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Background:
“Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn’t mean he lacks vision.”
Stevie Wonder
Right from the start, Stevie Wonder (also known as Steveland Morris) grabbed
attention with “Fingertips (Pt. 2)” (1963), which he recorded at the tender age
of 13. He then began his long string of successes with the single “Superstition”
(1973), which won Wonder his first two Grammy Awards.
Wonder, who lost his sight when he was an infant, showed his musical genius
through numerous singles, including “You Haven’t Done Nothin’” (with The Jackson
5, 1974), “I Wish” (1976), “Ebony and Ivory” (1982, duet with Paul McCartney),
“I Just Called to Say I Love You” (1984, won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe
Award), “For Your Love” (1995) and “So What The Fuss” (2005). In appreciation
for his achievements, the artist was awarded the 1999 Polar Music Prize from the
Royal Swedish Academy of Music. The same year, he also became the youngest
recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors, which was presented to him by President
Bill Clinton.
Wonder, who also loss his sense of smell after a serious car accident on August
6, 1973, once stated an interest in running for mayor of Detroit in the 1992
election. He, however, never conducted any campaign. The inductee of the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame (1989) is a devoted supporter of the United States
Democratic Party. As a musician of social awareness, Wonder will receive the
2006 Freedom Award from the National Civil Rights Museum on October 17, 2006.
After being married to Syreeta Wright (1970 - 1972, died in 2004), Stevie Wonder
was married to Kai Millard Morris (2001 - now), with whom he has a son named
Mandla Kadjaly Carl Stevland Morris. Wonder also has six other children.
Blessed Sightless
Childhood and Family:
Stevie Wonder was born Steveland Judkins Hardaway on May 13, 1950, in Saginaw,
Michigan, to Calvin Judkins and composer Lula Mae Hardaway (born on January 11,
1930, died on May 31, 2006). Although he was blinded because of an incubator
malfunction, Steve received equal treatment from his parents and six siblings.
After moving with his family to Detroit, Michigan, young Steve began singing and
playing instruments like piano, congas and the harmonica. Steve, who then
legally changed his surname to “Morris,” was discovered by Ronnie White from the
group The Miracle. After joining the audition for Berry Gordy, the CEO of Motown
Records, Steve was soon signed to the label and began his musical journey as
Little Stevie Wonder, in 1961. He once used the backward spelling of his name,
“Eivets Rednow,” on his one jazz album.
As for his married life, on September 14, 1970, Stevie tied the knot with
Syreeta Wright (a member of his backup group, died on July 5, 2004, of breast
cancer), but they divorced in 1972. Stevie was later married to fashion designer
Kai Millard Morris, in 2001. The couple has a son named Mandla Kadjaly Carl
Stevland Morris (born on May 13, 2005). Stevie is also the father of six other
children, two of whom are son Keita Morris and Aisha Morris.
Superstition
Career:
After joining Motown Records, Little Stevie Wonder released his first major hit,
“Fingertips (Pt. 2),” in 1963, a single taken from his live performance at the
Motortown Revue, which became the first live recording to top the charts. The
album, covering the single Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius, (1963) also
became a chart-topping recording.
Dropping “Little” from his stage name, Stevie Wonder turned up with the
chart-burning songs “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” (1965), “A Place in the
Sun” (1966) and the cover of Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” (1966). Wonder,
who also began writing songs, scored success with the US No.2 singles “I Was
Made to Love Her” (1967) and “For Once in My Life” (1968). At the dawn of the
1960s, the artist confirmed his rising star status with such Top 10 tracks as
“Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day” (1968), “My Cherie Amour” (1969), “Yester-Me,
Yester-You, Yesterday” (1969) and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” (1970).
The latter single, which hit No. 3 on the US charts, displayed Wonder’s flair
for songwriting and producing and introduced the performance of his backup group
Wonderlove (consisting of Minnie Riperton, Deniece Williams, Lynda Laurence, and
Syreeta Wright).
Having argued with his label over creative control in the studio, Wonder decided
to release Where I’m Coming From (1971) as his final album under Motown Records.
After issuing two indie albums, the artist returned to the label with full
control in the studio.
The album Music of My Mind (1972) marked Wonder’s classic era and headlined his
first critical success with the album Talking Book (1972). Dispatching the hit
single “Superstition,” Talking Book brought home two Grammys, one for Best
Rhythm & Blues Song, another for Best R&B Vocal Male Performance. The success
was followed by the album’s second single, “You are the Sunshine of My Life,”
which solidified his status in the pop scene and won him the third Grammy, for
Best Pop Vocal Male Performance. Talking Book was also known for its frequent
sound of clavinet, which later became Stevie Wonder’s trademark.
The singer next released one of his best albums, Innervisions (1973). Peaking at
No.4 in the US, the recording won a Grammy for Album of the Year. Its lead
single, “Higher Ground,” burned up the pop charts and the second single, “Living
for the City,” netted a second Grammy for Best Rhythm & Blues Song.
After suffering from a coma due to a car accident, Wonder returned with
Fulfillingness’ First Finale (1974), which granted him a second Grammy for Album
of the Year and a second Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance. Fulfillingness’
also nabbed another Grammy for the track “Boogie On Reggae Woman” and ruled the
charts with the politically themed “You Haven’t Done Nothin’,” (with The Jackson
5). On October 5, 1975, Wonder performed at the Wonder Dream Concert (benefit
concert) in Jamaica for the Jamaican Institute for the Blind.
Displaying even more originality, Wonder continued with the US No.1 double album
Songs in the Key of Life (1976, reached No.2 in the UK) and collected two others
Grammys (for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance). Among Songs’
unique tracks, “I Wish” received heavy rotation on the radio and won a Grammy
for Best R&B Vocal Performance. The album, which garnered Wonder a Grammy for
Best Producer of the Year (1976), also generated the single “Sir Duke” and
“Isn’t She Lovely.”
In 1979, Wonder issued the soundtrack album for the unfinished movie The Secret
Life of Plants (1979) called Journey through the Secret Life of Plants. The
instrumental soundtrack was followed with Hotter than July (1980), Wonder’s
first platinum-selling album. Two years later, he launched the greatest hits
collection, Stevie Wonder’s Original Musiquarium (1982), with three additional
new songs: “Do I Do,” “That Girl” and “Ribbon in the Sky.” The same year, he
made a beautiful duet with Paul McCartney in “Ebony and Ivory.”
Working on another soundtrack project, Wonder was praised for the song “I Just
Called to Say I Love You,” from the romantic comedy The Woman In Red (1984) and
was handed an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song. The performer
also added two more Grammys to his shelf for his album In Square Circle (1985)
and his contribution in the all-star charity single “That’s What Friends are
For” (1986). Previously, he had also performed another charity song, a duet with
Bruce Springsteen in “We Are the World” (1985).
Following his Grammy-winning soundtrack of Jungle Fever (1991), “Gotta Have
You,” Wonder released the studio album Conversation Peace (1995) and brought
home two Grammys for the lead track “For Your Love.” Also in 1995, he composed
“Gangsta’s Paradise” for the biopic Dangerous Minds (1995) and won his first
ASCAP Film and Television Music award. After performing the Grammy-winning “St.
Louis Blues” (1999, won two Grammys) with Herbie Hancock and Robert Sadin,
Wonder took home a second ASCAP Film and Television Music award for his
self-written titular song in the western comedy adventure Wild Wild West (1999).
Yet, the same song also brought him a Razzi award for Worst Original Song.
Wonder made two Grammy-winning live performances singing “Love’s in Need of Love
Today” in the post-9/11 benefit concert America: A Tribute to Heroes (2001) and
“So Amazing” (2005, with Beyonce Knowles), before reappearing with the studio
album A Time to Love (2005). Spawning the Grammy-winning “From the Bottom of My
Heart” and “So What The Fuss,” his 2005 album reached the 5th spot on the US
album charts.
Awards:
- Grammy: Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, “From the Bottom of My Heart,”
2005
- Grammy: Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals, “So
Amazing,” 2005
- Grammy: Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals, “Love’s in
Need of Love Today,” 2002
- ASCAP Film and Television Music: Most Performed Songs from Motion
Pictures, “Wild Wild West,” from Wild Wild West, 2000
- Razzie: Worst Original Song, “Wild Wild West,” from Wild Wild West, 2000
- Grammy: Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s), “St. Louis
Blues,” 1998
- Grammy: Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, “St. Louis Blues,” 1998
- ASCAP Film and Television Music: Most Performed Songs from Motion
Pictures, “Gangsta’s Paradise,” from Dangerous Minds, 1997
- Grammy: Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, “For Your Love,” 1995
- Grammy: Best Rhythm & Blues Song, “For Your Love,” 1995
- ASCAP Film and Television Music: Most Performed Songs from Motion
Pictures, “Gotta Have You,” From Jungle Fever, 1992
- Grammy: Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, “That’s What
Friends are For,” 1986
- Oscar: Best Music - Original Song, “I Just Called to Say I Love You,”
from The Woman In Red, 1985
- Golden Globe: Best Original Song - Motion Picture, “I Just Called to Say
I Love You,” from The Woman In Red, 1985
- Grammy: Best R&B Vocal Performance - Male, In Square Circle, 1985
- Grammy: Album of the Year, Songs in the Key of Life, 1976
- Grammy: Best Pop Vocal Performance - Male, Songs in the Key of Life,
1976
- Grammy: Best Producer of the Year, 1976
- Grammy: Best R&B Vocal Performance - Male, “I Wish,” 1976
- Grammy: Album of the Year, Fulfillingness’ First Finale, 1974
- Grammy: Best Pop Vocal Performance - Male, Fulfillingness’ First Finale,
1974
- Grammy: Best R&B Vocal Performance - Male, “Boogie On Reggae Woman,”
1974
- Grammy: Best Rhythm & Blues Song, “Living for the City,” 1974
- Grammy: Album of the Year, Innervisions, 1973
- Grammy: Best Pop Vocal Performance - Male, “You are the Sunshine of My
Life,” 1973
- Grammy: Best R&B Vocal Performance - Male, “Superstition,” 1973
- Grammy: Best Rhythm & Blues Song, “Superstition,” 1973
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