Stevie Wonder

Often Works With…

When Stevland Hardaway Judkins was born prematurely in 1950, the infant's mother and father were no doubt very distraught when their son's retinas detached and he became blind within a few days. The boy's blindness would have no bearing on his future success, however, as he would become a famous, successful, and increasingly innovative musician later in life -- after he changed his name to Stevie Wonder. Wonder's musical gift was apparent almost from the beginning, as he'd mastered the piano by age nine, and was also playing the drums, bass, and harmonica by ten. Raised in the middle of the Motown scene, Wonder soon caught the ear of Miracles vocalist Ronnie White, who brought the 11-year-old in to showcase his talents for label founder Berry Gordy. Wonder was signed, and subsequently began a successful recording career that would last for decades to come, releasing such classic songs as "Uptight (Everything's Alright)," "For Once in My Life," "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours," "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," "Isn't She Lovely," and countless others. A legend in his industry, Wonder's creative, romantic, socially conscious style continued to inspire fans of subsequent generations. He would continue touring steadily through the 2000s, and ramped up his social and political activism for the 2008 election, advocating for democratic candidate Barack Obama, who would become the first African-American U.S. President. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide

Also Credited As:
Little Stevie Wonder, Steveland Judkins, Steveland Judkins Hardaway, Steveland Morris
Born:
Steveland Judkins Hardaway on May 13, 1950 in Saginaw, Michigan, USA
Job Titles:
Composer, Singer

Family

Daughter: Aisha Zakia Wonder. born in 1975; mother, Yolanda Simmons
Mother: Lula Mae Hardway.
Sister: Renee Morris.
Son: Kailand Wonder. born Fall of 2001; mother, Karen Millard-Morris
Son: Keita Sawandi Wonder. born April 1977; mother, Yolanda Simmons
Son: Mandla Kadjaly Morris Wonder. born May 13, 2005; mother, Karen Millard-Morris
Son: Mumtaz Wonder.

Significant Others

Companion: Angela McAfee. served as Wonder s Wardrobe Assistant from 1986-1990; began dating c. 2000; split February 2001; In November 2001, filed $30 million palimony lawsuit against Wonder in which she claimed he infected her with a sexually-transmitted disease; his lawyers dismissed her claims
Companion: Yolanda Simmons. long-term relationship, never married, mother of daughter Aisha and son Keita
Wife: Karen Millard-Morris. (aka Kai Milla Morris) married in 2001
Wife: Karen Millard-Morris.
Wife: Syreeta White. married September 14, 1970; divorced 18 months later; the two remained friends and collaborators until her death in July 2004, of cancer
Wife: Syreeta White. divorced; mother of Aisha, Keita and Mumtaz
Companion: Angela McAfee. reportedly had relationship in October 2000; filed $30 million palimony lawsuit against Wonder in which she claimed he infected her with a sexually-transmitted disease; his lawyers dismissed her claims

Education

Michigan School for the Blind, 1969
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, music theory and composition

Milestones

1961 Joined Motown Records at the age of 11 and name was changed to Little Stevie Wonder
1963 First Number One record, Fingertips II
1966 Breakthrough hit, Uptight
1972 Left Motown after years of protracted conflicts
1984 Recorded the soundtrack to the Gene Wilder comedy The Woman in Red, which included his biggest-selling single ever I Just Called to Say I Love You ; won an Oscar for Best Song
1985 Was an integral player in Quincy Jones We Are The World and That s What Friends Are For by Dionne Warwick & Friends
1989 Inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame
1991 Recorded the soundtrack to the Spike Lee film Jungle Fever
1995 Coolio revived his song Pastime Paradise in his own brooding rap smash Gangsta s Paradise, which became the year s biggest hit
2005 Released first album in 10 years, A Time to Love, featuring a tour de force of guest appearances; earned five Grammy nominations
2006 Collaborated with Tony Bennett for the single For Once in my Life
2007 Began touring again with the A Wonder Summer s Night, his first US tour in over ten years
2009 Earned a Grammy nomination for his new song, All About the Love Again
2009 Performed at the We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial
Introduced to Motown president Berry Gordy
Sang in church choir in Michigan