Stevie Wonder

[musicradio77]

Our Motown 45th Anniversary Artists Avatar of the Week salutes this week is no other than Stevie Wonder. Move over Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder became a legend in Motown history. He was born in 1950 as Steveland Hardaway Judkins. In 1954, his family moved to Detroit as she grew up to become a great entertainer. He began singing at a church choir. At age 9, he began playing a few things, a piano, the drums and of course, a harmonica. While performing, he was discovered by Miracles personal friend, Ronnie White. In the 1960's, he signed with Motown's division, Tamla to released his first album under the name "Little Stevie Wonder". His first album, "The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie" recieved no success. His second album which was recorded live called "The 12-Year-Old Genius" featuring his first single "Fingertips (Part 2)" and Stevie had arrived. Following the success of "Fingertips", he released a batch of singles have no success including Bob Dylan's "Blowin' In the Wind". His next single "Uptight" was a huge hit along with other singles like "A Place In the Sun", "I Was Made to Love Her", "For Once In My Life", "My Cherie Amour", "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" and a cover of the Beatles hit "We Can Work It Out". In 1971, his contract from Motown was set to expired, and his royalties set aside in his trust fund became availible to him. On his 21st birthday, he released his first self-produced album "Where I'm Coming From" featuring the singles "If You Really Love Me" and "Never Dreamed You'll Leave in Summer". Thoughout the 70's, Stevie released a batch of albums like "Talking Book" featuring a standard "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" and then the following year, "Innervisions" with the singles "Living for the City" and "Higher Ground". Stevie hit rock bottom as he was seriously injured in a car crash as a timber fell on his car. He was causing serious head injuries and went into a coma and he was okay after the accident. In 1974, he returned to the studio to released "Fulfillingness' First Finale" featuring the singles "You Haven't Done Nothin'" and "Boogie On, Reggie Woman". His 1977 double album called "Songs in the Key of Life" was a massive success featuring the single "Sir Duke", "Isn't She Lovely" and "I Wish". In 1979, he released another double album called "Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants" was another success featuring "Send One Your Love" was a Top 10 single. As Stevie headed to the 80's, he released "Hotter Than July" featuring "Master Blaster (Jammin')" and a Martin Luther King's national holiday song "Happy Birthday". In 1982, he teamed up with former Beatle, Paul McCartney on "Ebony & Ivory" and it was a hit along with a full-length single "Do I Do". In the next two years, he released the single "I Just Call to Say I Love You" and it was featured in the movie "Woman in Red", a instant hit. In 1985, he released "In Square Circle" featuring the Top 10 hit "Part-Time Lover" and another single "Overjoyed" along with another single from Dionne Warwick's album "Friends", "That's What Friends Are For" featuring Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight and Elton John. In 1987, "Characters" was released featuring his last single "Skeletons". He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. His singles had not been released in the next several years and came back in 1995 with the single "For Your Love" off the album "Conversation Peace". There are more singles to come along with a duet of 98 Degrees on the song "True to Your Heart" from Disney's "Mulan". Last year, Stevie Wonder was also inducted into the BET's Walk of Fame. His music continued to make success and it would forever be "The Wonder of Stevie".

[Tuesday Weld]

He's great.