10A: Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder is one of the most original, successful, and influential musicians of our time. He plays soul, funk, pop, and rhythm and blues.
He was born in 1950 in central Michigan. (Question 1 — Many people say Michigan is shaped like a mitten. Can you find it on a map? See answers, below.)
Stevie went blind shortly after birth, and has been blind his entire life. (Question 2 — When you can’t see, how do you think it affects your musical ability? How does vision help you learn about and appreciate music?)
He always loved music, and was considered a “child prodigy.” This means he could play music, write songs, and perform like someone much older and more experienced. It came naturally.
He went by the nickname “Little Stevie Wonder.” He had his first hit song at age 13. It was called “Fingertips.” Stevie can play several instruments. Here, he plays the harmonica.
In his teens, he joined Motown. This was a company in Detroit that specialized in modern African-American music. He wrote “Tears of a Clown” when he was 16. It was a hit for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.
Stevie was considered a musical innovator in the 1970s. (Question 3 — What’s an “innovator”? The answer is below.)
He’s primarily known as a keyboardist.
His song “Superstition” has one of the most distinctive keyboard sounds of all time. This was in the early ‘70s, and people are still inspired by this beat and this groove. (Check out the great fashion, too.)
Stevie Wonder was a guest on the children’s TV show “Sesame Street” in 1973. Watch him give Grover a music lesson.
The TV show “Soul Train” was one of the first programs to showcase black culture and pride. The people who danced on “Soul Train” were considered trendsetters in fashion and dance. (Question 3 — What’s a “trendsetter”?) Stevie’s up-tempo songs were perfect for the show. Here’s “Boogie On Reggae Woman.” Check out the groove — and the clothing, and the moves!
In 2008, President Barack Obama presented Stevie Wonder with the Gershwin Prize, for outstanding achievement in American songwriting. Here’s a short clip of the ceremony.
Answers:
1 — Michigan is located in the upper Midwest, on the Canadian border. Lake Michigan is to the west, Luke Huron to the east.
2 — Not being able to see would make music an entirely different experience. You wouldn’t be able to read music, or lyrics. You couldn’t watch for cues if you were in a band. And you wouldn’t be able to see all the cool album covers.
3 — A “trendsetter” is someone whose behaviors others people follow — usually in art, technology, fashion, and popular culture.