Wonder, Stevie (1950-…), is an American composer, singer, and musician. A child prodigy, he recorded his first hit, “Fingertips” (1963), at the age of 13 for Motown Records as “Little Stevie Wonder.” He received the nickname “Wonder” from a producer who was impressed with the boy’s talent. Wonder has since matured into one of the most highly praised artists in popular music . He often uses his music as a force for social progress.
Wonder’s compositions range in style from the rhythmic soul music of “Superstition” (1972) to the social realism of “Living for the City” (1973). He also wrote melodic ballads such as “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” (1973). Wonder has incorporated Jamaican and African rhythms into his music. He paid tribute to the American composer Duke Ellington with the song “Sir Duke” (1977), one of his biggest hits. Wonder’s other hits include “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” (1965), “My Cherie Amour “ (1969), and “Isn’t She Lovely” (1976). He composed and recorded the music for the motion pictures The Woman in Red (1984) and Jungle Fever (1991). Wonder won a 1984 Academy Award for his song “I Just Called to Say I Love You” from The Woman in Red.
Wonder was born on May 13, 1950, in Saginaw , Michigan. His given and family name is Steveland Judkins Morris. Wonder has been blind almost from birth. Since the early 1970’s, Wonder’s mastery of synthesizers , the harmonica , drums , and other instruments has made him almost a one-man band in the recording studio. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. Wonder received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the country’s highest civilian honors, in 2014.
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