Stevie Wonder

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Stevie Wonder

He was born Steveland Hardaway Judkins, which was changed to Steveland Morris when his mother married.
Wonder was born 4 weeks premature in a Saginaw Hospital. He was kept alive in an incubator for a month and during this time too much oxygen was pumped into the incubator, causing the baby to develop retrolental fibroplasia, which caused his blindness. Wonder says he tries to create "Sonic Pictures" with his songs.
Eddie Murphy used to imitate him on Saturday Night Live. Wonder once appeared on the show in a skit with Murphy.
Motown Records signed him when he was 11 and released his first album when he was 12. He was billed as "Little" Stevie Wonder, the boy genius.
In 1975, Wonder signed what was the biggest record deal ever, for $13 million over 7 years.
In 1973, he was in a coma for 4 days after getting in a car accident (someone else was driving). After this accident, Wonder permanently lost his sense of smell.
Stevie took a year off when he was 14 because his voice was changing.
He graduated from the Michigan State School For The Blind.
He plays most of the instruments on his albums. He is skilled on the keyboard, bass, drums and harmonica.
In 1969, Motown gave him complete control of his recordings. He was one of the first artists to write, produce, arrange, and perform his own songs.
In 1968, Stevie Wonder wrote the music to Smokey Robinson's #1 hit, "Tears Of A Clown." Then in 1970, with the help of Lee Garrett, another blind songwriter, Stevie produced and wrote the 1970 hit, "It's A Shame", for a local band in Michigan, The Spinners. Lee Garrett soon became friends with Stevie, and before long, they were songwriting partners.
Minnie Riperton and Deniece Williams use to sing backup for Stevie Wonder. After they would both pursue solo careers. Minnie Riperton is most remembered for the song "Lovin' You" and Williams is famous for singing "Let's Hear It For The Boy" on the Footloose Soundtrack. Both were also famous for their use of the whistle register.