Stevie Wonder is a legendary American-Ghanaian musician and songwriter who has had a profound impact on the world of music.
Stevland Hardaway Judkins was born on 13 May 1950, in Saginaw, Michigan.
Wonder is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, pop, soul, gospel, funk, and jazz.
A virtual one-man band, Wonder’s use of synthesisers and other electronic musical instruments during the 1970s reshaped the conventions of R&B.
He also helped drive such genres into the album era, crafting his LPs as cohesive and consistent, in addition to socially conscious statements with complex compositions.
Here are five facts you probably didn’t know about him:
Real name Stevland Hardaway Judkins
In a book, his mother claims his birth name is Stevland Hardaway Judkins. Stevie Wonder was born early and was placed in an incubator to help him survive. However, he was given too much oxygen while in the incubator, which was probably the cause of his blindness.
In 1954, Stevie’s mother moved him and his brothers to Detroit, Michigan. He learned gospel music in a Baptist church and developed his musical talent. By age 11, Stevie was a talented singer and had mastered piano, harmonica, and drums.
Despite his disability, Wonder showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at a young age. He signed with Motown Records at the age of 11 and released his first album, “The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie,” in 1962.
Wonder’s career took off in the 1970s with a string of hit albums, including “Talking Book,” “Innervisions,” and “Songs in the Key of Life.” He is known for his soulful voice, innovative use of electronic instruments, and socially conscious lyrics.
First hit song at the age of 13
Wonder’s single “Fingertips” was a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963, at the age of 13, making him the youngest artist ever to top the chart.
Wonder’s critical success was at its peak in the 1970s. His “classic period” began in 1972 with the releases of Music of My Mind and Talking Book, the latter featuring “Superstition”, which is one of the most distinctive and famous examples of the sound of the Hohner Clavinet keyboard. His works Innervisions (1973), Fulfillingness’ First Finale (1974) and Songs in the Key of Life (1976) all won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, making him the tied-record holder for the most Album of the Year wins, with three.
He is also the only artist to have won the award with three consecutive album releases. Wonder began his “commercial period” in the 1980s; he achieved his biggest hits and highest level of fame, had increased album sales, charity participation, high-profile collaborations (including Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson), political impact, and television appearances. Wonder has continued to remain active in music and political causes.
1980s and beyond
Wonder’s biggest hits in the 1980s were the number-one singles “I Just Called to Say I Love You” (1984) and “Part-Time Lover” (1985). He also released hit singles with other artists. He worked with former Beatle Paul McCartney on “Ebony and Ivory” (1982) and with Dionne Warwick, Elton John, and Gladys Knight on “That’s What Friends Are For” (1986). Wonder’s later albums include Conversation Peace (1995) and A Time to Love (2005).
One of the best-selling artists of all time
Wonder is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with sales of over 100 million records worldwide. He has won 25 Grammy Awards (the most by a solo artist) and one Academy Award (Best Original Song, for the 1984 film The Woman in Red).
Wonder has been inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is also noted for his work as an activist for political causes, including his 1980 campaign to make Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a federal holiday in the U.S. In 2009, he was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace, and in 2014, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Recipient of various awards
Wonder was the recipient of numerous honors. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, and in 1999 he was awarded the Polar Music Prize for lifetime achievement by the Royal Swedish Academy of Music. That year he also became a Kennedy Center honoree.
In 2005 Wonder received a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement. Four years later he was awarded the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from the Library of Congress, and he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014.
Wonder has won 25 Grammy Awards and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He continues to perform and record music to this day, inspiring generations of fans with his timeless music and message of love and unity.
Stevie Wonder’s contributions to music and society have solidified his place as one of the greatest artists of all time. His music continues to resonate with audiences around the world, and his legacy will undoubtedly live on for generations to come.
Became Ghanaian on 13 May 2024
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Monday (13 May) conferred Ghanaian citizenship on the legendary American musician and songwriter, Steveland Morris, popularly known as Stevie Wonder, at a ceremony at the Jubilee House in Accra.
This marks a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to attract diasporan Africans and recognise outstanding contributions to the African diaspora.
President Akufo-Addo praised Stevie Wonder for his outstanding contributions to music and his unrelenting dedication to the African diaspora.
He emphasised that Stevie Wonder’s music has been a source of inspiration to generations of Ghanaians and Africans worldwide and that his visit to Ghana would help to strengthen the ties between Africa and its diaspora.
credit- Asaase Radio
