Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Popular Musicians Since 1990. . 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. This was a minor hit single, as were "Skeletons" and "You Will Know". "The attitude was 'Do it over. Wonder also liked to sing, and he was a featured soloist at Detroits Whitestone Baptist Church until one of the parishioners caught him playing rock and roll music with his friends in the streets. Wonder's first new album in ten years, A Time to Love, was released in October 2005 to lower sales than previous albums, and lukewarm reviewsmost reviewers appearing frustrated at the end of the long delay to get an album that mainly copied the style of Wonder's "classic period" without doing anything new. shes a bad mamma jamma Virtually all of Wonders work during the early to mid-1970s is essential pop, most notably his albums Talking Book, Innervisions, Fulfillingness First Finale, and the epic Songs in the Key of Life. Wonders creative output has slackened in the 1980s, but his popularity has not waned at all. Pop singer, songwriter https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/wonder-stevie, "Wonder, Stevie Meanwhile, he continued to pile up hits as My Cherie Amour sold over a million copies and Signed Sealed Delivered (Im Yours) vaulted up the charts. Along with his siblings, he paid musical tribute to the Almighty in the Whitestone Baptist Church Choir, along with his vocal prowess demonstrating a gift for piano, harmonica, and drums by, Thanks to the intercession of a friend, Stevland was brought to the attention of Berry Gordy, president of Detroit-based Motown Records, and Gordys producer Brian Holland. Following the success of the album and its lead single, Wonder made an appearance on The Cosby Show, in the episode "A Touch of Wonder", where he demonstrated his ability to sample. (With Lenny Kravitz) Deuce, Kiss My Ass, 1995. https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/wonder-stevie, "Wonder, Stevie For the Record . Do it differently. 
By age forty-five he had released twenty-five albums. Critics responded warmly to the album, comparing it to his classic work in the 1970s. . Smokey Robinson, the poet laureate of soul music, has been composing and singing rhyt, Singer When Conversation Peace the album on which Wonder had been working for nearly eight yearswas released in 1995, it garnered a range of reactions. 
What's more, Ritz remarked, Wonder's "optimism is infectious." Encyclopedia.com. He demonstrated the versatility of the synthesizer when it was still something of a novelty in the rhythm & blues world. It spent three weeks at the top of the Billboard charts in 1963 and sold more than a million copies. In 1969 Wonder met President Richard Nixon at the White House, where he received a Distinguished Service Award from the President's Committee on Employment of Handicapped People. (b. 2"), 1963. Singles like "Part-Time Lover" (1985), although radio-friendly, were too reliant on simple melodic hooks to be artistically satisfying. Time, September 4, 1995, p. 76; April 10, 1995, p. 88. In 2009, he was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace, and in 2014, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Music and Lyrics by Marvin Montgomery (1996), This page was last edited on 5 April 2023, at 18:38. WebStevland Hardaway Morris (n Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who 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 synthesizers and other electronic 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. At two he began pounding tin pans with spoons in rhythm with radio songs, and at four he learned to play the piano, harmonica, and drums. 1 hit for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (it was first released in 1967, mostly unnoticed as the last track of their Make It Happen LP, but eventually became a major success when re-released as a single in 1970, which prompted Robinson to reconsider his intention of leaving the group). 
Though he has groused good-naturedly in adulthood at the limitations his sightlessness has placed on him, Wonder told Ritz that as a child he soothed his mothers tears by telling her that he wasnt sad. He recalled, I believed God had something for me to do. Along with his siblings, he paid musical tribute to the Almighty in the Whitestone Baptist Church Choir, along with his vocal prowess demonstrating a gift for piano, harmonica, and drums by age 11. His songs from this periodincluding the percolating funk-rock workouts "Superstition" and "Higher Ground," the effervescent "Boogie on Reggae Woman," the jubilant paean to classic jazz "Sir Duke," the grittily nostalgic "I Wish," and the breezy chartbuster "You Are the Sunshine of My Life"left most of Wonder's competition in the dust both artistically and commercially. With the success of "Fingertips," Wonder became a part of the Motown family. 
A piano and vocal version of "Feeding Off The Love of the Land" was also released on the Nobody's Child: Romanian Angel Appeal compilation. Superstition. ." Regardless of their respective verdicts, most reviewers concurred that Wonder's versatility, passion, and chops remained intact. ." Encyclopedia.com. The attitude was Do it over. Wonder won a Grammy Award for his collaboration with Tony Bennett on "For Once in my Life." [146], In 1983, Wonder had a son named Mumtaz Morris with Melody McCulley. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/stevie-wonder, "Stevie Wonder "Wonder, Stevie Rolling Stone, July 13, 1995; January 25, 1996. I was at the birth of two of my children, he confided inLife.I felt them being born it was amazing. Ina 1995/?o//ingSioneinterview,the 44-year-old artist did express a yearning for matrimony, calling it the space where were most relaxed and able to give and receive maximum love. WebWatch the video for She's a Bad Mamma Jamma by Stevie Wonder for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. Pondering the performers endurance and the disappearance of most of his contemporaries from the scene, Hunt observed, Some may point to exquisite taste as the key to Wonders success, but the real secret is his ability to stay current, to be fluent in the R&B style of the moment. Not surprisingly, critics were virtually unanimous about Wonders 1995 live double CD, Natural Wonder, which Rolling Stone called an important and revelatory statement., Wonder expressed the desire to do an album of all praisethat is, gospelin his interview with Ritz. In 1979, Wonder used Computer Music Inc.'s early music sampler, the Melodian, on his soundtrack album Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants". . Encyclopedia of World Biography. He also wrote the soundtrack for the Spike Lee film Jungle Fever (1991) and several other movies. His songs from this period left most of Wonder's competition in the dust, both artistically and commercially. Jackson also sang a duet with him entitled "Get It" on Wonder's 1987 album Characters. Fulfillingness First Finale (includes Boogie on Reggae Woman), 1974. Quincy Jones, QsJook Joint, Qwest/Warner Bros., 1995. Wonder proved the validity of these observations during his 1995 concert tour. So, as Stevie turns 70 - Happy Birthday, sir - allow us to remind you why hes Wonder by name, and a wonderful talent by nature 1. 
", Regardless of the genre he pursues, Wonder's music will undoubtedly always reflect his undeniably compassionate spirituality. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 when Wonder was aged 13, making him the youngest artist ever to top the chart. Blind since shortly after his birth, Wonder was a child prodigy who signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age of 11, where he was given the professional name Little Stevie Wonder. just as fineas she can be ." Stevie Wonder has been called the crown prince of pop music since the late 1960s, when he began to produce hit after hit with staggering rapidity. . Wonder toured briefly with an orchestra in support of the album, and used a Fairlight CMI sampler onstage. In his childhood, he was best known for his harmonica work, but today he is better known for his keyboard skills and vocal ability. He won plaudits for his work on the soundtrack to Spike Lees 1991 film Jungle Fever, allegedly composing the material for it in the space of three weeks. Stevie's rockers are always one step ahead of themselvestheir gawky groove is so disorienting it makes you pay attention, like a voice that's perpetually changing. Signed to Motown Records, 1963; billed as Little Stevie Wonder ; founded Black Bull Music publishing company, 1971; sponsored Stevie Wonder Home for Blind and Retarded Children, 1976; founded Wondirection Records, 1982; contributed songs to The Woman in Red film soundtrack, 1984; appeared on AIDS benefit single Thats What Friends Are For, 1986; contributed songs to Jungle Fever film soundtrack, 1991; activist for and contributor to various political and social causes, including Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the establishment of a national holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., the anti-apartheid movement, AIDS awareness, and Charge Against Hunger program. "I was at the birth of two of my children," he confided in Life. Between 1963 and 1969 he recorded a number of hits, including Uptight, I Was Made To Love Her, For Once in My Life, and My Chrie Amour. All through the period, Wonder was held in tight control by the Motown management. . In 1996, Wonder added two more Grammy Awards to his extensive collection, receiving another best male rhythm & blues vocal performance honor and one for best rhythm & blues song for the tune "For Your Love" off of Conversation. 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. A second single, "From the Bottom of My Heart", was a hit on adult-contemporary R&B radio. . For all his concern with social issues, Wonder also created some of the funkiest grooves of the 1970s on hits such as "Superstition" and "Boogie On, Reggae Woman." [28], Dropping the "Little" from his name, Moy and Wonder worked together to create the hit "Uptight (Everything's Alright)",[28] and Wonder went on to have a number of other hits during the mid-1960s, including "With a Child's Heart", and "Blowin' in the Wind",[26] a Bob Dylan song, co-sung by his mentor, producer Clarence Paul. . 2023 . [31], In 1968, he recorded an album of instrumental soul/jazz tracks, mostly harmonica solos, under the title Eivets Rednow, which is "Stevie Wonder" spelled backward. Wonder began playing the piano at age four. [22] Two follow-up singles, "Little Water Boy" and "Contract on Love", both had no success, and the two albums, released in reverse order of recordingThe Jazz Soul of Little Stevie in September 1962 and Tribute to Uncle Ray in October 1962also met with little success.[19][23]. Wonder's fourth single, "Fingertips, Pt. Quincy Jones, Qs Jook Joint, Qwest/Warner Bros., 1995. By all accounts, they remain friends. That was really his No. WebWatch the video for She's a Bad Mama Jama by Stevie Wonder for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. Simon Glickman and Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr. "Wonder, Stevie In some circumstances, popular songs can take on a significance far beyond their melody or lyrics alone. Werner, Craig Hansen, Higher Ground: Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, and the Rise and Fall of American Soul, New York: Crown, 2004. [143] Aisha was the inspiration for Wonder's hit single "Isn't She Lovely?" Wonder was less musically prolific in the 1980s, but still achieved a great amount of success. Wonder has continued his songwriting between other projects, and has expressed the desire to do a gospel album. Singer, songwriter, record company executive When Conversation Peacethe album on which Wonder had been working for nearly eight yearswas released in 1995, it garnered a range of reactions. And "That Girl," the unstoppable love song "I Just Called to Say I Love You"which won an Academy Award for best song and stands as Motown's top-selling single internationallyand his duet with ex-Beatle Paul McCartney on the anti-racism anthem "Ebony and Ivory" all burned up the charts. During the same time as the album's release, Wonder began touring with the Rolling Stones to alleviate the negative effects from pigeonholing as a result of being an R&B artist in America. Los Angeles Times, January 16, 1995, p. Fl. Stevie Wonder has been called the crown prince of pop music since the late 1960s, when he began to produce hit after hit with staggering rapidity. In 1992by which time multimillion-dollar deals had become commonplaceWonder had signed a unique lifetime pact with Motown. Wonder remained in the limelight, performing at a White House dinner for Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain in February of 1998, and appearing as a White House guest later that year. Chaka Khan, I Feel for You, / Feel for You, Warner Bros., 1984. 
Blind since birth, Wonder has directed an immense inner vision toward innovative music; to quote New It also featured the ballad "Overjoyed", which was originally written for Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants", but did not make the album. the essence of beauty By the late 1980s, Wonder had become less prolific than he had been in the past, but he was still phenomenally successful. His Hotter Than July, with its reggae-driven hit Master Blaster (Jammin), indicated his continuing creative restlessness. By 1968 his label had amassed enough chart-toppers to fill his first Greatest Hits album. He became one of the first artists to make extensive use of electronic synthesizers, computers, and advanced keyboard technology, and he became renowned for carrying a tape machine at all times in order to record his ideas immediately. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. He sings the refrain and plays the piano on the Dr. Dre- and Sha Money XLproduced track. In never before seen footage, a young 19 year old Stevie Wonder is seen performing in front of thousands of people in Harlem. ." "[67][68], The double album-with-extra-EP, Songs in the Key of Life, was released in September 1976. "Stevie Wonder," All Music Guide,http://www.allmusic.com (August 31, 2007). Brower writes: The studio had become an instrument for the self-actualization of his personal vision. He played a number of benefits and made public service announcements, often winning honors for his advocacy. Sir Duke. My Cherie Amour. "This is a guy you don't ever want to see recording for anyone else," company president Jheryl Busby told Smith. shes a bad mamma jamma. His contribution was meant to be a showcase of his talent and thus a weapon in his ongoing negotiations with Gordy about creative autonomy. WebWatch the video for She's a Bad Mama Jama by Stevie Wonder for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. 20 Mar. "[121] Slate magazine's pop critic, Jack Hamilton, said: "Most Americans follow up their 21st birthdays with a hangover; Stevie Wonder opted for arguably the greatest sustained run of creativity in the history of popular music. Though he has groused good-naturedly in adulthood about the limitations his sightlessness has placed on him, Wonder told Ritz that as a child he soothed his mother's tears by telling her that he "wasn't sad." "Following Stevie Wonder around New York is exhilarating work," he wrote. Journey through the Secret Life of Plants, Motown, 1979. Is that true? Contemporary Musicians. WebA Haywood-penned single, "She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked)", became a major hit, peaking at number 2 on the soul chart and earning Carlton a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male in 1982. 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. 5 Answers There is no word like addressal. Wonder was in a featured duet with Bruce Springsteen on the all-star charity single for African Famine Relief, "We Are the World", and he was part of another charity single the following year (1986), the AIDS-inspired "That's What Friends Are For". [143] Simmons gave birth to Wonder's daughter Aisha Morris on February 2, 1975. But regardless of the genre he pursues, his music will undoubtedly always reflect his undeniably compassionate spirituality. did stevie wonder ever record, she's a bad mama jama? Wonder has been credited as a pioneer and influence to musicians of various genres including pop, rhythm and blues, soul, funk and rock. 1 on the R&B chart, the first time that had occurred. Wonder accepted the award in the name of Nelson Mandela and was subsequently banned from all South African radio by the Government of South Africa.[74]. He wanted to be free so that he could bring the best of himself to the table., Wonders momentum was almost stopped permanently by a 1973 automobile accident that nearly claimed his life and left him with deep facial scars. He also made an appearance on a special episode of American Idol that featured performances of his songs. [45][56] This left him in a coma for four days and resulted in a partial loss of his sense of smell and a temporary loss of sense of taste. His songs challenged social conditions, celebrated religious ecstasy, and revealed his most personal joys. His work for Jungle Fever preempted the release of a collection of songs he had been crafting while living in the African nation of Ghana; the resulting disc did not hit stores for several years. 20 Mar. Contemporary Black Biography. ", "Stevie Wonder, 64, Welcomes Ninth Child, a Baby Girl Named Nia! Mainly covers of Ray Charles's songs, the album included a Wonder and Paul composition, "Sunset". just as fine as she can be. ." Asked at a British press conference why he had taken ten years, Wonder replied: "Obviously, I wasn't working on A Time to Love for ten years," he told Contact Music. Click here and tell us! [136], Wonder 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 United States. Rolling Stone, July 13, 1995, pp. Lyrics translations | The album also has a Top 10 Hit with "Go Home". 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.. ." In 1963 the teenaged performer had his first chart-topping hit with the rousing Fingertips Part 2, a Motown-generated tune that allowed Wonder to sing and to play the harmonica. He won plaudits for his work on the soundtrack to Spike Lees 1991 film Jungle Fever, allegedly composing the material for it in the space of three weeks. However, he nonetheless expressed his determination to keep growing. He is one of the most successful songwriters and musicians. Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Gap Band, and more The marriage was short-lived, however; they divorced in 1972. In 1964 he put aside the Little label and let fans focus on the Wonder; over the next few years he churned out pop-soul smashes like Uptight, Nothings Too Good for My Baby, I Was Made to Love Her, and For Once in My Life. By 1968 his label had amassed enough chart-toppers to fill his first Greatest Hits album. Wonder began hanging around the Motown studios. "Wonder, Stevie When Wonder turned 21 in 1971 he was due the money he had earned as a minor (this arrangement had been stipulated in a previous agreement). "Stevie Wonder It was a consideration of the physical and spiritual relationships between human beings and plants, Wonder explained to Ritz, quipping that some called it shrubbish. 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. A state of mind excited by the perception of novelty or of something strange or not well understood. Encyclopedia.com. Stevie Wonders Greatest Hits, Motown, 1968. Eventually he ironed out a contract that allowed Motown to distribute whatever albums he cared to produce. WebJammu & Kashmir Bank Khidmat Centre Association. [40] The album was released at around the same time as Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. Wonder won 25 Grammy Awards[52] (the most ever won by a solo artist), as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award. During the tour, he played eight 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[95]), two in Birmingham and two at the M.E.N. . If anything, however, this event provoked him to redouble his efforts. Virtually all of Wonder's work during the early to mid-1970s is essential pop, including his albums Talking Book, Innervisions, and the epic Songs in the Key of Life. (1976), and "Sir Duke" (1977). She is now a singer who has toured with her father and accompanied him on recordings, including his 2005 album A Time to Love. Recorded Live (includes Fingertips, Pt. Critics were virtually unanimous about Wonder's 1995 live double CD Natural Wonder, which Rolling Stone called "an important and revelatory statement. He has inspired a new generation of artists, including rockers the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who made their bid for mainstream popularity with a version of "Higher Ground," Lenny Kravitz, Michael Franti of Spearhead, and virtually every aspiring young soul artist. Berry Gordy was responsible for creating the stage name of "Little Stevie Wonder". 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). Time's Christopher John Farley, however, while allowing that the recording "isn't a slam dunk," called it "another winner for Wonder." Contemporary Musicians. [45] The album Fulfillingness' First Finale appeared in July 1974 and set two hits high on the pop charts: the No. Even more astonishing is the fact that Wonder often produced his songs entirely by himself, providing all the background music, writing the tune and lyrics, singing, and arranging. "I worked hard to make Stevie see that we had his interests at heart. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, 1982. New York Times Magazine, February 23, 1975. El subjuntivo Wonder's appearance at the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival opens the 2021 music documentary, Summer of Soul. Contemporary Musicians. When Conversation Peacethe album on which Wonder had been working for nearly eight yearswas released in 1995, it garnered a range of reactions. 2023 . Little Stevie Wonder: The Twelve-Year-Old Genius, 1963. [52] On an episode of the children's television show Sesame Street that aired in April 1973,[53] Wonder and his band performed "Superstition", as well as an original called "Sesame Street Song", which demonstrated his abilities with television. More than anything, I want to do a musical. Signed, Sealed, Delivered. Carlton's subsequent album, Carl Carlton, went gold in 1981. Jon tells of his father's near death conversion experience and is joined by his two boys for a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Have a Ta", "The Golden Jubilee of Independence and Panafest in Ghana: 'All that glitters is not Gold', "Gateway To Africa: The Pilgrimage Tourism of Diaspora Africans to Ghana", "Stars Kiss Up on Forthcoming Mercury Tribute Compilation", "26 Super Bowl Halftime Shows Ranked, Including Lady Gaga (Videos)", "Commencements; At Rutgers, a Graduate Is Not That Young at 15", "Stevie Wonder hoping for experimental eye surgery", "Soulful Stevie Wonder closes massive Philadelphia concert", "List of Celebrities and Dignitaries attending the Special Olympics World Summer Games Athens 2011", "Stevie Wonder Announces Thirteen-Date Tour", "Michael Jackson Memorial Service: The Live Blog", "Etta James remembered as an authentic voice at funeral", "Whitney Houston's Funeral: Stevie Wonder Sings "Ribbons In The Sky", "Aretha Franklin's funeral: Ariana Grande, Bill Clinton, Chaka Khan, Jennifer Hudson, Stevie Wonder pay tribute", "Aretha Franklin's funeral: Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder offer stirring final tributes", "Celine Dion's New Album Features Stevie Wonder, Ne-Yo, Adele Producers", "How Travis Scott (and His A&R) Got John Mayer, Drake and Stevie Wonder on the Same Album", "Stevie Wonder Returns with New Music on His Own Republic Records Imprint", "Stevie Wonder rejects 'all lives matter' in first new music in four years", "Stevie Wonder Partners With Republic for New Label, Releases Two New Songs", "CRITICAL MASS: On Stevie Wonder and the 'Summer of Soul', "50 Years Ago, Stevie Wonder Heard the Future", "Stevie Wonder Pressing On With New Albums", "Stevie Wonder confirms first new albums in eight years", "Stevie Wonder shares two new songs and leaves Motown Records after nearly 60 years", "Stevie Wonder | Biography, Albums, Songs, & Facts", "100 Greatest Artists. I was at the birth of two of my children, he confided in Life. Encyclopedia.com. PLEASE HELP!!! By all accounts, they remain friends. Wonder himself seemed to share this sentiment, telling Ritz, "I'm still feeling new and amazed by the world I live in.". Signed Sealed and Delivered, Motown, 1970. [141], Wonder has nine children with five women. 2, appeared in 1963 and became the first live performance of a song to reach the top of the U.S. pop chart. baillie burmaster leaving wbay shes a bad mamma jamma. Pondering the performer's endurance and the disappearance of most of his contemporaries from the scene, Hunt observed, "Some may point to exquisite taste as the key to Wonder's success, but the real secret is his ability to stay current, to be fluent in the R & B style of the moment." Wonder's 1995 concert tour garnered acclaim. [129][130] In June 2009, he became the fourth artist to receive the Montreal Jazz Festival Spirit Award. 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By age forty-five he had released twenty-five albums. Critics responded warmly to the album, comparing it to his classic work in the 1970s. . Smokey Robinson, the poet laureate of soul music, has been composing and singing rhyt, Singer When Conversation Peace the album on which Wonder had been working for nearly eight yearswas released in 1995, it garnered a range of reactions. What's more, Ritz remarked, Wonder's "optimism is infectious." Encyclopedia.com. He demonstrated the versatility of the synthesizer when it was still something of a novelty in the rhythm & blues world. It spent three weeks at the top of the Billboard charts in 1963 and sold more than a million copies. In 1969 Wonder met President Richard Nixon at the White House, where he received a Distinguished Service Award from the President's Committee on Employment of Handicapped People. (b. 2"), 1963. Singles like "Part-Time Lover" (1985), although radio-friendly, were too reliant on simple melodic hooks to be artistically satisfying. Time, September 4, 1995, p. 76; April 10, 1995, p. 88. In 2009, he was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace, and in 2014, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Music and Lyrics by Marvin Montgomery (1996), This page was last edited on 5 April 2023, at 18:38. WebStevland Hardaway Morris (n Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who 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 synthesizers and other electronic 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. At two he began pounding tin pans with spoons in rhythm with radio songs, and at four he learned to play the piano, harmonica, and drums. 1 hit for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (it was first released in 1967, mostly unnoticed as the last track of their Make It Happen LP, but eventually became a major success when re-released as a single in 1970, which prompted Robinson to reconsider his intention of leaving the group). Though he has groused good-naturedly in adulthood at the limitations his sightlessness has placed on him, Wonder told Ritz that as a child he soothed his mothers tears by telling her that he wasnt sad. He recalled, I believed God had something for me to do. Along with his siblings, he paid musical tribute to the Almighty in the Whitestone Baptist Church Choir, along with his vocal prowess demonstrating a gift for piano, harmonica, and drums by age 11. His songs from this periodincluding the percolating funk-rock workouts "Superstition" and "Higher Ground," the effervescent "Boogie on Reggae Woman," the jubilant paean to classic jazz "Sir Duke," the grittily nostalgic "I Wish," and the breezy chartbuster "You Are the Sunshine of My Life"left most of Wonder's competition in the dust both artistically and commercially. With the success of "Fingertips," Wonder became a part of the Motown family. A piano and vocal version of "Feeding Off The Love of the Land" was also released on the Nobody's Child: Romanian Angel Appeal compilation. Superstition. ." Regardless of their respective verdicts, most reviewers concurred that Wonder's versatility, passion, and chops remained intact. ." Encyclopedia.com. The attitude was Do it over. Wonder won a Grammy Award for his collaboration with Tony Bennett on "For Once in my Life." [146], In 1983, Wonder had a son named Mumtaz Morris with Melody McCulley. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/stevie-wonder, "Stevie Wonder "Wonder, Stevie Rolling Stone, July 13, 1995; January 25, 1996. I was at the birth of two of my children, he confided inLife.I felt them being born it was amazing. Ina 1995/?o//ingSioneinterview,the 44-year-old artist did express a yearning for matrimony, calling it the space where were most relaxed and able to give and receive maximum love. WebWatch the video for She's a Bad Mamma Jamma by Stevie Wonder for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. Pondering the performers endurance and the disappearance of most of his contemporaries from the scene, Hunt observed, Some may point to exquisite taste as the key to Wonders success, but the real secret is his ability to stay current, to be fluent in the R&B style of the moment. Not surprisingly, critics were virtually unanimous about Wonders 1995 live double CD, Natural Wonder, which Rolling Stone called an important and revelatory statement., Wonder expressed the desire to do an album of all praisethat is, gospelin his interview with Ritz. In 1979, Wonder used Computer Music Inc.'s early music sampler, the Melodian, on his soundtrack album Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants". . Encyclopedia of World Biography. He also wrote the soundtrack for the Spike Lee film Jungle Fever (1991) and several other movies. His songs from this period left most of Wonder's competition in the dust, both artistically and commercially. Jackson also sang a duet with him entitled "Get It" on Wonder's 1987 album Characters. Fulfillingness First Finale (includes Boogie on Reggae Woman), 1974. Quincy Jones, QsJook Joint, Qwest/Warner Bros., 1995. Wonder proved the validity of these observations during his 1995 concert tour. So, as Stevie turns 70 - Happy Birthday, sir - allow us to remind you why hes Wonder by name, and a wonderful talent by nature 1. ", Regardless of the genre he pursues, Wonder's music will undoubtedly always reflect his undeniably compassionate spirituality. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 when Wonder was aged 13, making him the youngest artist ever to top the chart. Blind since shortly after his birth, Wonder was a child prodigy who signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age of 11, where he was given the professional name Little Stevie Wonder. just as fineas she can be ." Stevie Wonder has been called the crown prince of pop music since the late 1960s, when he began to produce hit after hit with staggering rapidity. . Wonder toured briefly with an orchestra in support of the album, and used a Fairlight CMI sampler onstage. In his childhood, he was best known for his harmonica work, but today he is better known for his keyboard skills and vocal ability. He won plaudits for his work on the soundtrack to Spike Lees 1991 film Jungle Fever, allegedly composing the material for it in the space of three weeks. Stevie's rockers are always one step ahead of themselvestheir gawky groove is so disorienting it makes you pay attention, like a voice that's perpetually changing. Signed to Motown Records, 1963; billed as Little Stevie Wonder ; founded Black Bull Music publishing company, 1971; sponsored Stevie Wonder Home for Blind and Retarded Children, 1976; founded Wondirection Records, 1982; contributed songs to The Woman in Red film soundtrack, 1984; appeared on AIDS benefit single Thats What Friends Are For, 1986; contributed songs to Jungle Fever film soundtrack, 1991; activist for and contributor to various political and social causes, including Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the establishment of a national holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., the anti-apartheid movement, AIDS awareness, and Charge Against Hunger program. "I was at the birth of two of my children," he confided in Life. Between 1963 and 1969 he recorded a number of hits, including Uptight, I Was Made To Love Her, For Once in My Life, and My Chrie Amour. All through the period, Wonder was held in tight control by the Motown management. . In 1996, Wonder added two more Grammy Awards to his extensive collection, receiving another best male rhythm & blues vocal performance honor and one for best rhythm & blues song for the tune "For Your Love" off of Conversation. 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. A second single, "From the Bottom of My Heart", was a hit on adult-contemporary R&B radio. . For all his concern with social issues, Wonder also created some of the funkiest grooves of the 1970s on hits such as "Superstition" and "Boogie On, Reggae Woman." [28], Dropping the "Little" from his name, Moy and Wonder worked together to create the hit "Uptight (Everything's Alright)",[28] and Wonder went on to have a number of other hits during the mid-1960s, including "With a Child's Heart", and "Blowin' in the Wind",[26] a Bob Dylan song, co-sung by his mentor, producer Clarence Paul. . 2023 Blind since birth, Wonder has directed an immense inner vision toward innovative music; to quote New It also featured the ballad "Overjoyed", which was originally written for Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants", but did not make the album. the essence of beauty By the late 1980s, Wonder had become less prolific than he had been in the past, but he was still phenomenally successful. His Hotter Than July, with its reggae-driven hit Master Blaster (Jammin), indicated his continuing creative restlessness. By 1968 his label had amassed enough chart-toppers to fill his first Greatest Hits album. He became one of the first artists to make extensive use of electronic synthesizers, computers, and advanced keyboard technology, and he became renowned for carrying a tape machine at all times in order to record his ideas immediately. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. He sings the refrain and plays the piano on the Dr. Dre- and Sha Money XLproduced track. In never before seen footage, a young 19 year old Stevie Wonder is seen performing in front of thousands of people in Harlem. ." "[67][68], The double album-with-extra-EP, Songs in the Key of Life, was released in September 1976. "Stevie Wonder," All Music Guide,http://www.allmusic.com (August 31, 2007). Brower writes: The studio had become an instrument for the self-actualization of his personal vision. He played a number of benefits and made public service announcements, often winning honors for his advocacy. Sir Duke. My Cherie Amour. "This is a guy you don't ever want to see recording for anyone else," company president Jheryl Busby told Smith. shes a bad mamma jamma. His contribution was meant to be a showcase of his talent and thus a weapon in his ongoing negotiations with Gordy about creative autonomy. WebWatch the video for She's a Bad Mama Jama by Stevie Wonder for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. 20 Mar. "[121] Slate magazine's pop critic, Jack Hamilton, said: "Most Americans follow up their 21st birthdays with a hangover; Stevie Wonder opted for arguably the greatest sustained run of creativity in the history of popular music. Though he has groused good-naturedly in adulthood about the limitations his sightlessness has placed on him, Wonder told Ritz that as a child he soothed his mother's tears by telling her that he "wasn't sad." "Following Stevie Wonder around New York is exhilarating work," he wrote. Journey through the Secret Life of Plants, Motown, 1979. Is that true? Contemporary Musicians. WebA Haywood-penned single, "She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked)", became a major hit, peaking at number 2 on the soul chart and earning Carlton a Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male in 1982. 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. 5 Answers There is no word like addressal. Wonder was in a featured duet with Bruce Springsteen on the all-star charity single for African Famine Relief, "We Are the World", and he was part of another charity single the following year (1986), the AIDS-inspired "That's What Friends Are For". [143] Simmons gave birth to Wonder's daughter Aisha Morris on February 2, 1975. But regardless of the genre he pursues, his music will undoubtedly always reflect his undeniably compassionate spirituality. did stevie wonder ever record, she's a bad mama jama? Wonder has been credited as a pioneer and influence to musicians of various genres including pop, rhythm and blues, soul, funk and rock. 1 on the R&B chart, the first time that had occurred. Wonder accepted the award in the name of Nelson Mandela and was subsequently banned from all South African radio by the Government of South Africa.[74]. He wanted to be free so that he could bring the best of himself to the table., Wonders momentum was almost stopped permanently by a 1973 automobile accident that nearly claimed his life and left him with deep facial scars. He also made an appearance on a special episode of American Idol that featured performances of his songs. [45][56] This left him in a coma for four days and resulted in a partial loss of his sense of smell and a temporary loss of sense of taste. His songs challenged social conditions, celebrated religious ecstasy, and revealed his most personal joys. His work for Jungle Fever preempted the release of a collection of songs he had been crafting while living in the African nation of Ghana; the resulting disc did not hit stores for several years. 20 Mar. Contemporary Black Biography. ", "Stevie Wonder, 64, Welcomes Ninth Child, a Baby Girl Named Nia! Mainly covers of Ray Charles's songs, the album included a Wonder and Paul composition, "Sunset". just as fine as she can be. ." Asked at a British press conference why he had taken ten years, Wonder replied: "Obviously, I wasn't working on A Time to Love for ten years," he told Contact Music. Click here and tell us! [136], Wonder 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 United States. Rolling Stone, July 13, 1995, pp. Lyrics translations | The album also has a Top 10 Hit with "Go Home". 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.. ." In 1963 the teenaged performer had his first chart-topping hit with the rousing Fingertips Part 2, a Motown-generated tune that allowed Wonder to sing and to play the harmonica. He won plaudits for his work on the soundtrack to Spike Lees 1991 film Jungle Fever, allegedly composing the material for it in the space of three weeks. However, he nonetheless expressed his determination to keep growing. He is one of the most successful songwriters and musicians. Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Gap Band, and more The marriage was short-lived, however; they divorced in 1972. In 1964 he put aside the Little label and let fans focus on the Wonder; over the next few years he churned out pop-soul smashes like Uptight, Nothings Too Good for My Baby, I Was Made to Love Her, and For Once in My Life. By 1968 his label had amassed enough chart-toppers to fill his first Greatest Hits album. Wonder began hanging around the Motown studios. "Wonder, Stevie When Wonder turned 21 in 1971 he was due the money he had earned as a minor (this arrangement had been stipulated in a previous agreement). "Stevie Wonder It was a consideration of the physical and spiritual relationships between human beings and plants, Wonder explained to Ritz, quipping that some called it shrubbish. 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. A state of mind excited by the perception of novelty or of something strange or not well understood. Encyclopedia.com. Stevie Wonders Greatest Hits, Motown, 1968. Eventually he ironed out a contract that allowed Motown to distribute whatever albums he cared to produce. WebJammu & Kashmir Bank Khidmat Centre Association. [40] The album was released at around the same time as Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. Wonder won 25 Grammy Awards[52] (the most ever won by a solo artist), as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award. During the tour, he played eight 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[95]), two in Birmingham and two at the M.E.N. . If anything, however, this event provoked him to redouble his efforts. Virtually all of Wonder's work during the early to mid-1970s is essential pop, including his albums Talking Book, Innervisions, and the epic Songs in the Key of Life. (1976), and "Sir Duke" (1977). She is now a singer who has toured with her father and accompanied him on recordings, including his 2005 album A Time to Love. Recorded Live (includes Fingertips, Pt. Critics were virtually unanimous about Wonder's 1995 live double CD Natural Wonder, which Rolling Stone called "an important and revelatory statement. He has inspired a new generation of artists, including rockers the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who made their bid for mainstream popularity with a version of "Higher Ground," Lenny Kravitz, Michael Franti of Spearhead, and virtually every aspiring young soul artist. Berry Gordy was responsible for creating the stage name of "Little Stevie Wonder". 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). Time's Christopher John Farley, however, while allowing that the recording "isn't a slam dunk," called it "another winner for Wonder." Contemporary Musicians. [45] The album Fulfillingness' First Finale appeared in July 1974 and set two hits high on the pop charts: the No. Even more astonishing is the fact that Wonder often produced his songs entirely by himself, providing all the background music, writing the tune and lyrics, singing, and arranging. "I worked hard to make Stevie see that we had his interests at heart. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, 1982. New York Times Magazine, February 23, 1975. El subjuntivo Wonder's appearance at the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival opens the 2021 music documentary, Summer of Soul. Contemporary Musicians. When Conversation Peacethe album on which Wonder had been working for nearly eight yearswas released in 1995, it garnered a range of reactions. 2023