May 13, 1950

"Soul is being able to make a person so INVOLVED that they can CRY or SMILE about it.
It can be any kind of song, as long as you’re FOR REAL about it."

26 Albums
Over 100 Million Records Sold
25 Grammy Awards

Happy 70th birthday to the GOAT Stevie Wonder

Stevie was just 11 years old when he was discovered by Ronnie White (The Miracles).

An audition followed with Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr., who didn't hesitate to sign the young musician to a record deal.

In 1962, the newly renamed Little Stevie Wonder began working with Motown songwriters like Clarence Paul and released his debut.
"The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie Wonder" is an instrumental album that showed off the young prodigy's remarkable Musicianship.

That same year, he also released "Tribute to Uncle Ray", where Little Stevie covered the songs of his Icon

In 1963, he finally developed a MAJOR audience with "Little Stevie Wonder the 12 Year Old Genius", an album recorded live.

The set's edited single "Fingertips, Pt. 1 & 2" became his FIRST No. 1 song, reaching the top of both the R&B and pop charts.

The next 3 years, the hard-working Stevie, who would go on to study classical piano, pushed to improve his Musicianship & Songwriting capabilities.

In 1966, he released his 1st GREAT LP "Uptight (Everything's Alright)", reaching No. 1 on the R&B charts

The same year, "Down To Earth", although not a complete commercial success by Motown standards (a first for the prodigy), signaled more artistic growth with great songs like "Hey Love" (i see you DE LA's fans !!!)

These 2 albums were a signal Stevie was NO LONGER this prodigy kid who was paying homage to Ray Charles but a songwriter establishing his own musical identity.

We're still in 1966 and Stevie produced that particular song for Tammi Terrell :

In 1967, he released "I Was Made To Love Her", following the success of the title song.

(1/2) On that same album, we can find "Every Time I See You I Go Wild" that would get a GREAT cover 11 years later

(2/2) Here is the 1978 Brainstorm cover, blessed by the INCREDIBLE Belita Woods (RIP )

Let's go back to 1968 :

Stevie released his already 13th album "For Once In My Life".
He co-wrote 8 of the 12 songs, including "I Don't Know Why"

(1/2)
The title song "For Once In My Life" is not just a cover, Stevie took it to a whole another level.

Here is the original slow ballad performed by Jean Dushon :

(2/2)
With Stevie, "For Once In My Life" became a uptempo smash hit :

In 1969, Stevie Wonder released his 14th album "My Cherie Amour", featuring 2 hits :

1) The GREAT "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday", his ninth Top 10 single of the 1960s

2) The TIMELESS "My Cherie Amour"

Here is a great live version with none other than THE Smokey Robinson introducing him (and check how Stevie switched to spanish, just like that) :

That same year, Stevie produced The Spinners hit "It's a Shame", his first collaboration with his then-girlfriend the SUPREMELY talented Syreeta Wright

1970 :
"Signed, Sealed & Delivered", while not a "100% Stevie Album" yet, sends a STRONG signal : he's definitely gonna fight for his creative independence.

The title song is co-written with Syreeta that you can see in this video (dressed in white) :

In 1971, 2 engineers, Robert Margouleff and Malcolm Cecil, would forever change the Musical Landscape with their first album as Tonto's Expanding Head Band : the groundbreaking "Zero Time"

Stevie was so impressed that he met with Cecil & Margouleff and said :

"I don't believe this was all done on one instrument. SHOW ME"

It's the birth of a collaboration that would forever change the Game with 4 Masterpieces

1971 :

At 21, Stevie released his first "Classic Period" Album : the Masterpiece "Where I'm Coming From"

All the songs are co-written by Stevie and Syreeta with Tonto's arrangements

Here is an outstanding live version (from PBS Soul!) of the title song

1972 :

With a new contract, giving him a much higher royalty rate, Stevie released his 14th album "Music Of My Mind"

He litterally became a multi-tracked one-man band, playing all the instruments except a guitar & trombone solos.

The perfect illustration of that "One-Man Band" concept is "Superwoman" which, both in its sound and length, was a change of pace for Stevie, who was trying to establish his own identity outside of the Motown sound.

October 27, 1972

Released 7 months after "Music Of My Mind", the Masterpiece "Talking Book" is even more IMPRESSIVE, relying less on technique (the only flaw of MOMM) and is more laid back, funkier with monster hits like "Superstition" or :

It's hard to imagine that the title song "Superstition", maybe THE quintessential Stevie tune, was originally written for Jeff Beck

It's actually Beck improvising on drums (he came with that opening drum beat) that inspired Stevie to pen this Masterpiece

August 3, 1973

"Innervisions", his 21st Stunning Album, is (not just) another Masterpiece packed with Classics addressing drugs, spirituality, political ethics or the danger of urban life for a Black Man with the mind-blowing "Living For The City" :

"Too High" (originally called "Too High to Touch the Sky") is a cautionary tale of drug-taking, lamenting a woman's overdose.

The influence of the Wright sisters (Syreeta but also Yvonne) can be felt with "Innervisions".

Stevie produced Syreeta's stunning debut "Syreeta" (June 20, 1972) and, by 1973, their marriage was over as evoked in "All In Love Is Fair" :

With "Higher Ground", Stevie gave a new statement of Percolating Funk Perfection.

His lyrics are all about relentless determination and optimism, praising God for giving him another chance to rise beyond his sins