Stevie Wonder - Songs

ABOUT

Stevie Wonder (b. May 13, 1950) is a celebrated and influential singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer with a great deal of crossover appeal who became famous beginning in the early 1960s. He went on to become one of pop music's top performing artists of the second half of the 20th century with numerous recordings spanning R&B, soul, funk, pop, gospel, and jazz. His many signature songs include "Fingertips - Pt 2" (1963), "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" (1965), "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" (1970), "Superstition" (1972), "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" (1973), "I Just Called To Say I Love You" (1984), and "Part-Time Lover" (1985).

Born Stevland Hardaway Judkins in Saginaw, Michigan and blind almost since birth, he was a child prodigy who played the piano, harmonica, and drums, wrote songs, and sang in his church's choir. At age 11, he was discovered by Ronnie White of The Miracles who arranged an audition with Berry Gordy Jr. at Motown. He was signed on immediately as Little Stevie Wonder and soon after became one of that label's all-time top acts. In 1964, while still in his early teens, he appeared and performed in the movies, "Muscle Beach Party" and "Bikini Beach."

Stevie Wonder had his very first charting song in early 1963 with "Contract On Love," a minor Pop/Rock hit followed soon after by "Fingertips - Pt 2" (1963), a jazz instrumental that showcases his musical chops on both the harmonica and bongos. His very long string of hits, which has continued to well into the 21st century, includes a whopping 25 songs spanning the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s that have topped one or more of the R&B, Pop/Rock, and Adult Contemporary charts. In addition to "Fingertips - Pt 2," those that topped both the R&B and Pop/Rock charts include "Superstition" (1972), "You Haven't Done Nothin" (1974), "I Wish" (1976), and "Sir Duke" (1977). Other R&B chart-toppers include such classics as "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" (1965), "Blowin In The Wind" (1966), "I Was Made To Love Her" (1967), "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" (1968), "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" (1970), "Higher Ground" (1973), "Living For The City" (1973), "Boogie On Reggae Woman" (1974), "Master Blaster (Jammin')" (1980), "That Girl" (1982), "Skeletons" (1987), and "You Will Know" (1988). Wonder also had a spectacular crossover success on the Adult Contemporary chart, topping both that tally and the Pop/Rock with "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" (1973) and "Ebony And Ivory" (1982, duet with Paul McCartney). Other songs to top the Adult Contemporary chart include "Send One Your Love" (1979), "Go Home" (1985), and "Overjoyed" (1986). He had his greatest crossover successes with "I Just Called To Say I Love You" (1984), "Part-Time Lover" (1985), and "That's What Friends Are For" (1985, with Dionne & Friends), which topped all three major charts. Other Stevie Wonder oldies favorites include "A Place In The Sun" (1966), "For Once In My Life" (1968), "My Cherie Amour" (1969), "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday" (1969), and "Isn't She Lovely" (1977), a song that celebrates the birth of his daughter from his album, "Songs In The Key Of Life."

Widely considered by music critics and fans alike to be a musical genius, Stevie Wonder's numerous honors and accolades include 25 Grammys as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, an Academy Award, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and being inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame. He is one of the top-selling performing artists of all time with over 100 million records sold worldwide to date.

LINKS

MERCHANDISE

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VIDEO CLIP

Stevie Wonder performs "For Once In My Life" on The Ed Sullivan Show (December 15, 1968).

Available on iTunes and on the following DVDs: Rock n Roll Classics 12 DVD Collection; The Very Best of The Ed Sullivan Show Vol. 1; (more)

SONGS

To listen to a song clip, click any song title that has a speaker icon. This will take you to a list of links to CD and/or MP3 product pages from one or more online merchants that have sound samples.

Little Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder

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