Life might have given Stevie Wonder a rough start, but the R&B legend proved to be a worthy match indeed. Apart from being blind, he has not only survived car crashes and death threats but also thrived for more than five decades in the cut-throat music business.
As one of the best-selling music artists of our generation, Wonder has over 100 million records sold worldwide. As an inspiration for other physically impaired individuals and humanity in general, Wonder has been a beacon of hope in periods of despair, a voice of the historically disenfranchised, and a towering figure against injustice, racism, and apartheid.
The Living Legend Of R&B, Funk, Soul, and Electronic Music
From his younger days of playing the harmonica while clapping his hands as Little Stevie Wonder to being a 25-time Grammy-winning musical icon, Wonder's talent as a performer and songwriter is unrivaled. His services as a musician and humanitarian even earned him a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996.
Over the years, Wonder has churned out no less than 32 number one hit singles. We just love how his discography is full of tunes and lyrics that promote peace, love, and romance while simultaneously rejecting stereotypes, racism, injustice, and inequality.
Losing His Sight As A Baby
Born as a six-week premature baby on May 13, 1950, in Saginaw, Michigan, Wonder got placed under intensive care in an incubator. The oxygen levels, however, were too high. This, coupled with his prematurity, caused Wonder's retinas to detach before he could even open his eyes.
This condition, according to the National Eye Institute, is known as retinopathy of prematurity. Scientifically speaking, the abnormal levels of oxygen pumped into the ventilator caused the growth of abnormal blood vessels in his eyes. When these vessels reached the retina, they hemorrhaged, damaging the retina as a consequence and causing it to detach.
When Life Gives You Lemons
Being visually impaired meant that Wonder's other senses were naturally heightened and that included his hearing. This heightened awareness of sound waves and frequencies helped him create vibrant and colorful music. His positive outlook on life was also reflected in his music which always exuded hope and positivity.
Whether he was tackling societal challenges like racism or singing about heartbreak and romance, Wonder's music still bore the stamp of his upbeat personality. Inspired by legends like Ray Charles, Wonder refused to confine his music to a specific genre or style.
Not Letting His Disability Hold Him Back
As a child, Wonder endured bullying from his peers, who would often make fun of his disability. However, in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Wonder claimed that his condition only made him more curious about his surroundings.
Adamant to not let his impairment define him as a person or hold him back, Wonder recounts climbing trees and learning to ride a bicycle in a bid to overcome his mental fear of his surroundings. Although Wonder's mother would always tell him to be careful and was always there to catch him if he fell, she let him make mistakes to enable him to learn.
A Difficult Upbringing
Sadly, Wonder was not only born disabled; he was also brought up in an impoverished household. According to his mother Lula Hardaway's biography, his father was an alcoholic, and it resulted in domestic disputes and violence.
When he was four years old, Wonder moved with his mother to Detroit, Michigan. It happened after his mother finally mustered the courage to divorce his abusive father. Little did Wonder know, his luck was about to change, and his move to Detroit would be the first step in a journey that would define his life and career.
The Kid Is A Natural
Living in the housing projects of Detroit, he got his hands on a neighbor's out-of-tune piano. By the time he was ten years old, Wonder had already become proficient in playing the harmonica, piano, organ, and drums all on his own and would wow his neighbors and passers-by with his mastery.
Incidentally, one such passer-by turned out to be The Miracles founder Ronnie White who encountered his singing in a church choir. In 1961, White introduced an 11-year-old Wonder and his mother to Brian Holland and Berry Gordy Jr., music executives from Motown Records. Following an impressive audition, Wonder secured his first recording contract with the label.
The Rise Of Little Stevie Wonder
Renamed Little Stevie Wonder by Berry Gordy Jr., the president of Motown Records, he made his recording debut at 12. Little Stevie Wonder—the 'Little' got dropped once Wonder was 14 years old—released Fingertips (Part 2) in 1963.
The commercial success of Fingertips (Part 2), which rose to the number 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, earned Wonder the nickname of 12-year-old genius. The song was a re-released extended version of an earlier harmonica instrumental titled Fingertips, and its aptly-named album, The 12-Year-Old Genius, became Motown's first number 1 LP.
Artist Vs. Label
Following the release of his chart-topping LP, Wonder's career was put on hold momentarily. Since the singer was going through a puberty phase, it was deemed best to take a break while his voice developed. During this time, Wonder studied classical piano at the Michigan School for the Blind.
He released a string of pop hits in the following years, including My Cherie Amour and Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours. During this time, Wonder grew increasingly unhappy with the lack of creative freedom allowed by Motown, refusing to renew his contract with the label in 1971.
Wonder Walks Away From Motown
By the time he was 18 years old, Wonder had already begun asserting himself in the artist-label dynamic that existed between himself and Motown Records. While the company was more focused on churning out singles engineered to become radio hits, Wonder had a different artistic route in mind.
For his later albums, Wonder began composing and arranging his music himself. He went on to create his label, Black Bull Music. Under the label, Wonder was finally able to produce, record, compose, and sing all of his songs himself, proving the multi-talented versatility that went on to make him an icon.
A Lucrative Contract
When he turned 21 in 1971, Wonder left Motown in a bid to have more artistic control over his creations and releases. He released two albums independently that he had also co-written and used them as a negotiation tactic for his next contract with Motown.
Shortly afterward, Wonder signed an unprecedented 120-page deal with Motown Records that would give him more creative control and a higher royalty fee. He returned to the label with a bang in March 1972 with the release of Music of My Mind. It was arguably the first album from the musical prodigy that was structured and followed a theme.
A Boy Is Finally A Man
His 1972 album Talking Book was among Wonder's greatest works, released before his contract extension with Motown. Although the album was entirely self-produced, some of the singles were co-written by singer-songwriter Syreeta Wright, who was also his wife at the time.
According to Wonder, Talking Book was a turning point in his life, a transition from being a boy to a man, if you will. All of the songs on the album came from a place deep inside Wonder, as this was the first time he was free to write his own music. His previous work with Motown was designed to be radio hits, lacking emotional and artistic expression.
Making A Musical Splash
With his subsequent five studio albums, Wonder stamped his authority in the music business with his work garnering extraordinary levels of success and acclaim. His albums Innervisions (1973), Fullfillingness' First Finale (1974), and Songs in the Key of Life (1976) all won the Grammy for Best Album.
These albums also marked the start of Wonder's experimentation with unique instruments and arrangements and included fan-favorites like Superstition, Higher Ground, and Living for the City. His evocative records were a rich, diversified brew of soul, funk, rock & roll, pop, jazz, and reggae, transcending races and age groups to resonate with all listeners.
Revolutionizing The Sound of Music
Wonder came across the distinct sound of a synthesizer in the '60s. The Moog Synthesizer, an electronic device designed to emulate other musical instruments, was invented in 1964 by Robert Moog.
As an avid listener of the radio, Wonder would often make mental notes of new songs and sounds he would listen to. This would be his favorite pastime when traveling, and he would regularly pick up new sounds while scouting several radio stations. When Wonder came across Walter Carlos' radically different album Switched-On Bach, he heard the sound of a synthesizer for the first time.
Introducing: The Iconic TONTO!
The early '70s proved to be revolutionary in terms of Wonder's musical style. His five albums released during this period featured a unique tone, using polyphonic synthesizers to develop a sound that can still be identified as uniquely his to this day.
This period is considered by many to be the blueprint of the future electronic dance music genre. Teaming up with British synthesists Robert Margouleff and Malcolm Cecil, the trio created a custom-built synthesizer, TONTO (The Original New Timbral Orchestra). This would mark the start of a musical revolution that would forge the path for future dance, techno, and EDM generations.
Making Music 24/7
Having recently renegotiated his contract, Wonder and his two sidekicks would work round-the-clock. The trio could be found, almost without fail, at New York's Electric Lady Studios, where the TONTO synthesizer was kept.
The synthesizer, which was comprised of a custom-built synth bank, took up an entire room's worth of space. In fact, the apparatus contained more than a dozen synths patched together. Unlike other synthesizers at the time, the TONTO offered a vastly diverse array of sounds and a polyphonic palette that could create rich tones never heard before.
The Rise of R&B
Along with other contemporary artists like Marvin Gaye and Isaac Hayes, Wonder brought the R&B genre to album form and into the mainstream. This meant that the albums released by the artists were no longer a mishmash of singles but rather a statement of intent, with all of the songs on an LP serving as a structured, cohesive unit.
Wonder was consistently active as a musical creator, but his albums and singles were less frequent after the '70s. As new artforms and musical trends came and went, his pattern continued throughout the '80s, '90s, and the 2000s.
The 1973 Car Crash
The year was 1973. Stevie Wonder's new album Innervisions, released just six days earlier, was making headlines in the media. His singles, You are the Sunshine of My Life and Higher Ground, were featuring on the Billboard top charts.
Traveling on Interstate 85 in a 1973 Mercury Cruiser rental car driven by his cousin John Wesley Harris, a sleeping Wonder was suddenly awakened by the sound of metal crunching and glass shattering. Following a near-fatal accident with a pickup truck, he sustained head injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital, where he stayed in a coma for five days.
Live To Tell The Story
The rock, pop, and R&B genres lost many legends to tragedy in the latter half of the 20th century. From the fatal drive-by shooting involving hip hop heartthrob Tupac Shakur to the passing of the Notorious B.I.G the very next year in a near-identical incident, these musical greats departed from this world way too soon.
Although Stevie Wonder seriously got injured in the devastating vehicular incident, what's important is that he survived. This is particularly important considering the unfortunate fate of other musical legends from his era like John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix.
Transcending Fame & Music
During the '80s, Wonder experienced an exponential rise in his stardom and released some of his biggest hits. During this era, he was not only a powerful figure in the music industry but also transcended his fame in other walks of life as well.
When he was not in the studio, Wonder significantly impacted politics and television and was actively involved in philanthropy and charity. After releasing his largely instrumental soundtrack-themed album Stevie Wonder's Journey Through The Secret Life of Plants, he wrote and produced the number 1 R&B song of the decade. We're talking about Let's Get Serious, performed by Jermaine Jackson.
The Commercial Era
Wonder released his first platinum-selling album, Hotter Than July, in 1980. The album featured the single Happy Birthday as a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on his birthday, later commemorated as a national holiday.
This decade saw Wonder use his music commercially in big-name productions as soundtracks and instrumentals. In 1984, he released the soundtrack album for The Woman in Red. The lead song, I Just Called to Say I Love You, went on to top the pop and R&B charts in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Time For A Break
In Square Circle, his twentieth studio album, featured hit songs like Part-Time Lover, Go Home, Overjoyed, and Land of La La. It was released in 1985, the same year that Wonder got honored by the United Nations Special Committee Against Apartheid for his activism against racism.
After releasing three albums in the '80s, Wonder went on a hiatus, taking an extended break from music and entertainment. He did, however, make an on-stage appearance with Michael Jackson in 1987. The two performed a duet of Just Good Friends from Jackson's classic '87 album Bad.
A Decade-Long Wait
After composing the soundtrack for the 1991 romantic drama flick Jungle Fever directed by Spike Lee, Wonder spent the next couple of years completing his 22nd album. Released in 1995, Conversation Peace reportedly took Wonder eight years to create.
In May 1999, Wonder was presented with an honorary degree in fine arts by Rutgers University. Churning out an album virtually every year for the past two decades, the gaps between his albums started to grow after the '80s. His 23rd studio album, A Time to Love, was released in 2005 after a decade of waiting and received mixed reviews.
Addressing Societal Issues Through Songwriting
Through his music and art of storytelling, Wonder constructed unforgettable anthems that the coming generations would come to revere. In his iconic lyrics, he also tackled many critical issues in our society and touched on topics like love, relationships, betrayal, adultery, religion, and social inequality.
Wonder not only pushed the boundaries when it comes to the topics previously left unexplored in the world of music, but he pushed the boundaries sonically as well. Incorporating unique-sounding instruments like the synthesizer and a clarinet gave credence to his bold, fearless approach to making music.
A Voice For The Downtrodden
In recent years, Wonder has used his voice to create real change. He has expanded the horizon of his social activism and philanthropy, and his illustrious career has also reflected his genuine concerns regarding humanitarian issues.
His performances of late have always had a bigger purpose behind them. From being an advocate for the end of apartheid in South Africa to donating the proceeds and profits from his tours and concerts to charities that help the needy and the deserving, Wonder is actively involved in humanitarian activities for many non-profit organizations.
United Nations Ambassador
In 2009, Wonder was appointed as a Messenger of Peace by the United Nations. The undertaking came with a focus on helping people with disabilities. During his time with the U.N., Wonder advocated for the implementation of the WIPO Marrakesh Treaty.
This treaty would give people with visual, hearing, or print disabilities access to books published specifically for their needs. According to the U.N. website, Wonder has written, produced, and performed songs for charities and organizations that have helped support people suffering from disabilities, AIDS, hunger, homelessness, and domestic abuse.
Fighting Against Injustice & Poverty
When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed in April 1968, Stevie Wonder flew to Atlanta to pay his respects. In the years that followed, he joined the fight to have the social activist's birthday be recognized as a holiday. Wonder would even put his career on hold to partake in rallies to help pass the necessary bill in Congress.
During the '80s, Wonder helped organize and performed in charity singles like We Are The World, which helped to alleviate hunger and provide famine relief in parts of Africa, such as Ethiopia. He also performed That's What Friends Are For to raise over $3 million for AIDS research and prevention.
Wonder's Role In Politics
In 1984, Wonder was presented with an Academy Award for The Woman in Red, which he chose to dedicate to Nelson Mandela. In 1995, he was awarded the Nelson Mandela Courage Award. His 1970 hit single Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours saw a resurgence in popularity in 2008 when presidential nominee Barack Obama used it for his campaign before the 2008 election.
When Obama officially got nominated as the party's candidate for the presidency at the 2008 DNC, Wonder gave a moving performance in his honor. He was later given the highest honor as a U.S. national when President Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Raising Social Issues At The UNGA
During his time as a serving member on the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, Wonder strove to bring the rights of people with disabilities to the center of development efforts.
During the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the 2006 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Wonder was very vocal over providing disabled people with equal opportunities of education, employment, livelihood. This issue was also subsequently brought to attention at the UNGA, and many leaders sought to include the proposals in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Providing for The Needy & Homeless
In 1996, Wonder organized the first House Full of Toys benefit concert held at the former Hollywood venue House of Blues. All of the proceeds from the concert went to the We Are You Foundation, which helped provide for children and families in need. After that, the drive has been held annually at The Forum and the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles.
Over the years, stars who have partaken in the proceedings include Justin Bieber, Dave Chappelle, Maroon 5, and Drake. The concert was last held in downtown Los Angeles in December 2018 and was attended by famous A-listers like John Legend and Lionel Richie.
The Stevie Wonder Foundation
After creating the Stevie Wonder Foundation, the organization was able to provide humanitarian relief and support in August 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. The Category 5 Atlantic hurricane caused $125 billion in damages and over 1,800 casualties.
During this time of tribulation, Wonder proceeded to give away all of the proceeds from his single Shelter In The Rain to the hurricane victims. The single was from his 2005 album A Time to Love and was written as a tribute to his first wife, Syreeta Wright, who died of cancer one year before the album's release.
A Generous Contributor To Social Causes
Stevie Wonder joined The Brain Trust in an advisory role and is one of the organization's contributors. He has been an active participant in the trust's fundraising campaigns and has donated generously for their causes.
In a September 2018 fundraiser hosted by Ambassador Nicole Avant and Netflix's Ted Sarandos, Wonder attended as their guest of honor. Other philanthropic works of the Higher Ground singer include performing at Andre Agassi's Grand Slam for Children and making generous Christmas contributions to the Junior Blind of America through his We Are You Foundation.
The Perfect Tribute For His Peers & Fellow Legends
They say true friendship perseveres through thick and thin. The mark of a true friend is one who stands beside you at your darkest moments and your lowest points in life. When his peers and industry legends passed away, Wonder was always there to pay respects and help support the family in any way he could.
When Michael Jackson died in 2009, not only was Wonder in attendance, he also paid tribute to the legend of pop in his memorial service. He also paid tributes to Etta James, Whitney Houston, and most recently to Aretha Franklin in 2018 during their respective memorial services.
Wonder On His Disability
When talking about his visual impairment in many interviews, Wonder is highly consistent with the way he describes his physical condition. He perceives it as an advantage since he can access areas of his mind that other musicians can't and channels that into his music.
In a 1975 interview with The New York Times, Wonder explained that, without his sight to show him one aspect of a given scenario, his imagination could take him to places he otherwise couldn't have gone to. This helps him formulate a unique perspective when tackling different topics and issues.
Stevie Wonder, The Trickster
Wonder has been known to be a trickster when it comes to frying his friends' brains. Shaquille O'Neal, who shared an apartment building with the singer, once encountered Wonder in the building lobby. Upon 'seeing' him, Wonder proceeded to greet him by his name before going into the elevator, pressing the correct button, and getting off on the right floor.
In another instance, legendary musician Lionel Richie recalls sitting in the passenger seat with Wonder at the wheel. Wonder then proceeded to put the car in reverse before calmly reversing back down the driveway.
Stevie Wonder: NBA & Television Fan
Although he is technically blind, that does not stop Stevie Wonder from sitting courtside at NBA tournaments and matches. Wonder is known to have attended many NBA matches and likes to sit courtside to enjoy a game of basketball.
Another pastime of Wonder is watching television. Growing up as a kid, he was a fan of listening to the radio, and in modern times he has switched from the radio to the television. In a 2018 interview with Jimmy Kimmel, actor Donald Glover revealed Wonder is an avid watcher of his show, Atlanta.
New Singles & A New Record Label
In October 2020, Wonder officially announced his new record label, So What the Fuss Records. It was launched in partnership with Republic Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Curiously enough, So What the Fuss is the title of a single in his 2005 album, A Time To Love.
Along with his new label, Wonder also announced the release of two new singles, Can't Put It in the Hands of Fate and Where Is Our Love Song. This was the first time Wonder's music was not released by Motown Records, apart from his independent releases in the early '70s.
Upcoming Projects
In 2013, Wonder divulged that he was working on two upcoming albums at the time, titled When the World Began and Ten Billion Hearts. The albums would be released in collaboration with Canadian music executive and producer David Foster and had an expected release date of 2014, although their release is still pending.
Apart from his two aforementioned October 2020 singles, Wonder also recently disclosed that he has two albums in development, titled Through the Eyes of Wonder and The Gospel Inspired by Lula. The latter was described by him as a future project that could be developed in collaboration with his old label Motown Records.
Wonder's Music Legacy
As a gifted singer, songwriter, composer, and activist, Stevie Wonder will go down in history as one of the most significant music figures in the second half of the 20th century. Essentially a one-person band at the height of his fame, Wonder needed little more than a synthesizer to set up shop and rock your socks off with a breathtaking performance.
Wonder has not only enjoyed critical success and fame during his '70s era, but he also enjoyed commercial success during the '80s. As a pioneer of music, Wonder is largely responsible for the rise of clarinets, synthesizers, blues, R&B, soul, and funk in mainstream music.
Wonder's Synthesizer Is Always By His Side
Even today, when he travels, Wonder's number 1 wife, his synthesizer, is always by his side. The keyboard is always connected to a digital sequencer that can create, record, and playback detailed multi-track recordings.
When Wonder is on tour, he always has an assistant on hand whose sole job is to handle his piano setup. Before the R&B legend's arrival, the assistant is tasked with setting up his hardware at the hotel room, and when it's time to leave, all of the equipment would then be packed up before being set up at his next destination.
The Possession Wonder Loved Even More Than His Wife
During her one-and-a-half-year marriage with Wonder before their divorce in 1972, Syreeta Wright recalled that the first thing he would do after waking up was to go straight to his synthesizer keyboard. That, according to her, was, in fact, his number 1 wife.
From Wonder's various relationships and love affairs after Wright, he has fathered nine children: Aisha, Kailand, Keita, Kwame, Mandla, Mumtaz, Nia, and Sophia. The name of his ninth kid is unknown, but the mother is his current spouse, Tomeeka Robyn Bracy, who gave birth to his daughter Nia.