• Stevie Wonder is a legendary R&B musician, record producer and multi-instrumentalist whose career has spanned over four decades and included more than 30 Top-10 hits and 25 Grammy Awards.

  On February 25, 2009, The White House hosted a concert to honor Stevie Wonder. The President and First Lady Michelle Obama presented Wonder the Library of Congress Gershwin award. The concert was broadcast the following day on PBS as part of its Performance at the White House series.MSNBC: [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29396722/ Obamas honor Stevie Wonder at White House (February 25, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Genres: Soul, Funk, R&B
  2. Name: Stevland Hardaway Judkins
  3. Born: May 13, 1950 123musicstars: Stevie Wonder
  4. Raised in: Detroit, Michigan 123musicstars: Stevie Wonder
  5. Nicknames: Little Stevie Wonder, Steveland M 123musicstars: Stevie Wonder
  6. Blind since infancy
  7. Berry Gordy signed Wonder to Motown Records in 1962 123musicstars: Stevie Wonder
  8. Began recording for Motown at the age of 12
  9. Grammy Awards: 25
  10. Academy Awards: 1
  11. Has appeared as a guest performer and judge on American Idol
  12. Performed at the 2008 Democratic National Convention

• The Early Years

  Born premature, a malfunctioning incubator caused Wonder to lose sight in both of his eyes. Despite the setback, he became an accomplished musician at an early age and was signed to Berry Gordy's Motown Records at the age of 12. Dubbed "Little Stevie Wonder", he had his first hit at the age of 13 and went on to write a number of hit songs during the 1960's - both for himself and other artists on the Motown label - including the Smokey Robinson hit "Tears of a Clown".

• Little Stevie Grows Up

  After gaining more freedom and creative control over his music, Wonder released a string of classic albums - including 1972's Talking Book which featured the crossover Pop hit "Superstition". A number of hit songs and a stint as the opening act for The Rolling Stones helped broaden his appeal and increased his popularity among Rock fans as well as R&B; fans.

• The 80s

  The 1980s saw Stevie Wonder release some of the most commercially successful albums of his career, as well as an increase in his charity work and public appearances. In 1984, the hit single "I Just Called to Say I Love You" became a #1 hit in the U.S. and U.K.

• Since Then

  While Wonder's musical output has slowed in the last few decades, he has continued to be a presence in the world of music, having recently been featured as a guest performer and judge on the hit television show American Idol.

• Related Pages on Mahalo

  Stevie Wonder Gershwin Prize | Stevie Wonder Democratic Convention | Funkadelic | Curtis Mayfield | Al Green | The Beatles | The Jackson 5 | Marvin Gaye | Sam Cooke | Diana Ross | The Temptations | Smokey Robinson | Ray Charles | American Idol | Isaac Hayes | Motown Records | Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life | Paula Abdul | Ben Underwood

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