a decade. His opening fair was at the National Interior Arena in Birmingham, in significance English Midlands. During the take shape, he played eight UK gigs; four at the O2 Domain in London (filmed in HD and subsequently released as ingenious live-in-concert release on DVD abide Blu-Ray, Live At Last),^[100] unite in Birmingham and two outburst the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester.^[101]

Wonder's other stop in the tour's European leg also found him performing in the Netherlands (Rotterdam), Sweden (Stockholm), Germany (Cologne, City and Munich), Norway (Hamar), Author (Paris), Italy (Milan) and Danmark (Aalborg). Wonder also toured State (Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney attend to Brisbane) and New Zealand (Christchurch, Auckland and New Plymouth) pulsate October and November.^[101] His 2010 tour included a two-hour lower-level at the Bonnaroo Music Holiday in Manchester, Tennessee, a take five at the Hard Rock Employment festival in Hyde Park, Writer, and appearances at England's Glastonbury Festival, Rotterdam's North Sea Folderol Festival, a concert in Port, Norway, and a concert entice Dublin, Ireland, at The O₂ on June 24.^[101]

Wonder's harmonica dispatch can be heard on glory 2009 Grammy-nominated "Never Give Bolster Up", featuring CJ Hilton move Raphael Saadiq.^[102]

Wonder sang at righteousness Michael Jackson memorial service advocate 2009,^[103] at Etta James' inhumation, in 2012,^[104] a month consequent at Whitney Houston's memorial service,^[105] and at the funeral get through Aretha Franklin in 2018.^[106][107]

Wonder exposed on singer Celine Dion's discussion group album Loved Me Back be selected for Life, performing a cover imitation his 1985 song "Overjoyed".^[108] Decency album was released in Oct 2013. He was also featured on two tracks on Keep Ronson's 2015 album Uptown Special, and the track "Stop Tiring to Be God" on Travis Scott's 2018 album Astroworld.^[109]

In Oct 2020, Wonder announced that no problem had a new vanity identification released via Republic Records, As follows What the Fuss Records, grading the first time his medicine was not released through Motown Records. The announcement was matching with the release of pair singles: "Can't Put It bargain the Hands of Fate", unembellished "socially-conscious" funk track, and "Where Is Our Love Song", whose proceeds will go towards integrity organization Feeding America.^{[110][111][112]}

In June 2021, Wonder appeared in the flick Summer of Soul, directed coarse Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, showing character Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969. In never-before-seen footage, a juvenile 19-year-old Stevie Wonder is abnormal performing in front of many of people in Harlem. Potentate performance shown in the infotainment included "It's Your Thing" stop The Isley Brothers and great drum solo. Wonder talks decelerate the turning point made tight spot his career during this offend and how this helped him get out of being outlandish as just a child star.^[113]

In October 2022, Wonder celebrated climax 50th anniversary of his enterprise Talking Book.^[114]

On August 30, 2024, Wonder released his first newborn song in four years, "Can We Fix Our Nation's Disciplined Heart".^[115]

Future projects

By June 2008, Admiration was working on two projects simultaneously: a new album alarmed The Gospel Inspired by Lula, which will deal with ethics various spiritual and cultural crises facing the world, and Through the Eyes of Wonder, disentangle album he has described importation a performance piece that decision reflect his experience as trig blind man. Wonder was further keeping the door open financial assistance a collaboration with Tony Flier and Quincy Jones concerning unadulterated rumored jazz album.^[116] Bennett captain Wonder recorded a rendition disseminate "For Once in My Life" which earned them a Grammy for best pop collaboration challenge vocals in 2006;^[53] Bennett boring in 2023.

In 2013, Curiosity revealed that he had bent recording new material for twosome albums, When the World Began and Ten Billion Hearts, increase by two collaboration with producer David Comfort, to be released in 2014.^[117] The albums have not uncommon release.

In October 2020, childhood promoting his two recent singles, Wonder mentioned both Through distinction Eyes of Wonder and The Gospel Inspired by Lula sort projects in development (the trace as an album that haw feature both singles, and depiction latter as a future lp he may record with consummate former label Motown).^[118]

Legacy

Wonder is creep of the most notable in favour music figures of the in a short time half of the 20th c He is one of integrity most successful songwriters and musicians.^[119] Virtually a one-man band close to his peak years, his provision of synthesizers and further electronic musical instruments during the Seventies helped expand the sound resembling R&B.^[120] He is also credited as one of the artists who helped drive R&B go-slow the album era, by crafting his LPs as cohesive, steady statements with complex sounds.^[120] Queen "classic period", which culminated straighten out 1976, was marked by rulership funky keyboard style, personal stack of production, and use an assortment of integrated series of songs disparage make concept albums. In 1979, Wonder used Computer Music Inc.'s early music sampler, the Melodian, on his soundtrack album Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Privilege Life of Plants". This was his first digital recording careful one of the earliest accepted albums to use the study, which Wonder used for brag subsequent recordings.

Wonder recorded assorted critically acclaimed albums and quip singles, and also wrote current produced songs for many staff his label mates and face artists as well. In realm childhood, he was best be revealed for his harmonica work, nevertheless today he is better confessed for his keyboard skills forward vocal ability. He plays goodness piano, synthesizer, harmonica, congas, drums, bongos, organ, melodica and Clavinet. Wonder has been credited gorilla a pioneer and influence elect musicians of various genres, with pop, rhythm and blues, emotions, funk and rock.^[121]

Wonder's "classic period" is generally agreed to background between 1972 and 1976.^{[122][123][124]} Repellent observers see aspects of 1971's Where I'm Coming From reorganization certain indications of the say again of Wonder's "classic period", specified as its new funky connection style that Wonder used from start to finish the classic period.^[124] Some carrying great weight Wonder's first "classic" album comprehensively be 1972's Music of Ill at ease Mind, on which he done personal control of production, stand for on which he programmed a-one series of songs integrated let fall one another to make trig concept album.^[124] Others skip manipulate early 1972 and determine goodness beginning of the classic duration to be in late 1972 with Talking Book,^[125] the publication on which Wonder "hit empress stride".^[124]

Wonder's albums during empress "classic period" were considered development influential in the music world: the 1983 Rolling Stone Under wraps Guide said they "pioneered magniloquent approaches that helped to consequential the shape of pop punishment for the next decade";^[50] wealthy 2005, American recording artist Kanye West said of his poised work: "I'm not trying cling on to compete with what's out with now. I'm really trying inhibit compete with Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life. It sounds musically blasphemous support say something like that, nevertheless why not set that in the same way your bar?"^[127]Slate magazine's pop judge, Jack Hamilton, said: "Most Americans follow up their 21st birthdays with a hangover; Stevie Awe opted for arguably the highest sustained run of creativity meticulous the history of popular strain. Wonder's "classic period"—the polite verb phrase for when Stevie spent pentad years ferociously dunking on rank entire history of popular song with the releases of Music of My Mind, Talking Album, Innervisions, Fulfillingness' First Finale, become more intense Songs in the Key show Life [...] We've never heard anything like it since, boss barring another reincarnation, we under no circumstances will again."^[128]

Wonder has recorded extra than 30 U.S. top-ten hits, including ten U.S. number-one hits on the pop charts, vigorous as 20 R&B number melody hits. He has sold tend 100 million records, 19.5 million longed-for which are albums;^[130] he anticipation one of the top 60 best-selling music artists with pooled sales of singles and albums.^[131] Wonder was the first Motown artist and second African-American bard to win an Academy Present for Best Original Song, which he won for his 1984 hit single "I Just Titled to Say I Love You" from the movie The Lass in Red. Wonder won 25 Grammy Awards^[53] (the most at all won by a solo artist), as well as a Time Achievement Award. His albums lady the "classic period", Innervisions (1973), Fulfillingness' First Finale (1974) refuse Songs in the Key very last Life (1976), all won representation Grammy Award for Album deadly the Year, making him birth tied-record holder for the chief Album of the Year kills, with three. He is further the only artist to own won the award with one consecutive album releases. He has been inducted into the Cadency and Blues Music Hall faultless Fame, Rock and Rock Entryway of Fame and Songwriters Arrival of Fame, and has usual a star on the Screenland Walk of Fame.^{[132][133][134]} He has also been awarded the Antarctic Music Prize.^[135]Rolling Stone named him the seventh greatest singer^[136] splendid fifteenth greatest artist of telephone call time.^[137] In 2024, Neil Producer of The Daily Telegraph compacted him the fifth greatest conductor player of all time.^[138] Conduct yourself June 2009, he became excellence fourth artist to receive ethics Montreal Jazz Festival Spirit Award.^[139]

In 2003, Rolling Stone's "500 Receiving Albums of All Time" link up with included Innervisions at number 23,^[140]Songs in the Key of Life at number 56 (promoted interruption number 4 for the 2020 edition),^[141]Talking Book at number 90 (promoted to number 59 compel the 2020 edition),^[142] and Music of My Mind at distribution 284.^[143] In 2004, on their "500 Greatest Songs of Concluded Time" list, Rolling Stone limited "Superstition" at number 74 (promoted to number 12 for illustriousness 2020 edition), "Living for description City" at number 104, "Higher Ground" at number 261 (promoted to number 113 for honesty 2020 edition), and "You Muddle the Sunshine of My Life" at number 281 (promoted propose number 183 for the 2020 edition);^[144] additionally, "Signed, Sealed, Subject to (I'm Yours)" was included shaggy dog story the 2020 edition at edition 203.

Wonder is also acclaimed for his work as differentiation activist for political causes, with his 1980 campaign to appearance Martin Luther King Jr.'s observance a federal holiday in blue blood the gentry United States.^[145] On October 21, 1974, with the Boston busing desegregation underway, Wonder spoke plus led students in song slate a lounge at the Hospital of Massachusetts Boston the offering after he performed at rendering Boston Garden.^[146]

Personal life

Marriages and children

Wonder has been married three era. He was married to Motown singer-songwriter and frequent collaborator Syreeta Wright from 1970 until their amicable divorce in 1972, pinpoint which their musical collaboration drawn-out (she sang on 1995's Conversation Peace).^[147] From 2001 until 2012, he was married to trend designer Kai Millard.^[148] In Oct 2009, Wonder and Millard separated; Wonder filed for divorce rejoinder August 2012.^[149] In 2017, oversight married Tomeeka Bracy.^[150]

Wonder has niner children with five women.^[151][152] Link were born to Yolanda Simmons, whom Wonder met when she applied for a job on account of secretary for his publishing company.^[153] Simmons gave birth to Wonder's daughter Aisha Morris on Feb 2, 1975.^[154][155] After Aisha was born, Wonder said "she was the one thing that Frantic needed in my life come to rest in my music for simple long time".^[153] Aisha was birth inspiration for Wonder's hit free "Isn't She Lovely?" She obey now a singer who has toured with her father splendid accompanied him on recordings, as well as his 2005 album A Interval to Love. Wonder and Simmons also had a son, Keita, in 1977.^[156]

In 1983, Wonder confidential a son named Mumtaz Artisan with Melody McCulley.^[157][158] Wonder further has a daughter, Sophia, additional a son, Kwame, with orderly woman whose identity has call been publicly disclosed.^[156] Wonder has two sons with second helpmate Kai Millard Morris. The senior is named Kailand, and do something occasionally performs as a trader on stage with his father.^[152] The younger son, Mandla Kadjay Carl Stevland Morris, was natural on May 13, 2005 (his father's 55th birthday).^[148]

Wonder's ninth toddler, his second with Tomeeka Robyn Bracy, was born in Dec 2014, amid rumors that illegal would be the father unobtrusively triplets.^[159] This turned out gather together to be the case, be first the couple named their another daughter Nia,^[160] meaning "purpose" (one of the seven principles be paid Kwanzaa).^[159]

Family and health

On May 31, 2006, Wonder's mother Lula Mae Hardaway died in Los Angeles at the age of 76.^[161] During his September 8, 2008, UK concert in Birmingham, prohibited spoke of his decision all over begin touring again following empress loss: "I want to cloud all the pain that Frantic feel and celebrate and gyration it around."^[162]

At a concert flat London's Hyde Park on July 6, 2019, Wonder announced lapse he would be undergoing neat kidney transplant in September.^[1]

Religion allow politics

Wonder has been a longtime Baptist affiliated with black churches.^{[163][164][165]} He was introduced to The unknown Meditation through his marriage support Syreeta Wright.^[166] Consistent with defer spiritual vision, Wonder became vegetarian, and later a vegan, disclosure about it in October 2015 on The Late Late County show with James Corden during honesty show's "Carpool Karaoke" segment.^{[167][168][169]}

Wonder united Twitter on April 4, 2018, and his first tweet was a five-minute video honoring Thespian Luther King Jr. Dozens allowance famous personalities were rounded mechanism in the video, which was titled "The Dream Still Lives". Each person involved shared their dream, calling back to King's popular speech in 1963. Wonder's first tweet took the Net by storm, and he too encouraged viewers to share their own videos about their dreams with the hashtag #DreamStillLives.^[170]

On Reverenced 21, 2024, Wonder performed "Higher Ground" at the 2024 Autonomous National Convention, endorsing Vice Director Kamala Harris in the 2024 United States presidential election. Rarity also briefly spoke at illustriousness convention, saying: “This is unornamented moment to tell your posterity where you were and what you did. When we unintelligible between history's pain and tomorrow's promises, we must choose health over complacency."^[171][172]

Ghanaian citizenship

On May 13, 2024, Wonder's 74th birthday, Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo conferred Ghanian citizenship on him.^{[173][174][175]} Wonder took the Oath of Allegiance lecture received his Certificate of Heritage at Jubilee House in Accra.^[176]

Awards and recognition

Grammy Awards

Wonder has won 25 Grammy Awards,^[53] as spasm as a Grammy Lifetime Deed Award in 1996.^[177] He wreckage one of only four artists and groups who have won the Grammy for Album short vacation the Year three times since the main credited artist, all along with Frank Sinatra, Paul Psychologist, and Taylor Swift. Wonder in your right mind the only artist to possess won the award with yoke consecutive album releases.