366Art | Stevie Wonder

Today is the birthday of Stevie Wonder, singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. The editing above and his portrait on the musical reference works / birthday calendars below are made by me, Frieke.

Stevie Stevie Wonder was born as Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, in Saginaw, Michigan, but quickly became known as Stevie Wonder. At a young age, he developed retinopathy of prematurity, a condition caused by premature birth that led to his blindness. Despite his blindness, Wonder showed remarkable musical talent from a young age, teaching himself to play various musical instruments, including the piano, harmonica, and drums. Discovered at just 11 years old by Ronnie White of The Miracles, Wonder was brought to the attention of Motown producer Berry Gordy, who offered him a record contract under the name Little Stevie Wonder. Wonder's youth was characterized by his extraordinary musical talent and his determination to pursue his dreams despite his disability. He learned to read and write braille and developed a unique sense of music, allowing him to compose and perform complex arrangements.

His breakthrough as a musician came at just 12 years old with the hit Fingertips Released in 1963 as a single from the album Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius,  the song was notable for being the first live recording to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the beginning, his career was largely determined by record executives. After the end of his contract with Motown Records in 1971, Stevie Wonder took more control over his musical creativity and established his own studio, named Taurus Studios, enabling him to have more autonomy in recording and producing his music. In the 1970s, he reached his artistic peak with groundbreaking albums such as Talking Book, Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life. These albums featured timeless songs such as Superstition, You Are The Sunshine Of My Life, Higher Ground, Living for the City and Sir Duke.

Throughout his career, Stevie Wonder used his platform and influence to advocate for social justice and address important societal issues. His involvement in political and social activism has been an integral part of his identity as an artist. Living for the City is a song in which Stevie Wonder highlights the experience of Black Americans in urban areas and the challenges they face. Black Man is also a song that emphasizes the ongoing struggle against racism. His involvement in the campaign for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and his tribute to Nelson Mandela demonstrate his commitment to the fight against inequality and apartheid. Stevie's song Happy Birthday was part of the campaign to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day a national holiday in the United States, which was eventually achieved in 1986. He dedicated his Oscar for I Just Called To Say I Love You from the album and soundtrack of The Woman in Red to Nelson Mandela, resulting in his music being temporarily banned from South African radio stations. This album also features the song Don't Drive Drunk  in which he opposes driving under the influence.

Stevie Wonder's life is the incredible journey of a musical genius, from his early breakthrough at Motown to his timeless hits and his ongoing fight for social justice, with his impact being indelible in both the music and the world.