Stevie Wonder Biography, Photos and Posters

Stevie Wonder

Biography

Born: May 13, 1950
City and Country of Origin: Saginaw, MI
Music Background: singing in church choir
Awards: 2005 Grammy Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, "From The Bottom Of My Heart;" Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals, "So Amazing;" 2002 Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, "Love's In Need Of Love Today;" 1998 Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, "St. Louis Blues;" Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s), "St. Louis Blues;" 1995 Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, "For Your Love;" Best Rhythm & Blues Song, "For Your Love;" 1986 Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, "That's What Friends Are For;" 1985 Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, "In Square Circle;" 1976 Album Of The Year, Songs In The Key Of Life; Best Producer Of The Year; Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, Songs In The Key Of Life; Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, "I Wish;" 1974 Album Of The Year, Fulfillingness' First Finale; Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, Fulfillingness' First Finale; Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, "Boogie On Reggae Woman;" Best Rhythm & Blues Song, "Living For The City;" 1973 Album Of The Year, Innervisions; Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life;" Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, "Superstition;" Best Rhythm & Blues Song, "Superstition;" 1999 Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime contribution to arts and culture; 1989 inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; 1984 Oscar Best Song of the Year, "I Just Called to Say I Love You;"
Top Recordings: "Fingertips (Part 2)," "Uptight (Everything's Alright)," "For Once in My Life," "My Cherie Amour," "Signed, Sealed and Delivered," "Where I'm Coming From," "Superstition," "You Are the Sunshine of My Life, "Living for the City," "Boogie on Reggae Woman," "You Haven't Done Nothin'," "Black Man," "Masterblaster (Jamming)," "Happy Birthday," "Ebony and Ivory," "That Girl," "Do I Do." "I Just Called to Say I Love You," "Part Time Lover"
Stevie Wonder Biography: Steveland Hardaway Judkins became known as 'Little' Stevie Wonder way back when he first started recording in 1962 at the age of 11. He was blinded at birth by a condition known as retinopathy of prematurity. In 1954 this child prodigy moved with his family to Detroit where he first performed singing in his church choir. He then learned to play the piano, drums and harmonica. A friend of his cousin Ronnie White of the Miracles got him an audition with Berry Gordy. Neither of his first 2 albums charted, but singing and playing the harmonica he first tasted musical success when "Fingertips (Part 2)" topped the charts in 1963. He spent the time between hits polishing his music skills with the Motown staff musicians.

In 1965, yhe no longer Little Stevie, co-wrote his next hit "Uptight (Everything's Alright)." As well as writing his own material he also penned songs for other artists. His music ran the gamut from Broadway tunes to soul and reggae. The flood gates had opened and "For Once in My Life," "My Cherie Amour," and "Signed, Sealed and Delivered" soon followed. During the 70s he became a pioneer in the use of synthesizers on his recordings. By 1971 he had turned 21 and was married to singer Syreeta Wright, a marriage which would end in divorce. More importantly his juvenile contract with Motown expired and Stevie was free to follow in his own musical direction. He would win Grammys for his album Talking Book's singles "Superstition" and "You Are the Sunshine of My Life."

Enroute to North Carolina he suffered massive head injuries when a log rolled off the back of a truck onto his car. After spending time in a coma he recovered, but lost his sense of smell. He followed up 1973's Grammy album Innervisions with 1974's Grammy winning album Fulfillingness' First Finale which included singles "Boogie on Reggae Woman" and "You Haven't Done Nothin'." His 1976 album Songs In The Keys of Life exceeded even his most ardent supporters expectations and probably ranks as the greatest music achievement of his career. The effort which displayed a wide range of Stevie's musical talents featured a tribute to Duke Ellington. His next effort, the score for the documentary The Secret Life of Plants, was 3 years in the making. The film was never shown and the album, mostly instrumental, barely made the top 10. "Masterblaster (Jamming)," "Happy Birthday," returned Stevie back to the top of the charts in 1980. His next LP Hotter Than July was his first to go platinum. In 1982 he teamed with Beatle's rock legend Paul McCartney on the number 1 recording "Ebony and Ivory." His greatest hits album Original Musiquarium I featured 2 brand new greatest hits "That Girl," "Do I Do" both of which became chart toppers. "I Just Called to Say I Love You" was written as part of the musical score for the Gene Wilder film Lady in Red won the Oscar for Best Song. In 1985 Stevie finally completed the album he had been working on for nearly 5 years, Square Circle. The album included his last chart topper "Part Time Lover." In 2005 he released a comeback album with A Time 2 Love which included the single "So What the Fuss." In an industry where a successful career is considered as 5 years on the charts, Stevie has continued to make the charts for 5 decades.

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