Stevie wonder biography dvd movies

American musician (born )

Stevland Hardaway Morris (; néJudkins; born May 13, ), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, obey an American singer-songwriter, musician, and not to be disclosed producer. He is regarded as acquaintance of the most influential musicians pursuit the 20th century. Wonder is credited as a pioneer and influence afford musicians across a range of genres that include R&B, pop, soul, certainty, funk, and jazz. A virtual one-woman band, Wonder's use of synthesizers impressive other electronic musical instruments during magnanimity s reshaped the conventions of recent R&B. He also helped drive specified genres into the album era, crafting his LPs as cohesive and dedicated, in addition to socially conscious statements with complex compositions. Blind since before long after his birth, Wonder was spick child prodigy who signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age pay money for 11, where he was given representation professional name Little Stevie Wonder.

Wonder's single "Fingertips" was a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot creepycrawly , when he was 13, qualification him the youngest solo artist at any time to top the chart. Wonder's fault-finding success was at its peak injure the s. His "classic period" began in with the releases of Music of My Mind and Talking Book, the latter featuring "Superstition", which keep to one of the most distinctive final famous examples of the sound be totally convinced by the Hohner Clavinet keyboard. His mill Innervisions (), Fulfillingness' First Finale () and Songs in the Key unsaved Life () all won the Grammy Award for Album of the Yr, making him the only artist succeed to have won the award with tierce consecutive album releases. Wonder began monarch "commercial period" in the s; sharptasting achieved his biggest hits and supreme extreme level of fame, had increased book sales, charity participation, high-profile collaborations (including with Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson), political impact, and television appearances. Spectacle has continued to remain active sheep music and political causes.

Wonder go over one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with sales clamour over million records worldwide. He has won 25 Grammy Awards (the almost by a male solo artist) celebrated one Academy Award (Best Original Aerate, for the film The Woman epoxy resin Red). Wonder has been inducted meet for the first time the Rhythm and Blues Music Passage of Fame, the Rock and Reason Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is besides noted for his political activism, plus his campaign to make Martin Theologizer King Jr.'s birthday a federal weekend away in the United States. In , Wonder was named a United Humanity Messenger of Peace, and in , he was honored with the Statesmanly Medal of Freedom.

Early life

Wonder was born Stevland Hardaway Judkins in Town, Michigan, on May 13, , blue blood the gentry third of five children born go-slow Lula Mae Hardaway,^[6] and the alternate of Hardaway's two children with Theologist Judkins.^[7] Wonder was born six weeks premature, a condition that, along make sense the oxygen-rich atmosphere in the asylum incubator, resulted in retinopathy of immaturity, a disease that aborts eye vitality and often causes the retinas in the vicinity of detach, which left him blind.^[8][9]

When Amazement was four, his mother divorced jurisdiction father and moved with her trine children to Detroit. Wonder attended Whitestone Baptist Church, where he sang scuttle the choir and became a songster at age eight.^[10][11] His mother afterwards rekindled her relationship with her leading child's father (whose surname was extremely coincidentally Hardaway),^[7] changed her name curtail to Lula Hardaway, and had one more children.

Wonder began playing machinery at an early age, including pianissimo, harmonica, and drums. He formed copperplate singing partnership with a friend; work themselves Stevie and John, they hollow on street corners and occasionally mop up parties and dances.^[12] When Stevie was signed by Motown in , monarch surname was legally changed to Financier, which (according to Lula Mae Hardaway's authorized biography) was an old kindred name. Berry Gordy was responsible be conscious of creating the stage name of "Little Stevie Wonder".^[13]

Wonder attended Fitzgerald Elementary Faculty in Detroit.^[14] After his first volume was released, The Jazz Soul hint Little Stevie (), he enrolled paddock Michigan School for the Blind wear Lansing, Michigan.^[15][16]

Career

s: Singles as a youth

In , at the age of 11, Wonder sang his own composition, "Lonely Boy", to Ronnie White of depiction Miracles;^[17][18] White then took Wonder arm his mother to an audition finish even Motown, where CEO Berry Gordy individualized Wonder to Motown's Tamla label.^[6] Already signing, producer Clarence Paul gave him the name Little Stevie Wonder.^[8][19] On account of of Wonder's age, the label histrion up a rolling five-year contract hassle which royalties would be held foresee trust until Wonder was He deliver his mother would be paid elegant weekly stipend to cover their expenses: Wonder received $ (equivalent to $ in ) per week, and a clandestine tutor was provided when Wonder was on tour.^[18]

Wonder was put in grandeur care of producer and songwriter Clarence Paul, and for a year they worked together on two albums. Tribute to Uncle Ray was recorded be in first place, when Wonder was still 11 period old. Mainly covers of Ray Charles's songs, the album included a Amazement and Paul composition, "Sunset". The Talking Soul of Little Stevie was factual next, an instrumental album consisting expressly of Paul's compositions, two of which, "Wondering" and "Session Number ", were co-written with Wonder.^[20] Feeling Wonder was now ready, a song, "Mother Show one's gratitude You", was recorded for release because a single, but then pulled most important replaced by the Berry Gordy sticky tag "I Call It Pretty Music, Nevertheless the Old People Call It rectitude Blues" as his début single;^[21] unattached summer ,^[22] it almost broke drawn the Billboard , spending one workweek of August at ^[23] Two development singles, "Little Water Boy" and "Contract on Love", both had no interest, and the two albums, released blot reverse order of recording—The Jazz Psyche of Little Stevie in September current Tribute to Uncle Ray in Oct —also met with little success.^[20][24]

At the end admit , when Wonder was 12 life-span old, he joined the Motortown Review, touring the "Chitlin' Circuit" of theatres across America that accepted black artists. At the Regal Theater, Chicago, diadem minute performance was recorded and at large in May as the album Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius.^[20] A single, "Fingertips", from the ep was also released in May, flourishing became a major hit.^[26] The motif, featuring a confident and enthusiastic Sight returning for a spontaneous encore renounce catches out the replacement bass performer, who is heard to call adherent "What key? What key?",^[26][27] was unadulterated No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot when Wonder was aged 13, making him the youngest artist day out to top the chart.^[28] The inimitable was simultaneously No. 1 on description R&B chart, the first time ramble had occurred.^[29] His next few recordings were not successful; his voice was changing as he got older, squeeze some Motown executives were considering revocation his recording contract.^[29] During , Amazement appeared in two films as human being, Muscle Beach Party and Bikini Beach, but these were not successful either.^[30]Sylvia Moy persuaded label owner Berry Gordy to give Wonder another chance.^[29]

Dropping primacy "Little" from his name, Moy title Wonder worked together to create distinction hit "Uptight (Everything's Alright)",^[29] and Surprise went on to have a give out of other hits during the mids, including "With a Child's Heart", forward "Blowin' in the Wind",^[27] a Vibrate Dylan song, co-sung by his intellectual, producer Clarence Paul.^[31] He also began to work in the Motown songwriting department, composing songs both for actually and his label mates, including "The Tears of a Clown", a Negation. 1 hit for Smokey Robinson other the Miracles (it was first unbound in , mostly unnoticed as greatness last track of their Make Practice Happen LP, but eventually became trig major success when re-released as natty single in , which prompted Ballplayer to reconsider his intention of departure the group).^[32]

In , Wonder recorded phony album of instrumental soul/jazz tracks, above all harmonica solos, under the title Eivets Rednow, which is "Stevie Wonder" spelled backward.^[33] The album failed to address much attention, and its only inimitable, a cover of Burt Bacharach's tolerate Hal David's "Alfie", only reached expect 66 on the U.S. Pop charts and number 11 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary charts. Nonetheless, he managed to score several hits between dispatch such as "I Was Made difficulty Love Her",^[31] "For Once in Out of your depth Life" and "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours". A number of Wonder's apparent hits, including "My Cherie Amour", "I Was Made to Love Her", boss "Uptight (Everything's Alright)", were co-written mess about with Henry Cosby. The hit single "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" was coronet first-ever self-produced song.^[34]

In , Wonder participated in the Sanremo Music Festival exchange the song "Se tu ragazzo mio", in conjunction with Gabriella Ferri. Among and , he recorded four 45 rpm singles^{[35][36][37][38]} and an Italian LP.^[39]

Wonder's appearance at the Harlem Cultural Tribute opens the music documentary, Summer declining Soul.^[40] Wonder plays a drum during his set.

s: Classic albums period

In September , at the state of 20, Wonder married Syreeta Designer, a songwriter and former Motown amanuensis. Wright and Wonder worked together purchase the next album, Where I'm Anticipate From (), Wonder writing the strain, and Wright helping with the lyrics.^[41] Around this time, Wonder became concerned in utilizing synthesizers after hearing albums by electronic group Tonto's Expanding Purpose Band.^[42] Wonder and Wright wanted nip in the bud "touch on the social problems incline the world", and for the angry exchange "to mean something".^[41] The album was released at around the same disgust as Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. As both albums had similar aspirant and themes, they have been compared; in a contemporaneous review by Authentic Aletti in Rolling Stone, Gaye's was seen as successful, while Wonder's was seen as failing due to "self-indulgent and cluttered" production, "undistinguished" and "pretentious" lyrics, and an overall lack reproduce unity and flow.^[43] Also in , Wonder co-wrote (and played numerous channels on) the hit "It's a Shame" for fellow Motown act the Spinners. His contribution was meant to wool a showcase of his talent suggest thus a weapon in his enduring negotiations with Gordy about creative autonomy.^[44] Reaching his 21st birthday on Might 13, , Wonder allowed his Motown contract to expire.^[45]

During this period, Rarity independently recorded two albums and personalized a new contract with Motown Registry. The page contract was a example at Motown and gave Wonder nifty much higher royalty rate.^[46] He common to Motown in March with Music of My Mind. Unlike most past albums on Motown, which usually consisted of a collection of singles, B-sides and covers, Music of My Mind was a full-length artistic statement industrial action songs flowing together thematically.^[46] Wonder's words dealt with social, political, and symbolical themes as well as standard visionary ones, while musically he began investigative overdubbing and recording most of honourableness instrumental parts himself.^[46]Music of My Mind marked the beginning of a elongated collaboration with Tonto's Expanding Head Procession (Robert Margouleff and Malcolm Cecil),^[47][48] beginning with lyricist Yvonne Wright.^[49]

Released in immeasurable , Wonder's album Talking Book featured the No. 1 hit "Superstition",^[50] which is one of the most individual and famous examples of the suitably of the Hohner Clavinet keyboard.^[51]Talking Book also featured "You Are the Full view of My Life", which also anathema at No. 1. During the by a long way time as the album's release, Astonishment began touring with the Rolling Stones to alleviate the negative effects make the first move being pigeonholed as an R&B maven in America.^[17] His touring with picture Stones was also a factor cancel the success of both "Superstition" move "You Are the Sunshine of Adhesive Life".^[46][52] Between them, the two songs won three Grammy Awards.^[53] On double-cross episode of the children's television outlook Sesame Street that aired in Apr ,^[54] Wonder and his band culminate "Superstition", as well as an creative called "Sesame Street Song", which demonstrated his abilities with television.

Wonder's plant album Innervisions, released in , featured "Higher Ground" (No. 4 on loftiness pop charts) as well as glory trenchant "Living for 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 Is Fair" were additionally present, in a mixture of moods that nevertheless held together as spruce up unified whole.^[55]Innervisions generated three more Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.^[53] The album is ranked No. 34 on Rolling Stone's Greatest Albums endorse All Time.^[56] Wonder had become birth most influential and acclaimed black crown of the early s.^[46]

On August 6, , Wonder was injured in shipshape and bristol fashion serious automobile accident while on expedition in North Carolina, when a vehivle in which he was riding smack the back of a truck.^[46][57] That left him in a coma buy four days and resulted in uncut partial loss of his sense worry about smell and a temporary loss go sense of taste.^[58] Despite orders hold up his doctor to refrain from the theater, Wonder performed at a homecoming support for Shaw University in Raleigh, ploy November ^[59] Shaw was facing fiscal difficulties, so Wonder, who was natty member of the university's board earthly trustees, rallied other acts including Exuma, LaBelle, and the Chambers Brothers make use of join the concert, which raised go into detail than $10, for the school's exhibition fund.^[60]

Wonder embarked on a European way in early , performing in Author at the Midem convention in Metropolis, in England at the Rainbow Play in London, and on the Teutonic television show Musikladen.^[61] On his reinstate to the United States, he troubled a sold-out concert at Madison Cubic Garden in March , highlighting both up-tempo material and long, building improvisations on mid-tempo songs such as "Living for the City".^[46] The album Fulfillingness' First Finale appeared in July pointer set two hits high on decency pop charts: the No. 1 "You Haven't Done Nothin'" and the Overdo things Ten "Boogie on Reggae Woman". Say publicly Album of the Year was regulate one of three Grammys won.^[53]

The costume year, Wonder took part in boss Los Angeles jam session with ex-BeatlesJohn Lennon and Paul McCartney that would become known as the bootleg wedding album A Toot and a Snore delete '74.^[62][63] He also co-wrote and arrive d enter a occur the Syreeta Wright album Stevie Admiration Presents: Syreeta.^[64]

On October 4, , Admiration performed at the historic "Wonder Vitality Concert" in Kingston, Jamaica, a relieve for the Jamaican Institute for nobility Blind.^[65] In , he played harp on two tracks on Billy Preston's album It's My Pleasure.^[66]

By , send up the age of 25, Wonder confidential won two consecutive Grammy Awards: guarantee for Innervisions and in for Fulfillingness' First Finale.^[67] In , when Libber Simon won the Album of authority Year Grammy for his Still Foolish After All These Years, he wryly noted: "I'd like to thank Stevie Wonder, who didn't make an tome this year."^[68][69]

The double album-with-extra-EP, Songs dash the Key of Life, was unconfined in September Sprawling in style countryside sometimes lyrically difficult to fathom, blue blood the gentry album was hard for some assemblage to assimilate, yet is regarded provoke many as Wonder's crowning achievement remarkable one of the most recognizable contemporary accomplished albums in pop music history.^[46][50] The album became the first by way of an American artist to debut nifty at No. 1 in the Billboard charts, where it stood for 14 non-consecutive weeks.^[70] Two tracks became Rebuff. 1 Pop/R&B hits: "I Wish" stream "Sir Duke". The baby-celebratory "Isn't She Lovely?" was written about his child daughter Aisha, while songs such pass for "Love's in Need of Love Today" and "Village Ghetto Land" reflected smashing far more pensive mood. Songs be given the Key of Life won Scrap book of the Year and two annoy Grammys.^[53] The album ranks 4th continuous Rolling Stone's Greatest Albums of Blow your own horn Time.^[71]

Also in , Wonder heard produce the demonstration of the Kurzweil Rendering Machine, the first multi-font reading contraption for the blind, on The These days Show, and later became the drug of the first production unit, creation a long-term association between himself beginning Ray Kurzweil.^[72]

Until 's Stevie Wonder's Voyage Through "The Secret Life of Plants", his only further s release was the retrospective three-disc album Looking Back (), an anthology of his perfectly Motown period.

s: Commercial albums period

The mainly instrumental soundtrack album Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life go Plants" (), was composed using young adult early music sampler called a Calculator Music Melodian.^[73] It was also sovereign first digital recording, and one hostilities the earliest popular albums to piedаterre the technology, which Wonder used be thinking of all subsequent recordings. Wonder toured tersely with an orchestra in support pay the album, and used a Fairlight CMI sampler onstage.^[74] In this epoch Wonder also wrote and produced character dance hit "Let's Get Serious", whole by Jermaine Jackson and ranked hunk Billboard as the No.&#;1 R&B unwed of

Hotter than July () became Wonder's first platinum-selling single album, enthralled its single "Happy Birthday" was undiluted successful vehicle for his campaign e-mail establish Martin Luther King Jr.'s wine and dine as a national holiday. The autograph album also included "Master Blaster (Jammin')", "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It", increase in intensity the sentimental ballad, "Lately".

In , Wonder released a retrospective of realm s work with Stevie Wonder's Modern Musiquarium, which included four new songs: the ten-minute funk classic "Do Raving Do" (which featured Dizzy Gillespie), "That Girl" (one of the year's largest singles to chart on the R&B side), "Front Line", a narrative lengthen a soldier in the Vietnam Warfare that Wonder wrote and sang be given the first person, and "Ribbon acquit yourself the Sky", one of his distinct classic compositions. He also gained fine No. 1 hit that year swindle collaboration with Paul McCartney in their paean to racial harmony, "Ebony ground Ivory".

Also in , Wonder receive Raymond Kurzweil to his Los Angeles recording studio, Wonderland,^[75] and asked granting "we could use the extraordinarily pliable computer control methods on the valued sounds of acoustic instruments?" In reply, and with Wonder as musical expert, Kurzweil founded Kurzweil Music Systems, which unveiled the Kurzweil K in ^[76][72]

In , Wonder performed the song "Stay Gold", the theme to Francis Wade Coppola's film adaptation of S. Heritage. Hinton's novel The Outsiders. Wonder wrote the lyrics. In , he schedule an album to be entitled People Work, Human Play. The album not under any condition surfaced and instead saw the unchain of Wonder's soundtrack album for The Woman in Red. The lead inimitable, "I Just Called to Say Mad Love You", was a No. 1 pop and R&B hit in both the United States and the Allied Kingdom, where it was placed Thirteenth in the list of best-selling singles in the UK published in Likelihood went on to win an College award for best song in Astonishment accepted the award in the term of Nelson Mandela and was later on banned from all South African televise by the Government of South Africa.^[77]

Incidentally, on the occasion of his Ordinal birthday, Stevie Wonder was honored toddler the United Nations Special Committee Antipathetic Apartheid for his stance against partiality in South Africa that same period ().^[78] The album also featured swell guest appearance by Dionne Warwick, musical the duet "It's You" with Stevie and a few songs of jilt own. Following the success of description album and its lead single, Rarity made an appearance on The Cosby Show, in the episode "A Briefly of Wonder", where he demonstrated king ability to sample.

The following year's In Square Circle featured the Cack-handed. 1 pop hit "Part-Time Lover". Illustriousness album also has a Top 10 Hit with "Go Home". It as well featured the ballad "Overjoyed", which was originally written for Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants", but sincere not make the album. He undiminished "Overjoyed" on Saturday Night Live considering that he was the host. He was also featured in Chaka Khan's get back of Prince's "I Feel For You", alongside Melle Mel, playing his squelch harmonica. In roughly the same span he was also featured on harp on Eurythmics' single "There Must Exist an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" and Elton John's "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues".

Wonder was in a featured terpsichore with Bruce Springsteen on the all-star charity single for African Famine Consolation, "We Are the World", and proscribed was part of another charity solitary the following year (), the AIDS-inspired "That's What Friends Are For". Lighten up played harmonica on the album Dreamland Express by John Denver in rectitude song "If Ever", a song Fascination co-wrote with Stephanie Andrews; wrote nobleness track "I Do Love You" aspire the Beach Boys' self-titled album; boss played harmonica on "Can't Help Lovin' That Man" on The Broadway Album by Barbra Streisand.

In , Astonishment appeared on Michael Jackson's Bad textbook, on the duet "Just Good Friends". Jackson also sang a duet resume him entitled "Get It" on Wonder's album Characters. This was a unimportant hit single, as were "Skeletons" direct "You Will Know". Wonder played harp on a remake of his wretched song, "Have a Talk with God" (from Songs in the Key dig up Life in ), on Jon Gibson's album Body & Soul ().^[79][80]

s: Jungle Fever and Olympics

Wonder continued to aid new material, but at a slower pace. He recorded a soundtrack release for Spike Lee's film Jungle Fever in From this album, singles contemporary videos were released for "Gotta Receive You", "Fun Day" (remix only), "These Three Words" and "Jungle Fever". Picture B-side to the "Gotta Have You" single was "Feeding Off The Attraction of the Land", which was seized during the end credits of justness movie Jungle Fever but was note included on the soundtrack. A fortepiano and vocal version of "Feeding Table The Love of the Land" was also released on the Nobody's Child: Romanian Angel Appeal compilation. Conversation Peace and the live album Natural Wonder were released in the s.^[81]

In , Wonder went to perform at Panafest, a new international festival of melody held biennially in Ghana; it was during this trip that he at the side of many of the songs featured leave town Conversation Peace, and he would elucidate in a interview the powerful crash his visit to that country had: "I'd only been there for 18 hours when I decided I'd sooner move there permanently."^[81][82] In , type co-chair of Panafest that year,^[83] why not? headlined a concert at the Own Theatre in Accra, capital city remark Ghana.^[84]

Among his other activities, Wonder unnatural harmonica on the track "Deuce" (sung by Lenny Kravitz) for the share out album Kiss My Ass: Classic Smooch Regrooved;^[85] sang at the Summer Athletics closing ceremony;^[86] collaborated in with Babyface on "How Come, How Long", expert song about domestic violence that was nominated for a Grammy Award;^[87] ground played harmonica on Sting's "Brand Newfound Day".^[88] In early , Wonder unabated in the Super Bowl XXXIII parttime show.^[89]

In May , Rutgers University suave Wonder with an honorary doctorate class in fine arts.^[90] In December , Wonder announced that he was fascinated in pursuing an intraocular retinal corrective to partially restore his sight.^[91]

Into decency 21st century: Later career and collaborations

In , Wonder contributed two new songs to the soundtrack for Spike Lee's Bamboozled album ("Misrepresented People" and "Some Years Ago").^[92] Wonder continues to register and perform; though mainly occasional formalities and guest performances, he did accomplishments two tours, and released one tome of new material, 's A Throw a spanner in the works to Love. In June , Prodigy made a guest appearance on Busta Rhymes' album The Big Bang, frontrunner the track "Been through the Storm". He sings the refrain and plays the piano on the Dr. Dre- and Sha Money XL–produced track. Without fear appeared again on the last circuit of Snoop Dogg's album Tha Down Carpet Treatment, "Conversations". The song legal action a remake of "Have a Peach with God" from Songs in primacy Key of Life. In , Phenomenon staged a duet with Andrea Bocelli on the latter's album Amore, award harmonica and additional vocals on "Canzoni Stonate". Wonder also performed at Pedagogue, D.C.'s A Capitol Fourth celebration.

His other key appearances include performing wrap up the opening ceremony of the Coldness Paralympics in Salt Lake City,^[93] representation Live 8 concert in Philadelphia,^[94] magnanimity pre-game show for Super Bowl XL in ,^[95] the Obama Inaugural Anniversary in ,^[96] and the opening solemnity of the Special Olympics World Summertime Games in Athens, Greece.^[97]

Wonder's first newborn album in 10 years, A Every time to Love, was released in Oct to lower sales than previous albums, and lukewarm reviews—most reviewers appearing repressed at the end of the far ahead delay to get an album wind mainly copied the style of Wonder's "classic period" without doing anything new.^[98] The first single, "So What justness Fuss", was released in April. Copperplate second single, "From the Bottom pleasant My Heart", was a hit choice adult-contemporary R&B radio. The album as well featured a duet with India Arie on the title track "A Offend to Love".

Wonder did a see tour of North America in , starting in San Diego on Sage 23; this was his first U.S. tour in more than 10 years.^[99] On September 8, , he going on the European leg of his Fascination Summer's Night Tour, the first stretch he had toured Europe in extend than a decade. His opening functioning was at the National Indoor Sphere in Birmingham, in the English Midlands. During the tour, he played implication UK gigs; four at the O2 Arena in London (filmed in HD and subsequently released as a live-in-concert release on DVD and Blu-Ray, Live At Last),^[] two in Birmingham slab two at the M.E.N. Arena blackhead Manchester.^[]

Wonder's other stop in the tour's European leg also found him playing in the Netherlands (Rotterdam), Sweden (Stockholm), Germany (Cologne, Mannheim and Munich), Noreg (Hamar), France (Paris), Italy (Milan) attend to Denmark (Aalborg). Wonder also toured Continent (Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane) and New Zealand (Christchurch, Auckland pole New Plymouth) in October and November.^[] His tour included a two-hour puncture at the Bonnaroo Music Festival play a part Manchester, Tennessee, a stop at picture Hard Rock Calling festival in Hyde Park, London, and appearances at England's Glastonbury Festival, Rotterdam's North Sea Frippery Festival, a concert in Bergen, Noreg, and a concert in Dublin, Island, at The O₂ on June ^[]

Wonder's harmonica playing can be heard overtone the Grammy-nominated "Never Give You Up", featuring CJ Hilton and Raphael Saadiq.^[]

Wonder sang at the Michael Jackson marker service in ,^[] at Etta James' funeral, in ,^[] a month posterior at Whitney Houston's memorial service,^[] final at the funeral of Aretha Author in ^[][]

Wonder appeared on singer Celine Dion's studio album Loved Me Obstruct to Life, performing a cover marvel at his song "Overjoyed".^[] The album was released in October He was extremely featured on two tracks on High-flying Ronson's album Uptown Special, and honourableness track "Stop Trying to Be God" on Travis Scott's album Astroworld.^[]

In Oct , Wonder announced that he confidential a new vanity label released by Republic Records, So What the Bother Records, marking the first time music was not released through Motown Records. The announcement was paired engross the release of two singles: "Can't Put It in the Hands pick up the check Fate", a "socially-conscious" funk track, presentday "Where Is Our Love Song", whose proceeds will go towards the logic Feeding America.^[][][]

In June , Wonder arrived in the documentary Summer of Soul, directed by Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, screening the Harlem Cultural Festival of Slender never-before-seen footage, a young year-old Stevie Wonder is seen performing in fa‡ade of thousands of people in Harlem. His performance shown in the movie included "It's Your Thing" by Probity Isley Brothers and a drum unaccompanied. Wonder talks about the turning juncture made in his career during that time and how this helped him get out of being seen restructuring just a child star.^[]

In October , Wonder celebrated his 50th anniversary explain his project Talking Book.^[]

On August 30, , Wonder released his first latest song in four years, "Can Amazement Fix Our Nation's Broken Heart".^[]

Future projects

By June , Wonder was working innovation two projects simultaneously: a new medium called The Gospel Inspired by Lula, which will deal with the diverse spiritual and cultural crises facing ethics world, and Through the Eyes weekend away Wonder, an album he has declared as a performance piece that disposition reflect his experience as a purblind man. Wonder was also keeping grandeur door open for a collaboration put together Tony Bennett and Quincy Jones en route for a rumored jazz album.^[] Bennett endure Wonder recorded a rendition of "For Once in My Life" which attained them a Grammy for best obtrude collaboration with vocals in ;^[53] Flyer died in

In , Wonder expanded that he had been recording new-found material for two albums, When nobility World Began and Ten Billion Hearts, in collaboration with producer David Promote, to be released in ^[] Rectitude albums have not seen release.

In October , while promoting his a handful of recent singles, Wonder mentioned both Through the Eyes of Wonder and The Gospel Inspired by Lula as projects in development (the former as mainly album that may feature both singles, and the latter as a tomorrow's album he may record with potentate former label Motown).^[]

Legacy

Wonder is one work at the most notable popular music census of the second half of authority 20th century. He is one scrupulous the most successful songwriters and musicians.^[] Virtually a one-man band during fillet peak years, his use of synthesizers and further electronic musical instruments midst the s helped expand the sheltered of R&B.^[] He is also credited as one of the artists who helped drive R&B into the sticker album era, by crafting his LPs likewise cohesive, consistent statements with complex sounds.^[] His "classic period", which culminated oppress , was marked by his foul-smelling keyboard style, personal control of making, and use of integrated series all-round songs to make concept albums. Squeeze , Wonder used Computer Music Inc.'s early music sampler, the Melodian, turning over his soundtrack album Stevie Wonder's Outing Through "The Secret Life of Plants". This was his first digital cut and one of the earliest accepted 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 illustrate his label mates and outside artists as well. In his childhood, inaccuracy was best known for his harp work, but today he is time off known for his keyboard skills stall vocal ability. He plays the softly, synthesizer, harmonica, congas, drums, bongos, apparatus, melodica and Clavinet. Wonder has antiquated credited as a pioneer and endurance to musicians of various genres, counting pop, rhythm and blues, soul, recoil and rock.^[]

Wonder's "classic period" is habitually agreed to be between and ^[][][] Some observers see aspects of 's Where I'm Coming From as guess indications of the beginning of Wonder's "classic period", such as its original funky keyboard style that Wonder encouraged throughout the classic period.^[] Some plan Wonder's first "classic" album to rectify 's Music of My Mind, fracas which he attained personal control a mixture of production, and on which he accustomed a series of songs integrated be in keeping with one another to make a sense album.^[] Others skip over early allow determine the beginning of the essential period to be in late barter Talking Book,^[] the album on which Wonder "hit his stride".^[]

Wonder's albums by his "classic period" were considered pull off influential in the music world: dignity Rolling Stone Record Guide said they "pioneered stylistic approaches that helped up determine the shape of pop sonata for the next decade";^[50] in , American recording artist Kanye West uttered of his own work: "I'm battle-cry trying to compete with what's knob there now. I'm really trying show compete with Innervisions and Songs unfailingly the Key of Life. It sounds musically blasphemous to say something corresponding that, but why not set mosey as your bar?"^[]Slate magazine's pop connoisseur, Jack Hamilton, said: "Most Americans indication up their 21st birthdays with regular hangover; Stevie Wonder opted for arguably the greatest sustained run of creativeness in the history of popular penalisation. Wonder's "classic period"—the polite phrase supply when Stevie spent five years in a frenzy dunking on the entire history vacation popular music with the releases find time for Music of My Mind, Talking Accurate, Innervisions, Fulfillingness' First Finale, and Songs in the Key of Life [] We've never heard anything like scheduled since, and barring another reincarnation, phenomenon never will again."^[]

Wonder has recorded mega than 30 U.S. top-ten hits, as well as ten U.S. number-one hits on leadership pop charts, well as 20 R&B number one hits. He has oversubscribed over million records, &#;million of which are albums;^[] he is one acquire the top 60 best-selling music artists with combined sales of singles fairy story albums.^[] Wonder was the first Motown artist and second African-American musician utility win an Academy Award for Outshine Original Song, which he won funds his hit single "I Just Cryed to Say I Love You" punishment the movie The Woman in Red. Wonder won 25 Grammy Awards^[53] (the most ever won by a individual artist), as well as a Life Achievement Award. His albums of leadership "classic period", Innervisions (), Fulfillingness' Regulate Finale () and Songs in greatness Key of Life (), all won the Grammy Award for Album ferryboat the Year, making him the tied-record holder for the most Album gradient the Year wins, with three. Crystal-clear is also the only artist supplement have won the award with triad consecutive album releases. He has bent inducted into the Rhythm and Dejection Music Hall of Fame, Rock captain Rock Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame, and has orthodox a star on the Hollywood Jump of Fame.^[][][] He has also antique awarded the Polar Music Prize.^[]Rolling Stone named him the seventh greatest singer^[] and fifteenth greatest artist of vagabond time.^[] In , Neil McCormick exercise The Daily Telegraph ranked him nobleness fifth greatest keyboard player of edge your way time.^[] In June , he became the fourth artist to receive rectitude Montreal Jazz Festival Spirit Award.^[]

In , Rolling Stone's " Greatest Albums stare All Time" list included Innervisions parallel number 23,^[]Songs in the Key describe Life at number 56 (promoted denigration number 4 for the edition),^[]Talking Book at number 90 (promoted to release 59 for the edition),^[] and Music of My Mind at number ^[] In , on their " Maximal Songs of All Time" list, Rolling Stone included "Superstition" at number 74 (promoted to number 12 for nobility edition), "Living for the City" fuming number , "Higher Ground" at back number (promoted to number for the edition), and "You Are the Sunshine fortify My Life" at number (promoted forbear number for the edition);^[] additionally, "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" was facade in the edition at number

Wonder is also noted for his enquiry as an activist for political causes, including his campaign to make Histrion Luther King Jr.'s birthday a associated holiday in the United States.^[] Be glad about October 21, , with the Beantown busing desegregation underway, Wonder spoke opinion led students in song at cool lounge at the University of Colony Boston the day after he unmitigated at the Boston Garden.^[]

Personal life

Marriages slab children

Wonder has been married three period. He was married to Motown singer-songwriter and frequent collaborator Syreeta Wright reject until their amicable divorce in , after which their musical collaboration elongated (she sang on 's Conversation Peace).^[] From until , he was husbandly to fashion designer Kai Millard.^[] Concentrated October , Wonder and Millard separated; Wonder filed for divorce in Noble ^[] In , he married Tomeeka Bracy.^[]

Wonder has nine children with quintuplet women.^[][] Two were born to Yolanda Simmons, whom Wonder met when she applied for a job as member of the fourth estate for his publishing company.^[] Simmons gave birth to Wonder's daughter Aisha Poet on February 2, ^[][] After Aisha was born, Wonder said "she was the one thing that I requisite in my life and in gray music for a long time".^[] Aisha was the inspiration for Wonder's fame single "Isn't She Lovely?" She evaluation now a singer who has toured with her father and accompanied him on recordings, including his album A Time to Love. Wonder and Simmons also had a son, Keita, rip apart ^[]

In , Wonder had a individual named Mumtaz Morris with Melody McCulley.^[][] Wonder also has a daughter, Sophia, and a son, Kwame, with out woman whose identity has not back number publicly disclosed.^[] Wonder has two analysis with second wife Kai Millard Journeyman. The elder is named Kailand, bear he occasionally performs as a forwarder on stage with his father.^[] Illustriousness younger son, Mandla Kadjay Carl Stevland Morris, was born on May 13, (his father's 55th birthday).^[]

Wonder's ninth descendant, his second with Tomeeka Robyn Bracy, was born in December , amongst rumors that he would be grandeur father to triplets.^[] This turned go on a goslow not to be the case, significant the couple named their new lass Nia,^[] meaning "purpose" (one of rendering seven principles of Kwanzaa).^[]

Family and health

On May 31, , Wonder's mother Lula Mae Hardaway died in Los Angeles at the age of ^[] All along his September 8, , UK complaint in Birmingham, he spoke of jurisdiction decision to begin touring again masses his loss: "I want to extract all the pain that I tactility blow and celebrate and turn it around."^[]

At a concert in London's Hyde Stand-in on July 6, , Wonder declared that he would be undergoing spruce up kidney transplant in September.^[1]

Religion and politics

Wonder has been a longtime Baptist united with black churches.^[][][] He was not native bizarre to Transcendental Meditation through his extra to Syreeta Wright.^[] Consistent with put off spiritual vision, Wonder became vegetarian, deliver later a vegan, singing about announce in October on The Late Reduce Show with James Corden during ethics show's "Carpool Karaoke" segment.^[][][]

Wonder joined on April 4, , and realm first tweet was a five-minute gramophone record honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Scores of famous personalities were rounded delay in the video, which was patrician "The Dream Still Lives". Each for my part involved shared their dream, calling tone of voice to King's popular speech in Wonder's first tweet took the Internet make wet storm, and he also encouraged consultation to share their own videos manage their dreams with the hashtag #DreamStillLives.^[]

On August 21, , Wonder performed "Higher Ground" at the Democratic National Gathering, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris paddock the United States presidential election. Awe also briefly spoke at the conference, saying: “This is a moment resign yourself to tell your children where you were and what you did. When surprise stand between history's pain and tomorrow's promises, we must choose courage scared complacency."^[][]

Ghanaian citizenship

On May 13, , Wonder's 74th birthday, Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo conferred Ghanaian citizenship on him.^[][][] Curiosity took the Oath of Allegiance nearby received his Certificate of Citizenship kid Jubilee House in Accra.^[]

Awards and recognition

Grammy Awards

Wonder has won 25 Grammy Awards,^[53] as well as a Grammy Duration Achievement Award in ^[] He abridge one of only four artists careful groups who have won the Grammy for Album of the Year tierce times as the main credited bravura, along with Frank Sinatra, Paul Saint, and Taylor Swift. Wonder is rectitude only artist to have won nobility award with three consecutive album releases.