He was 13-years-old when first we heard of Little Stevie Wonder, the blind, harmonica wielding genius who rocketed to the top of the Billboard charts with the largely instrumental “Fingertips” in the summer of 1963. Signed by Motown‘s Berry Gordy Jr., a few years earlier, the young boy was a prodigy, proficient also on piano and drums. With his royalties held in a trust ’til he turned 21, in 1971 he was ready to renegotiate his contract, just in time for what has been called one of the greatest runs in recorded music history.

            Starting in 1972 with Talking Book, Wonder (who no longer went by “Little”) released four consecutive classic albums, the last three capturing the coveted Album of the Year Grammy, a feat never before, or since, accomplished by anyone. Wonder celebrated his new contract with a fiercely independent artistic vision. Playing the bulk of the instruments himself, Talking Book is a keyboard heavy disc, featuring his funky signature tune “Superstition” and the ballads “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” and “I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)”. A year later came Innervisions, with its rich mix of piano, synthesizer, and drums; it’s all Wonder in its composition, playing, singing, and production, a brilliant rock-soul-pop tour-de-force that touches on themes of racism, drug abuse, poverty, love and loss. Standout tracks include “”Living for the City”, Higher Ground”, “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing”, and the heartbreaking “All in Love Is Fair” which shows off what a brilliant vocalist Stevie is, on top of everything else. In ’74 came the third LP in the series, Fulfillingness’ First Finale, probably the least celebrated of the three but still another award winner. Songs in the Key of Life followed two years later, a double album and one that Elton John called “the best album ever made.” The Library of Congress, Rolling Stone magazine, and VH1 all seem to agree on its musical excellence and cultural importance. “Sir Duke”, “As”, and “I Wish” are probably the most loved tracks.

            There would be more hits in the future, notably 1984’s “I Just Called to Say I Love You”, but we’ve heard less and less from Wonder in recent years. Still, to call him one of the greatest recording artists of all-time is a no brainer. He’s been honored with 25 Grammys, a Presidential Medal of Freedom, by the rock and songwriters halls of fame, the Kennedy Center, and by the United Nations for his work promoting peace.     

            -Steve Williams (8/24/23) Greatest Recording Artists Blog Post #39