It’s time for another Motown Minute. Steveland Hardaway Judkins was born a premature baby on May 13, 1950 in Saginaw Michigan, suffering from a condition that eventually caused him to become blind. At a very early age Steveland began to play the piano, drums, harmonica and guitar.
When Stevie was 11 he wrote a song called “Lonely Boy” which eventually caught the eye of Motown CEO Berry Gordy who signed Stevie to a contract. At the age of 13, Stevie Wonder had his first national hit with “Fingertips.”
One of the more interesting aspects of Stevie wonder’s career was that in the 70s Stevie embraced the technology learning to incorporate various instruments that gave his music a combined ‘Funk’, or rock and soul. No one can deny “Living for the City,” “Superstition” and “Higher Ground” were songs that weren’t well ahead of their time in the 70s.
Stevie Wonder has earned 25 Grammys, a Lifetime Achievement Award, has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a songwriter, and was been inducted into the Hall of Fame as a performer in 1989.
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