Singer-pianist-songwriter, 1963. I Wish. Retrieved March 20, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/wonder-stevie. You Haven't Done Nothing. Wonder's albums during his "classic period" were considered very influential in the music world: the 1983 Rolling Stone Record Guide said they "pioneered stylistic approaches that helped to determine the shape of pop music for the next decade";[49] In 2005, American recording artist Kanye West said of his own work: "I'm not trying to compete with what's out there now. Music Of My Mind, Talking Book, Innervisions, Fulfillingness' First Finale and Songs In The Key Of El subjuntivo Few artists - if any - have released such a high-quality run of albums as Stevie did in the 1970s. 1 wife. Wonder fathered children by three other women over the next couple of decades, though he did not remarry. [153] Consistent with that spiritual vision, Wonder became vegetarian, and later a vegan, singing about it in October 2015 on The Late Late Show with James Corden during the show's "Carpool Karaoke" segment. (March 20, 2023). Stevie Wonder (born 1950) is one of the most cherished rhythm-and-blues singers and songwriters of his generation. Superstition. He proved himself able to get much more than intriguing and atmospheric textural settings out of his electro-synthetic musical arsenal: he was able to make his instruments sing with both melodic poignance and sweetness. Wonder emerged from the 1970s one of the favorite recording stars of any audience under the age of fifty. From 2001 until 2012 he was married to fashion designer Kai Millard. Review of Stevie Wonder's Greatest Hits Vol. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: The 1960s. He recorded several critically acclaimed albums and hit singles, and also wrote and produced songs for many of his label mates and outside artists as well. . [105][106][107], In June of 2021, Wonder appeared in the documentary Summer of Soul, directed by Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, showing the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969. Wonder has continued to remain active in music and political causes. I had gone about as far as I could go, he said of his Motown experience in Stereo Review. Wonder fathered children by three other women over the next couple of decades. Additional information for this profile was obtained from Motown Records publicity materials, 1995. I get instantly redirected to "gslbeacon.ligit.com." Motown is a record company, a musical style, and a corporate conglomerate with several subsidiary labels. Name the major nerves that serve the following body areas? Wonder did a 13-date tour of North America in 2007, starting in San Diego on August 23; this was his first U.S. tour in more than 10 years. He recalled, "I believed God had something for me to do." He wanted to be free so that he could bring the best of himself to the table.". His key appearances include performing at the opening ceremony of the 2002 Winter Paralympics in Salt Lake City,[90] the 2005 Live 8 concert in Philadelphia,[91] the pre-game show for Super Bowl XL in 2006, the Obama Inaugural Celebration in 2009, and the opening ceremony of the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens, Greece.[92]. [44], During this period, he independently recorded two albums and signed a new contract with Motown Records. Youre influenced all the time, he asserted to New York Times writer Strauss, and the day that you cannot be influenced by anything good is the day that you really have let your art die.. Unable to attend a regular Detroit school while becoming a pop sensation, Wonder was sent to the Michigan School for the Blind at Motown's expense. Signed Sealed and Delivered (includes "Signed Sealed Delivered [I'm Yours]"), 1970. Retrieved March 20, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/stevie-wonder, Born: Steveland Hardaway Judkins, Saginaw, Michigan, 13 May 1950, Best-selling album since 1990: Jungle Fever (1991), Hit songs since 1990: "Gotta Have You," "These Three Words," "Fun Day". I vaguely remember light and what my mother looks like, he ventured in a 1986 Life interview, but I could be dreaming. His father left the family early on, and he and his five siblings were raised by their mother; Born Stevland Judkins Morris, May 13, 1950, in Saginaw, MI; son of Lulu Mae Morris; married Syreeta Wright (a singer), 1971 (divorced, 1972); children (with women other than Wright): Aisha, Keita, Mumtaz, and Kwame. Incidentally, on the occasion of his 35th birthday, Stevie Wonder was honored by the United Nations Special Committee Against Apartheid for his stance against racism in South Africa that same year (1985). [43] Reaching his 21st birthday on May 13, 1971, Wonder allowed his Motown contract to expire. ." Sources. The track peaked at number 34 in the UK Singles Chart. It remains to be seen how this album will fit into the Wonder pantheon of music. By age nine he was singing solos in the choir at the Whitestone Baptist Church. Over the years Wonder also became progressively more involved in politics, lobbying for gun control, against drunk driving and the apartheid system enforced by South Africa's white minority, and on behalf of a national holiday in recognition of civil rights activist the Rev. In 1987, Wonder appeared on Michael Jackson's Bad album, on the duet "Just Good Friends". Wonder is the only artist to have won the award with three consecutive album releases. From a sonic standpoint, too, he was a trailblazer, demonstrating the versatility of the synthesizer when it was still something of a novelty instrument in the R&B world. Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Gap Band, and more A premature baby, he was blind from birth because he did not receive enough oxygen while in an incubator and suffered a dislocated nerve in one eye and a cataract in the other.
90", "500 Greatest Albums of All Time | Music of My Mind ranked no. At 21, Stevie was interested in being treated well and in controlling his life and in presenting his music, and all those things were extraordinary things for a young man to ask at that point, explained Johanan Vigoda, Wonders longtime attorney, to Smith of the New Yorker. ", Wonder's only other studio album of the 1990s, Conversation Peace (1995), was another satisfying work, again informed by his encompassing vision. [28] His next few recordings, however, were not successful; his voice was changing as he got older, and some Motown executives were considering cancelling his recording contract. Master Blaster (Jammin') 04. shes a bad mamma jamma Knowing how fond Wonder was of blasting music, Tucker shouted in his friend's ear hoping to revive him. . Wonder's momentum was almost stopped permanently by a 1973 automobile accident that nearly claimed his life and left him with deep facial scars. Addresses: Record company Motown Records, 1350 Avenue of the Americas, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10019; 5750 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036. she moved the clan to Detroit, where they struggled mightily to survive. . Talking Book (1972) and Innervisions (1973) are classics of this period, albums in which Wonder made pioneering strides with a new musical instrument, the synthesizer. It's not to say I can't express myself verbally. 34 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Stevie Wonder's influence can be felt in the work of younger artists such as Prince and Maxwell, performers who took Wonder's lead and exerted artistic control over the production of their music.
His father left the family when he was a toddler, and his mother, Lula Mae Morris, remarried and moved the family to Detroit's east side. 13 May 1950 in Saginaw, Michigan), singer, composer, and musician who transcended his early days as a child prodigy at Motown Records in the 1960s to fuse soul, jazz, pop, and "world music" into a wide-ranging and popular musical legacy that ranges from love ballads to insightful social commentary. His songs challenged social conditions, celebrated religious ecstasy, and revealed his most personal joys. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. ." Paul told Rolling Stones Ritz that Gordy had instructed him, Your job is to bring out his genius. His father left the family early on, and Wonder and his five siblings were raised by their mother. Blind since birth, Wonder has directed an immense inner vision toward innovative music; to quote New His slightly nasal vocal style, with its sudden flights into his upper register, has influenced scores of younger rhythm-and-blues performers, from Michael Jackson to Usher. Virtually all of Wonder's work during the early to mid-1970s was essentially pop, most notably his albums Talking Book, Innervisions, Fulfillingness' First Finale, and the epic Songs in the Key of Life. [109], By June 2008, Wonder was working on two projects simultaneously: a new album called The Gospel Inspired by Lula, which will deal with the various spiritual and cultural crises facing the world, and Through the Eyes of Wonder, an album he has described as a performance piece that will reflect his experience as a blind man. In roughly the same period he was also featured on harmonica on Eurythmics' single, "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" and Elton John's "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues". Nonetheless, he managed to score several hits between 1968 and 1970 such as "I Was Made to Love Her",[30] "For Once in My Life" and "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours". Brower writes: The studio had become an instrument for the self-actualization of his personal vision. Signed Sealed and Delivered (includes Signed Sealed Delivered [Im Yours]), 1970. Encyclopedia.com. Awards: Recipient of more than fifteen Grammy Awards, including awards for best male vocalist in both pop and rhythm and blues categories, best pop song, and best album.
[55] Wonder had become the most influential and acclaimed black musician of the early 1970s. Contemporary Musicians. Wonder was born Stevland Hardaway Judkins in Saginaw, Michigan, on May 13, 1950, the third of five children born to Lula Mae Hardaway,[7] and the second of Hardaway's two children with Calvin Judkins. With the success of "Fingertips," Wonder became a part of the Motown family. A state of mind excited by the perception of novelty or of something strange or not well understood. In January 1999, Wonder provided a dazzling halftime show during the Super Bowl. In 1992by which time multimillion-dollar deals had become commonplaceWonder signed a unique lifetime pact with Motown. A-Z Artists | Webi found this song on WinMXit was called "Stevie Wonder - Bad Mama Jama"and I thought it was by Stevie now I've done a search and this song is attributed to 3 different singers Stevie Wonder - She's A Bad Mama Jama.mp3 George Clinton - She's A Bad Mama Jama.mp3 Carl Carlton - She's A Bad Mama Jama.mp3 ." ." Spanish Help The company was founded in Detroit i, Richie, Lionel "The attitude was Do it until it can't be done any better." Under such demanding circumstances the young performer grew up fast. What Wonder brought to the table-with the establishment of his own music publishing company and near-total creative freedom-was an increasingly sophisticated body of work that managed to fuse the high spirits of classic soul, the syncopations of funk, exquisite melodies, and his own introspective and increasingly politicized lyrics. Work Plz. [125][126][127] He has also been awarded the Polar Music Prize. 20 Mar. Being black, blind, and up from poverty entitles him, of course, to say that he has been there and back. In down beat magazine, W. A. Brower writes that Wonder has become a world-class moral forcea heroin a time when the personal villainy of television anti-heroes is celebrated, poverty is glibly rationalized, and the ghastly spectre of controlled nuclear holocaust darkens our future.. "It wasn't the freedom to be dissolute or undisciplined. What artist in his right mind, mused singer-songwriter and soul icon Marvin Gaye in the presence of Rolling Stones Ritz, wouldnt be intimidated by Stevie Wonder?. With Lenny Kravitz, "Deuce," Kiss My Ass, 1995. Though he increasingly failed to match his creative and sales peaks of the preceding decades, Wonder was still a giant presence in the world of pop. On lines such as "the ones you say you cherish every day / can instantly be taken away," Wonder evinces an awareness of mortality that, in its seriousness of purpose, distinguishes it from the simpler, lighthearted work of 1980s and 1990s balladeers such as Lionel Richie. . Encyclopedia.com. From [81], Among his other activities, Wonder played harmonica on one track for the 1994 tribute album Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved;[82] sang at the 1996 Summer Olympics closing ceremony;[83] collaborated in 1997 with Babyface on "How Come, How Long", a song about domestic violence that was nominated for a Grammy award;[84] and played harmonica on Sting's 1999 "Brand New Day". THANKS! just as fineas she can be. My Cherie Amour. Similarly, on the sophisticated ballad "Make Sure You're Sure," Wonder improvises with his vocal phrasing in the manner of a jazz singer. The following body areas his 21st birthday on May 13, 1971, appeared... 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