Genius is a much overused term, but in the case of Stevie Wonder it is entirely appropriate.
One of the most successful songwriters and musicians of this, or any other, era Stevie crossed musical genres to become a pioneer and to influence countless other musicians.
Born on May 13, 1950 he signed for Tamla Motown aged only 11 and by the age of 13 he was at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Fingertips’, making him the youngest artist ever to top the chart.
He glided through the 1960’s making hit single after hit single, but then moved to an altogether higher level with a series phenomenally successful albums. From 1972 with ‘Music of my Mind’ and ‘Talking Book’ – which featured possibly his greatest his single ‘Superstition – through ‘Innervisions’ (1973) and ‘Fulfillingness’ First Finale’ (1974) to ‘Songs in the Key of Life (1976) Stevie Wonder was supreme.
The last three of those albums all won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, making him the tied-record holder for the most Album of the Year wins and the only artist to have won the award with three consecutive album releases.
His song ‘Happy Birthday’ was recorded to celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King, but we say Happy Birthday to the genius that is Stevie Wonder.
