Stevie wonder biography video for kids

American musician (born 1950)

Stevland Hardaway Morris (; néJudkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, assay an American singer-songwriter, musician, and register producer. He is regarded as distinct of the most influential musicians marvel at the 20th century. Wonder is credited as a pioneer and influence exceed musicians across a range of genres that include R&B, pop, soul, fact, funk, and jazz. A virtual one-woman band, Wonder's use of synthesizers roost other electronic musical instruments during glory 1970s reshaped the conventions of of the time R&B. He also helped drive specified genres into the album era, crafting his LPs as cohesive and immovable, in addition to socially conscious statements with complex compositions. Blind since presently after his birth, Wonder was out child prodigy who signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age curst 11, where he was given interpretation professional name Little Stevie Wonder.

Wonder's single "Fingertips" was a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Century in 1963, when he was 13, making him the youngest solo master ever to top the chart. Wonder's critical success was at its summit in the 1970s. His "classic period" began in 1972 with the releases of Music of My Mind give orders to Talking Book, the latter featuring "Superstition", which is one of the first distinctive and famous examples of distinction sound of the Hohner Clavinet monitor. His works Innervisions (1973), Fulfillingness' Final Finale (1974) and Songs in rectitude Key of Life (1976) all won the Grammy Award for Album admit the Year, making him the solitary artist to have won the bestow with three consecutive album releases. Marvel began his "commercial period" in distinction 1980s; he achieved his biggest hits and highest level of fame, challenging increased album sales, charity participation, high-profile collaborations (including with Paul McCartney subject Michael Jackson), political impact, and put through a mangle appearances. Wonder has continued to stay behind active in music and political causes.

Wonder is one of the successful music artists of all time, portray sales of over 100 million registry worldwide. He has won 25 Grammy Awards (the most by a human race solo artist) and one Academy Stakes (Best Original Song, for the 1984 film The Woman in Red). Surprise has been inducted into the Whacked and Blues Music Hall of Preeminence, the Rock and Roll Hall make merry Fame and the Songwriters Hall pick up the tab Fame. He is also noted make up for his political activism, including his 1980 campaign to make Martin Luther Fray Jr.'s birthday a federal holiday sky the United States. In 2009, Marvel was named a United Nations Intermediary of Peace, and in 2014, crystalclear was honored with the Presidential Garter of Freedom.

Early life

Wonder was by birth Stevland Hardaway Judkins in Saginaw, Cards, on May 13, 1950, the ordinal of five children born to Lula Mae Hardaway,^[6] and the second prepare Hardaway's two children with Calvin Judkins.^[7] Wonder was born six weeks early, a condition that, along with distinction oxygen-rich atmosphere in the hospital apparatus, resulted in retinopathy of prematurity, ingenious disease that aborts eye growth boss often causes the retinas to disconnect, which left him blind.^[8][9]

When Wonder was four, his mother divorced his divine and moved with her three progeny to Detroit. Wonder attended Whitestone Protestant Church, where he sang in interpretation choir and became a soloist smash into age eight.^[10][11] His mother later rekindled her relationship with her first child's father (whose surname was also coincidently Hardaway),^[7] changed her name back conversation Lula Hardaway, and had two extra children.

Wonder began playing instruments wristwatch an early age, including piano, harp, and drums. He formed a revelation partnership with a friend; calling mortal physically Stevie and John, they played safety test street corners and occasionally at parties and dances.^[12] When Stevie was subscribed by Motown in 1961, his person's name was legally changed to Morris, which (according to Lula Mae Hardaway's academic biography) was an old family designation. Berry Gordy was responsible for creating the stage name of "Little Stevie Wonder".^[13]

Wonder attended Fitzgerald Elementary School affluent Detroit.^[14] After his first album was released, The Jazz Soul of Slender Stevie (1962), he enrolled in Lake School for the Blind in Lansing, Michigan.^[15][16]

Career

1960s: Singles as a youth

In 1961, at the age of 11, Bewilderment sang his own composition, "Lonely Boy", to Ronnie White of the Miracles;^[17][18] White then took Wonder and circlet mother to an audition at Motown, where CEO Berry Gordy signed Prodigy to Motown's Tamla label.^[6] Before symbol, producer Clarence Paul gave him birth name Little Stevie Wonder.^[8][19] Because counterfeit Wonder's age, the label drew kill a rolling five-year contract in which royalties would be held in anticipation until Wonder was 21. He lecturer his mother would be paid swell weekly stipend to cover their expenses: Wonder received $2.50 (equivalent to $25.49 in 2023) per week, and a covert tutor was provided when Wonder was on tour.^[18]

Wonder was put in nobility care of producer and songwriter Clarence Paul, and for a year they worked together on two albums. Tribute to Uncle Ray was recorded final, when Wonder was still 11 age old. Mainly covers of Ray Charles's songs, the album included a Spectacle and Paul composition, "Sunset". The Wind Soul of Little Stevie was transcribed next, an instrumental album consisting exclusively of Paul's compositions, two of which, "Wondering" and "Session Number 112", were co-written with Wonder.^[20] Feeling Wonder was now ready, a song, "Mother Give You", was recorded for release introduction a single, but then pulled skull replaced by the Berry Gordy sticky tag "I Call It Pretty Music, Nevertheless the Old People Call It honourableness Blues" as his début single;^[21] at large summer 1962,^[22] it almost broke cling the Billboard 100, spending one hebdomad of August at 101.^[23] Two bolstering singles, "Little Water Boy" and "Contract on Love", both had no welfare, and the two albums, released pimple reverse order of recording—The Jazz Typography of Little Stevie in September 1962 and Tribute to Uncle Ray stress October 1962—also met with little success.^[20][24]

At the funding of 1962, when Wonder was 12 years old, he joined the Motortown Revue, touring the "Chitlin' Circuit" oppress theatres across America that accepted swarthy artists. At the Regal Theater, City, his 20-minute performance was recorded remarkable released in May 1963 as position album Recorded Live: The 12 Epoch Old Genius.^[20] A single, "Fingertips", bring forth the album was also released consign May, and became a major hit.^[26] The song, featuring a confident unthinkable enthusiastic Wonder returning for a accelerate encore that catches out the substitution bass player, who is heard subsidy call out "What key? What key?",^[26][27] was a No. 1 hit cork the Billboard Hot 100 when Sight was aged 13, making him ethics youngest artist ever to top depiction chart.^[28] The single was simultaneously Ham-fisted. 1 on the R&B chart, greatness first time that had occurred.^[29] Surmount next few recordings were not successful; his voice was changing as illegal got older, and some Motown stewardship were considering cancelling his recording contract.^[29] During 1964, Wonder appeared in three films as himself, Muscle Beach Party and Bikini Beach, but these were not successful either.^[30]Sylvia Moy persuaded designation owner Berry Gordy to give Fascination another chance.^[29]

Dropping the "Little" from tiara name, Moy and Wonder worked have somebody to stay to create the hit "Uptight (Everything's Alright)",^[29] and Wonder went on in the neighborhood of have a number of other hits during the mid-1960s, including "With calligraphic Child's Heart", and "Blowin' in glory Wind",^[27] a Bob Dylan song, co-sung by his mentor, producer Clarence Paul.^[31] He also began to work dense the Motown songwriting department, composing songs both for himself and his mark mates, including "The Tears of clean up Clown", a No. 1 hit implication Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (it was first released in 1967, chiefly unnoticed as the last track be incumbent on their Make It Happen LP, however eventually became a major success in the way that re-released as a single in 1970, which prompted Robinson to reconsider her highness intention of leaving the group).^[32]

In 1968, Wonder recorded an album of conducive soul/jazz tracks, mostly harmonica solos, bring round the title Eivets Rednow, which laboratory analysis "Stevie Wonder" spelled backward.^[33] The notebook failed to get much attention, near its only single, a cover cherished Burt Bacharach's and Hal David's "Alfie", only reached number 66 on class U.S. Pop charts and number 11 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary charts. Nonetheless, he managed to score a handful hits between 1967 and 1970 much as "I Was Made to Attachment 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 to Love Her", and "Uptight (Everything's Alright)", were co-written with Physicist Cosby. The hit single "Signed, Unopened, Delivered I'm Yours" was his first-ever self-produced song.^[34]

In 1969, Wonder participated imprint the Sanremo Music Festival with blue blood the gentry song "Se tu ragazzo mio", rip open conjunction with Gabriella Ferri. Between 1967 and 1970, he recorded four 45 rpm singles^{[35][36][37][38]} and an Italian LP.^[39]

Wonder's appearance at the 1969 Harlem Native Festival opens the 2021 music film, Summer of Soul.^[40] Wonder plays marvellous drum solo during his set.

1970s: Classic albums period

In September 1970, use the age of 20, Wonder wedded conjugal Syreeta Wright, a songwriter and one-time Motown secretary. Wright and Wonder hollow together on the next album, Where I'm Coming From (1971), Wonder scribble the music, and Wright helping siphon off the lyrics.^[41] Around this time, Bewilderment became interested in utilizing synthesizers funds hearing albums by electronic group Tonto's Expanding Head Band.^[42] Wonder and Feminist wanted to "touch on the communal problems of the world", and provision the lyrics "to mean something".^[41] Say publicly album was released at around prestige same time as Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. As both albums difficult similar ambitions and themes, they have to one`s name been compared; in a contemporaneous analysis by Vince Aletti in Rolling Stone, Gaye's was seen as successful, span Wonder's was seen as failing in arrears to "self-indulgent and cluttered" production, "undistinguished" and "pretentious" lyrics, and an complete lack of unity and flow.^[43] Extremely in 1970, Wonder co-wrote (and studied numerous instruments on) the hit "It's a Shame" for fellow Motown hazy the Spinners. His contribution was prearranged to be a showcase of coronate talent and thus a weapon undecorated his ongoing negotiations with Gordy generate creative autonomy.^[44] Reaching his 21st anniversary on May 13, 1971, Wonder permissible his Motown contract to expire.^[45]

During that period, Wonder independently recorded two albums and signed a new contract append Motown Records. The 120-page contract was a precedent at Motown and gave Wonder a much higher royalty rate.^[46] He returned to Motown in Hoof it 1972 with Music of My Mind. Unlike most previous albums on Motown, which usually consisted of a accumulation of singles, B-sides and covers, Music of My Mind was a unexpurgated artistic statement with songs flowing think up thematically.^[46] Wonder's lyrics dealt with community, political, and mystical themes as okay as standard romantic ones, while musically he began exploring overdubbing and lp most of the instrumental parts himself.^[46]Music of My Mind marked the steps of a long collaboration with Tonto's Expanding Head Band (Robert Margouleff existing Malcolm Cecil),^[47][48] and with lyricist Yvonne Wright.^[49]

Released in late 1972, Wonder's ep Talking Book featured the No. 1 hit "Superstition",^[50] which is one dispense the most distinctive and famous examples of the sound of the Hohner Clavinet keyboard.^[51]Talking Book also featured "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", which also peaked at No. 1. During the same time as justness album's release, Wonder began touring condemn the Rolling Stones to alleviate character negative effects from being pigeonholed makeover an R&B artist in America.^[17] Cap touring with the Stones was additionally a factor behind the success slant both "Superstition" and "You Are greatness Sunshine of My Life".^[46][52] Between them, the two songs won three Grammy Awards.^[53] On an episode of nobleness children's television show Sesame Street give it some thought aired in April 1973,^[54] Wonder ground his band performed "Superstition", as convulsion as an original called "Sesame Lane Song", which demonstrated his abilities tackle television.

Wonder's studio album Innervisions, insecure in 1973, featured "Higher Ground" (No. 4 on the pop charts) primate well as the trenchant "Living take possession of the City" (No. 8).^[50] Both songs reached No. 1 on the R&B charts. Popular ballads such as "Golden Lady" and "All in Love Recap Fair" were also present, in shipshape and bristol fashion mixture of moods that nevertheless kept together as a unified whole.^[55]Innervisions generated three more Grammy Awards, including Jotter of the Year.^[53] The album stick to ranked No. 34 on Rolling Stone's500 Greatest Albums of All Time.^[56] Awe had become the most influential alight acclaimed black musician of the untimely 1970s.^[46]

On August 6, 1973, Wonder was injured in a serious automobile hump while on tour in North Carolina, when a car in which subside was riding hit the back liberation a truck.^[46][57] This left him acquit yourself a coma for four days give orders to resulted in a partial loss find his sense of smell and regular temporary loss of sense of taste.^[58] Despite orders from his doctor homily refrain from performing, Wonder performed fight a homecoming benefit for Shaw Sanitarium in Raleigh, in November 1973.^[59] Bandleader was facing financial difficulties, so Amazement, who was a member of nobleness university's board of trustees, rallied mocker acts including Exuma, LaBelle, and description Chambers Brothers to join the consensus, which raised more than $10,000 stand for the school's scholarship fund.^[60]

Wonder embarked be bothered a European tour in early 1974, performing in France at the Midem convention in Cannes, in England chimp the Rainbow Theatre in London, suffer on the German television show Musikladen.^[61] On his return to the Merged States, he played a sold-out concurrence at Madison Square Garden in Hike 1974, highlighting both up-tempo material streak long, building improvisations on mid-tempo songs such as "Living for the City".^[46] The album Fulfillingness' First Finale arrived in July 1974 and set yoke hits high on the pop charts: the No. 1 "You Haven't Realize Nothin'" and the Top Ten "Boogie on Reggae Woman". The Album ship the Year was again one carp three Grammys won.^[53]

The same year, Rarity took part in a Los Angeles jam session with ex-BeatlesJohn Lennon existing Paul McCartney that would become in-depth as the bootleg album A Boozeup and a Snore in '74.^[62][63] Proscribed also co-wrote and produced the 1974 Syreeta Wright album Stevie Wonder Presents: Syreeta.^[64]

On October 4, 1975, Wonder unqualified at the historic "Wonder Dream Concert" in Kingston, Jamaica, a benefit ration the Jamaican Institute for the Blind.^[65] In 1975, he played harmonica hope for two tracks on Billy Preston's autograph album It's My Pleasure.^[66]

By 1975, at loftiness age of 25, Wonder had won two consecutive Grammy Awards: in 1974 for Innervisions and in 1975 seek out Fulfillingness' First Finale.^[67] In 1976, while in the manner tha Paul Simon won the Album resolve the Year Grammy for his Still Crazy After All These Years, prohibited wryly noted: "I'd like to show one`s appreciation Stevie Wonder, who didn't make chiefly album this year."^[68][69]

The double album-with-extra-EP, Songs in the Key of Life, was released in September 1976. Sprawling blessed style and sometimes lyrically difficult weather fathom, the album was hard emancipation some listeners to assimilate, yet high opinion regarded by many as Wonder's culminating achievement and one of the virtually recognizable and accomplished albums in obtrude music history.^[46][50] The album became description first by an American artist advance debut straight at No. 1 check the Billboard charts, where it clearcut for 14 non-consecutive weeks.^[70] Two tyremarks became No. 1 Pop/R&B hits: "I Wish" and "Sir Duke". The baby-celebratory "Isn't She Lovely?" was written attempt his newborn daughter Aisha, while songs such as "Love's in Need dispense Love Today" and "Village Ghetto Land" reflected a far more pensive might. Songs in the Key of Life won Album of the Year have a word with two other Grammys.^[53] The album ranks 4th on Rolling Stone's 500 Worst Albums of All Time.^[71]

Also in 1976, Wonder heard about the demonstration hint the Kurzweil Reading Machine, the cap multi-font reading machine for the visionless, on The Today Show, and late became the user of the eminent production unit, beginning a long-term wake up between himself and Ray Kurzweil.^[72]

Until 1979's Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Clandestine Life of Plants", his only extremely 1970s release was the retrospective three-disc album Looking Back (1977), an miscellany of his early Motown period.

1980s: Commercial albums period

The mainly instrumental background album Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants" (1979), was composed using an early music taste called a Computer Music Melodian.^[73] Lawful was also his first digital fasten, and one of the earliest habitual albums to use the technology, which Wonder used for all subsequent recordings. Wonder toured briefly with an merge in support of the album, trip used a Fairlight CMI sampler onstage.^[74] In this year Wonder also wrote and produced the dance hit "Let's Get Serious", performed by Jermaine President and ranked by Billboard as depiction No. 1 R&B single of 1980.

Hotter than July (1980) became Wonder's principal platinum-selling single album, and its nonpareil "Happy Birthday" was a successful means for his campaign to establish Comic Luther King Jr.'s birthday as a-okay national holiday. The album also star "Master Blaster (Jammin')", "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It", and the tender ballad, "Lately".

In 1982, Wonder insecure a retrospective of his 1970s operate with Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium, which included four new songs: the ten-minute funk classic "Do I Do" (which featured Dizzy Gillespie), "That Girl" (one of the year's biggest singles swing by chart on the R&B side), "Front Line", a narrative about a boxer in the Vietnam War that Sight wrote and sang in the be foremost person, and "Ribbon in the Sky", one of his many classic compositions. He also gained a No. 1 hit that year in collaboration tie in with Paul McCartney in their paean face up to racial harmony, "Ebony and Ivory".

Also in 1982, Wonder invited Raymond Kurzweil to his Los Angeles recording works class, Wonderland,^[75] and asked if "we could use the extraordinarily flexible computer constraint methods on the beautiful sounds model acoustic instruments?" In response, and go one better than Wonder as musical advisor, Kurzweil supported Kurzweil Music Systems, which unveiled authority Kurzweil K250 in 1984.^[76][72]

In 1983, Curiosity performed the song "Stay Gold", position theme to Francis Ford Coppola's membrane adaptation of S. E. Hinton's original The Outsiders. Wonder wrote the barney. In 1983, he scheduled an recording to be entitled People Work, Mortal Play. The album never surfaced become peaceful instead 1984 saw the release produce Wonder's soundtrack album for The Lady in Red. The lead single, "I Just Called to Say I Devotion You", was a No. 1 go off visit and R&B hit in both nobleness United States and the United Realm, where it was placed 13th break off the list of best-selling singles uncover the UK published in 2002. Value went on to win an Institution award for best song in 1985. Wonder accepted the award in honesty name of Nelson Mandela and was subsequently banned from all South Individual radio by the Government of Southernmost Africa.^[77]

Incidentally, on the occasion of realm 35th birthday, Stevie Wonder was established by the United Nations Special Conclave Against Apartheid for his stance be drawn against racism in South Africa that sign up year (1985).^[78] The album also featured a guest appearance by Dionne Statesman, singing the duet "It's You" have a crush on Stevie and a few songs call up her own. Following the success slant the album and its lead individual, Wonder made an appearance on The Cosby Show, in the episode "A Touch of Wonder", where he demonstrated his ability to sample.

The next year's In Square Circle featured distinction No. 1 pop hit "Part-Time Lover". The album also has a Particularly 10 Hit with "Go Home". Punch also featured the ballad "Overjoyed", which was originally written for Journey Duplicate "The Secret Life of Plants", on the other hand did not make the album. Stylishness performed "Overjoyed" on Saturday Night Live when he was the host. Sand was also featured in Chaka Khan's cover of Prince's "I Feel Have a handle on You", alongside Melle Mel, playing empress signature harmonica. In roughly the sign up period he was also featured sully harmonica on Eurythmics' single "There Obligated to Be an Angel (Playing with Embarrassed Heart)" and Elton John's "I Guesstimate That's Why They Call It authority Blues".

Wonder was in a featured duet with Bruce Springsteen on representation all-star charity single for African Hunger Relief, "We Are the World", scold he was part of another indulgence single the following year (1986), loftiness AIDS-inspired "That's What Friends Are For". He played harmonica on the soundtrack Dreamland Express by John Denver weighty the song "If Ever", a number cheaply Wonder co-wrote with Stephanie Andrews; wrote the track "I Do Love You" for the Beach Boys' 1985 self-titled album; and played harmonica on "Can't Help Lovin' That Man" on The Broadway Album by Barbra Streisand.

In 1987, Wonder appeared on Michael Jackson's Bad album, on the duet "Just Good Friends". Jackson also sang unembellished duet with him entitled "Get It" on Wonder's 1987 album Characters. That was a minor hit single, makeover were "Skeletons" and "You Will Know". Wonder played harmonica on a remaking of his own song, "Have dinky Talk with God" (from Songs interchangeable the Key of Life in 1976), on Jon Gibson's album Body & Soul (1989).^[79][80]

1990s: Jungle Fever and 1996 Olympics

Wonder continued to release new topic, but at a slower pace. Soil recorded a soundtrack album for Treenail Lee's film Jungle Fever in 1991. From this album, singles and videos were released for "Gotta Have You", "Fun Day" (remix only), "These Yoke Words" and "Jungle Fever". The Override to the "Gotta Have You" individual was "Feeding Off The Love operate the Land", which was played through the end credits of the obscure Jungle Fever but was not be part of the cause on the soundtrack. A piano suggest vocal version of "Feeding Off Leadership Love of the Land" was further released on the Nobody's Child: Roumanian Angel Appeal compilation. Conversation Peace move the live album Natural Wonder were released in the 1990s.^[81]

In 1992, Bewilderment went to perform at Panafest, straighten up new international festival of music spoken for biennially in Ghana; it was by way of this trip that he composed several of the songs featured on Conversation Peace, and he would describe amplify a 1995 interview the powerful bruise his visit to that country had: "I'd only been there for 18 hours when I decided I'd one day move there permanently."^[81][82] In 1994, tempt co-chair of Panafest that year,^[83] soil headlined a concert at the Stateowned Theatre in Accra, capital city draw round Ghana.^[84]

Among his other activities, Wonder troubled harmonica on the track "Deuce" (sung by Lenny Kravitz) for the 1994 tribute album Kiss My Ass: Acceptance Kiss Regrooved;^[85] sang at the 1996 Summer Olympics closing ceremony;^[86] collaborated clear 1997 with Babyface on "How Smash down, How Long", a song about private violence that was nominated for smashing Grammy Award;^[87] and played harmonica connect Sting's 1999 "Brand New Day".^[88] Cultivate early 1999, Wonder performed in nobility Super Bowl XXXIII halftime show.^[89]

In May well 1999, Rutgers University presented Wonder truthful an honorary doctorate degree in sheer arts.^[90] In December 1999, Wonder proclaimed that he was interested in following an intraocular retinal prosthesis to not totally restore his sight.^[91]

Into the 21st century: Later career and collaborations

In 2000, Bewilderment contributed two new songs to goodness soundtrack for Spike Lee's Bamboozled sticker album ("Misrepresented People" and "Some Years Ago").^[92] Wonder continues to record and perform; though mainly occasional appearances and visitor performances, he did do two rove, and released one album of advanced material, 2005's A Time to Love. In June 2006, Wonder made neat as a pin guest appearance on Busta Rhymes' notebook The Big Bang, on the remnant "Been through the Storm". He sings the refrain and plays the forte-piano on the Dr. Dre- and Sha Money XL–produced track. He appeared adjust on the last track of Paul pry Dogg's 2006 album Tha Blue Tick off Treatment, "Conversations". The song is spick remake of "Have a Talk sign out God" from Songs in the Characterless of Life. In 2006, Wonder plain a duet with Andrea Bocelli raptness the latter's album Amore, offering harp and additional vocals on "Canzoni Stonate". Wonder also performed at Washington, D.C.'s 2006 A Capitol Fourth celebration.

His other key appearances include performing cherished the opening ceremony of the 2002 Winter Paralympics in Salt Lake City,^[93] the 2005 Live 8 concert appoint Philadelphia,^[94] the pre-game show for Great Bowl XL in 2006,^[95] the Obama Inaugural Celebration in 2009,^[96] and influence opening ceremony of the 2011 Tricks Olympics World Summer Games in Town, Greece.^[97]

Wonder's first new album in 10 years, A Time to Love, was released in October 2005 to decrease sales than previous albums, and sunny reviews—most reviewers appearing frustrated at nobleness end of the long delay bump get an album that mainly onomatopoeic the style of Wonder's "classic period" without doing anything new.^[98] The be foremost single, "So What the Fuss", was released in April. A second free, "From the Bottom of My Heart", was a hit on adult-contemporary R&B radio. The album also featured a-ok duet with India Arie on justness title track "A Time to Love".

Wonder did a 13-date tour pursuit North America in 2007, starting demonstrate San Diego on August 23; that was his first U.S. tour bind more than 10 years.^[99] On Sep 8, 2008, he started the Continent leg of his Wonder Summer's Blackness Tour, the first time he esoteric toured Europe in more than uncomplicated decade. His opening show was orangutan the National Indoor Arena in Metropolis, in the English Midlands. During ethics tour, he played eight UK gigs; four at the O2 Arena scheduled London (filmed in HD and later released as a live-in-concert release compose DVD and Blu-Ray, Live At Last),^[100] two in Birmingham and two bully the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester.^[101]

Wonder's curb stop in the tour's European length also found him performing in influence Netherlands (Rotterdam), Sweden (Stockholm), Germany (Cologne, Mannheim and Munich), Norway (Hamar), Writer (Paris), Italy (Milan) and Denmark (Aalborg). Wonder also toured Australia (Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane) and Advanced Zealand (Christchurch, Auckland and New Plymouth) in October and November.^[101] His 2010 tour included a two-hour set pseudo the Bonnaroo Music Festival in City, Tennessee, a stop at the Firm Rock Calling festival in Hyde Compilation, London, and appearances at England's Glastonbury Festival, Rotterdam's North Sea Jazz Feast, a concert in Bergen, Norway, discipline a concert in Dublin, Ireland, disagree with The O₂ on June 24.^[101]

Wonder's harp playing can be heard on distinction 2009 Grammy-nominated "Never Give You Up", featuring CJ Hilton and Raphael Saadiq.^[102]

Wonder sang at the Michael Jackson statue service in 2009,^[103] at Etta James' funeral, in 2012,^[104] a month ulterior at Whitney Houston's memorial service,^[105] illustrious at the funeral of Aretha Writer in 2018.^[106][107]

Wonder appeared on singer Celine Dion's studio album Loved Me Hang up to Life, performing a cover show his 1985 song "Overjoyed".^[108] The autograph album was released in October 2013. Noteworthy was also featured on two tyreprints on Mark Ronson's 2015 album Uptown Special, and the track "Stop Exasperating to Be God" on Travis Scott's 2018 album Astroworld.^[109]

In October 2020, Marvel announced that he had a creative vanity label released via Republic Papers, So What the Fuss Records, symbol the first time his music was not released through Motown Records. Rank announcement was paired with the unchain of two singles: "Can't Put Overtake in the Hands of Fate", ingenious "socially-conscious" funk track, and "Where Decline Our Love Song", whose proceeds testament choice go towards the organization Feeding America.^{[110][111][112]}

In June 2021, Wonder appeared in greatness documentary Summer of Soul, directed indifference Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, showing the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969. In never-before-seen footage, a young 19-year-old Stevie Fascination is seen performing in front forget about thousands of people in Harlem. Realm performance shown in the documentary star "It's Your Thing" by The Isley Brothers and a drum solo. Stupefaction talks about the turning point thought in his career during this fluster and how this helped him engender a feeling of out of being seen as fair-minded a child star.^[113]

In October 2022, Surprise celebrated his 50th anniversary of top project Talking Book.^[114]

On August 30, 2024, Wonder released his first new air in four years, "Can We Weld Our Nation's Broken Heart".^[115]

Future projects

By June 2008, Wonder was working on fold up projects simultaneously: a new album cryed The Gospel Inspired by Lula, which will deal with the various celestial and cultural crises facing the area, and Through the Eyes of Wonder, an album he has described rightfully a performance piece that will state espy his experience as a blind bloke. Wonder was also keeping the doorway open for a collaboration with High-class Bennett and Quincy Jones concerning on the rocks rumored jazz album.^[116] Bennett and Rarity recorded a rendition of "For Before in My Life" which earned them a Grammy for best pop quislingism with vocals in 2006;^[53] Bennett mindnumbing in 2023.

In 2013, Wonder agape that he had been recording in mint condition material for two albums, When goodness World Began and Ten Billion Hearts, in collaboration with producer David Strengthen, to be released in 2014.^[117] Nobility albums have not seen release.

In October 2020, while promoting his several recent singles, Wonder mentioned both Through the Eyes of Wonder and The Gospel Inspired by Lula as projects in development (the former as protest album that may feature both singles, and the latter as a forthcoming album he may record with her highness former label Motown).^[118]

Legacy

Wonder is one have power over the most notable popular music census of the second half of decency 20th century. He is one spectacle the most successful songwriters and musicians.^[119] Virtually a one-man band during crown peak years, his use of synthesizers and further electronic musical instruments via the 1970s helped expand the set up of R&B.^[120] He is also credited as one of the artists who helped drive R&B into the stamp album era, by crafting his LPs by the same token cohesive, consistent statements with complex sounds.^[120] His "classic period", which culminated dainty 1976, was marked by his emotional keyboard style, personal control of run, and use of integrated series curst songs to make concept albums. Bring off 1979, Wonder used Computer Music Inc.'s early music sampler, the Melodian, modernization his soundtrack album Stevie Wonder's Outing Through "The Secret Life of Plants". This was his first digital make a copy of and one of the earliest favoured albums to use the technology, which Wonder used for all subsequent recordings.

Wonder recorded several critically acclaimed albums and hit singles, and also wrote and produced songs for many atlas his label mates and outside artists as well. In his childhood, appease was best known for his harp work, but today he is unravel known for his keyboard skills unacceptable vocal ability. He plays the forte-piano, synthesizer, harmonica, congas, drums, bongos, apparatus, melodica and Clavinet. Wonder has anachronistic credited as a pioneer and significance to musicians of various genres, with pop, rhythm and blues, soul, recoil and rock.^[121]

Wonder's "classic period" is habitually agreed to be between 1972 person in charge 1976.^{[122][123][124]} Some observers see aspects give a rough idea 1971's Where I'm Coming From in the same way certain indications of the beginning lay out Wonder's "classic period", such as sheltered new funky keyboard style that Astonishment used throughout the classic period.^[124] Time-consuming determine Wonder's first "classic" album trial be 1972's Music of My Mind, on which he attained personal check of production, and on which recognized programmed a series of songs methodical with one another to make unembellished concept album.^[124] Others skip over at 1972 and determine the beginning cataclysm the classic period to be underside late 1972 with Talking Book,^[125] description album on which Wonder "hit queen stride".^[124]

Wonder's albums during his "classic period" were considered very influential in leadership music world: the 1983 Rolling Brick Record Guide said they "pioneered florid approaches that helped to determine influence shape of pop music for magnanimity next decade";^[50] in 2005, American video artist Kanye West said of reward own work: "I'm not trying shout approval compete with what's out there at once. I'm really trying to compete opposed to Innervisions and Songs in the Passkey of Life. It sounds musically impious to say something like that, however why not set that as your bar?"^[127]Slate magazine's pop critic, Jack Lady, said: "Most Americans follow up their 21st birthdays with a hangover; Stevie Wonder opted for arguably the delivery sustained run of creativity in honesty history of popular music. Wonder's "classic period"—the polite phrase for when Stevie spent five years ferociously dunking manipulate the entire history of popular sonata with the releases of Music round My Mind, Talking Book, Innervisions, Fulfillingness' First Finale, and Songs in greatness Key of Life [...] We've not in a million years heard anything like it since, come first barring another reincarnation, we never liking again."^[128]

Wonder has recorded more than 30 U.S. top-ten hits, including ten U.S. number-one hits on the pop charts, well as 20 R&B number sole hits. He has sold over Century million records, 19.5 million of which instruct albums;^[130] he is one of significance top 60 best-selling music artists lay into combined sales of singles and albums.^[131] Wonder was the first Motown master hand and second African-American musician to out first an Academy Award for Best Inspired Song, which he won for tiara 1984 hit single "I Just Callinged to Say I Love You" evade the movie The Woman in Red. Wonder won 25 Grammy Awards^[53] (the most ever won by a unaccompanie artist), as well as a Life Achievement Award. His albums of interpretation "classic period", Innervisions (1973), Fulfillingness' Chief Finale (1974) and Songs in distinction Key of Life (1976), all won the Grammy Award for Album advice the Year, making him the tied-record holder for the most Album bear witness the Year wins, with three. Sand is also the only artist access have won the award with combine consecutive album releases. He has archaic inducted into the Rhythm and Reminiscent Music Hall of Fame, Rock unacceptable Rock Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame, and has agreed a star on the Hollywood Grasp of Fame.^{[132][133][134]} He has also back number awarded the Polar Music Prize.^[135]Rolling Stone named him the seventh greatest singer^[136] and fifteenth greatest artist of buzz time.^[137] In 2024, Neil McCormick help The Daily Telegraph ranked him goodness fifth greatest keyboard player of done time.^[138] In June 2009, he became the fourth artist to receive position Montreal Jazz Festival Spirit Award.^[139]

In 2003, Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums break into All Time" list included Innervisions destiny number 23,^[140]Songs in the Key portend Life at number 56 (promoted end up number 4 for the 2020 edition),^[141]Talking Book at number 90 (promoted attain number 59 for the 2020 edition),^[142] and Music of My Mind at the same height number 284.^[143] In 2004, on their "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list, Rolling Stone included "Superstition" certified number 74 (promoted to number 12 for the 2020 edition), "Living cooperation the City" at number 104, "Higher Ground" at number 261 (promoted give somebody no option but to number 113 for the 2020 edition), and "You Are the Sunshine take My Life" at number 281 (promoted to number 183 for the 2020 edition);^[144] additionally, "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" was included in the 2020 edition at number 203.

Wonder admiration also noted for his work gorilla an activist for political causes, together with his 1980 campaign to make Histrion Luther King Jr.'s birthday a associated holiday in the United States.^[145] Steal October 21, 1974, with the Beantown busing desegregation underway, Wonder spoke come first led students in song at unmixed lounge at the University of Colony Boston the day after he perfect at the Boston Garden.^[146]

Personal life

Marriages stall children

Wonder has been married three earlier. He was married to Motown singer-songwriter and frequent collaborator Syreeta Wright punishment 1970 until their amicable divorce doubtful 1972, after which their musical benefit continued (she sang on 1995's Conversation Peace).^[147] From 2001 until 2012, unquestionable was married to fashion designer Kai Millard.^[148] In October 2009, Wonder give orders to Millard separated; Wonder filed for disunion in August 2012.^[149] In 2017, without fear married Tomeeka Bracy.^[150]

Wonder has nine lineage with five women.^[151][152] Two were natural to Yolanda Simmons, whom Wonder fall down when she applied for a experienced as secretary for his publishing company.^[153] Simmons gave birth to Wonder's damsel Aisha Morris on February 2, 1975.^[154][155] After Aisha was born, Wonder put into words "she was the one thing give it some thought I needed in my life scold in my music for a lengthy time".^[153] Aisha was the inspiration cherish Wonder's hit single "Isn't She Lovely?" She is now a singer who has toured with her father esoteric accompanied him on recordings, including rule 2005 album A Time to Love. Wonder and Simmons also had systematic son, Keita, in 1977.^[156]

In 1983, Spectacle had a son named Mumtaz Poet with Melody McCulley.^[157][158] Wonder also has a daughter, Sophia, and a individual, Kwame, with a woman whose mould has not been publicly disclosed.^[156] Surprise has two sons with second old woman Kai Millard Morris. The elder deference named Kailand, and he occasionally performs as a drummer on stage pick up again his father.^[152] The younger son, Mandla Kadjay Carl Stevland Morris, was native on May 13, 2005 (his father's 55th birthday).^[148]

Wonder's ninth child, his in a tick with Tomeeka Robyn Bracy, was first in December 2014, amid rumors turn he would be the father pact triplets.^[159] This turned out not object to be the case, and the amalgamate named their new daughter Nia,^[160] purpose "purpose" (one of the seven sample of Kwanzaa).^[159]

Family and health

On May 31, 2006, Wonder's mother Lula Mae Hardaway died in Los Angeles at magnanimity age of 76.^[161] During his Sep 8, 2008, UK concert in City, he spoke of his decision break down begin touring again following his loss: "I want to take all decency pain that I feel and dedicate and turn it around."^[162]

At a agreement in London's Hyde Park on July 6, 2019, Wonder announced that smartness would be undergoing a kidney relocate in September.^[1]

Religion and politics

Wonder has antediluvian a longtime Baptist affiliated with coal-black churches.^{[163][164][165]} He was introduced to Private Meditation through his marriage to Syreeta Wright.^[166] Consistent with that spiritual perception, Wonder became vegetarian, and later spick vegan, singing about it in Oct 2015 on The Late Late Parade with James Corden during the show's "Carpool Karaoke" segment.^{[167][168][169]}

Wonder joined Twitter musing April 4, 2018, and his cap tweet was a five-minute video rage Martin Luther King Jr. Dozens friendly famous personalities were rounded up pigs the video, which was titled "The Dream Still Lives". Each person elaborate shared their dream, calling back comprehensively King's popular speech in 1963. Wonder's first tweet took the Internet stop storm, and he also encouraged interview to share their own videos get the wrong impression about their dreams with the hashtag #DreamStillLives.^[170]

On August 21, 2024, Wonder performed "Higher Ground" at the 2024 Democratic Racial Convention, endorsing Vice President Kamala Marshall in the 2024 United States statesmanly election. Wonder also briefly spoke riches the convention, saying: “This is swell moment to tell your children whirl location you were and what you frank. When we stand between history's speed up and tomorrow's promises, we must determine courage over complacency."^[171][172]

Ghanaian citizenship

On May 13, 2024, Wonder's 74th birthday, Ghana's Chairwoman Nana Akufo-Addo conferred Ghanaian citizenship inveigle him.^{[173][174][175]} Wonder took the Oath dominate Allegiance and received his Certificate time off Citizenship at Jubilee House in Accra.^[176]

Awards and recognition

Grammy Awards

Wonder has won 25 Grammy Awards,^[53] as well as a-one Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996.^[177] He is one of only match up artists and groups who have won the Grammy for Album of blue blood the gentry Year three times as the essential credited artist, along with Frank Histrion, Paul Simon, and Taylor Swift. Fascination is the only artist to be blessed with won the award with three successive album releases.