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STEVIE
WONDER (ARTIST BIOGRAPHY)
Stevie
Wonder (born May 13, 1950 Saginaw, MI) is a singer, songwriter,
producer, musician, humanitarian and social activist. Although his
name at birth was Stevland Judkins, he later changed his name to
Stevland Morris. His mother’s biography states that his surname was
legally changed to Morris, “an old family name,” in 1961 when he
signed with Motown. Wonder has recorded more than 30 Top 10 hits,
won two dozen Grammys, also one for lifetime achievement, and been
inducted into both the Rock and Roll and Songwriters halls of fame.
Blind from infancy, Wonder has become one of the most successful and
well-known artists on the Motown label, with nine U.S. #1 hits to
his name and album sales totaling more than 70 million units. He has
recorded several critically acclaimed albums and hit singles, and
writes and produces songs for many of his labelmates and outside
artists as well. A multi-instrumentalist, Wonder plays the drums,
guitar, synthesizers, congas, and most famously the piano, harmonica
and keyboards.
Born Stevland Morris in Saginaw, Michigan in 1950, Wonder enters his
fifth decade as one of the most prolific artists in music history,
delivering 35 U.S. albums - 28 major studio releases - with album
sales totaling more than 72 million units. The singer/songwriter has
scored more than 30 Top Ten Hits, 11 #1 Pop singles, winning 19
Grammys (and a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in ‘96) and a host of
other awards, including, most recently, Billboard’s 2004 Century
Award. His contribution to worldwide social and political change is
just as impressive, with Wonder championing the effort to make
Martin Luther King’s birthday a national holiday, as well as
becoming a driving force behind 1985’s USA For Africa campaign.
Honored at the 22nd Kennedy Center Honors in 1999, President Clinton
remarked: “In so many ways (Wonder) has helped to compose the
remaining passages of Dr. King’s legacy.” But it is Wonder’s
songwriting legacy that has inexorably connected him to the world.
From Motown prodigy to groundbreaking innovator, he has always
believed in music as a transformational force.
As one critic wrote about Wonder’s ingenious musical techniques: “He
was simply the best at humanizing synthesizers.’” His mind bending
fusion of innovative beats and ear-to-the street lyrical
sensibilities single-handedly revitalized American songwriting in
the ‘70’s. Wonder forged his diverging styles into a trademark
sound, putting his musical signature on an epic quartet of albums
that would change music forever - 1972’s Talking Book, 1973’s
Innervisions, 1974’s Fullfillingness’ First Finale, and 1976’s Songs
In The Key Of Life. By decade’s end, Wonder had garnered a record 15
Grammys, as well as numerous other awards. He was now cited by
critics and fans alike as, arguably, the most important songwriter
of his generation. The songs tethered during this era, from “Superstition,”
and “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life,” to “Living In The City,” from
“Higher Ground,” to “You Haven’t Done Nothin’,” from “Boogie On
Reggae Woman,” to “I Wish” and “Sir Duke,” confirmed Wonder’s status
as a national treasure.
He continued his hit making journey in the decades to follow,
penning, among other classics, his 1982 collaboration with Paul
McCartney, “Ebony And Ivory,” which remained #1 for seven weeks in a
row. 1984’s The Woman In Red soundtrack produced the enduring
classic “I Just Called To Say I Love You,” yet another #1 hit that
netted him an Academy Award.
In 1989 wonder was inducted into the Rock ‘N Roll Hall Of Fame along
side none other than the Rolling Stones. As if to prove even
Wonder’s rock roots had come full circle - the Stones were the only
band he chose to tour with when debuting his breakthrough
masterpiece, “Superstition” in 1972.
The ‘90’s brought exciting new opportunities for Wonder, with his
influence on the new breed of hip hop artists evident when Coolio
fused Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise,” for his 1995 smash “Gangsta’s
Paradise.” Countless more hip hop stars would pay homage to Wonder,
including Public Enemy and Jay-Z, citing his tremendous influence
over the genre, and morphing other Wonder nuggets into revamped hip
hop gems. Two recent Stevie Wonder collections capture the depth of
his amazing career, At The Close Of The Century, 1999’s first
authorized box set, a 4 CD, 70 song collection with additional bonus
tracks. 2002 marked the release of The Definitive Collection, a 21
song CD, including 15 of Wonder’s #1’s. The compilation includes
songs from 1963-1985, and was universally hailed as one of the finer
musical retrospectives ever released, capturing one of the most
integral American artist’s at the top of his game.
The new millennium found music fans marveling at Wonder’s incredible
staying power, acknowledging the brilliance of his 40-plus year
career with a slew of awards.
Inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall Of Fame in 2002, he was the
first African American to be awarded the Johnny Mercer Award in
2004, in recognition of a lifetime of outstanding creative works. At
the end of the year he was presented with Billboard’s highest honor
for creative achievement, The Billboard Century Award, whose past
honorees include George Harrison, Joni Mitchell, and John Mellencamp,
among others. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine cited four Wonder
albums in their list of the 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time,
including Innervisions (#23) and Songs In The Key Of Life (#56). |
