The only person in the music industry who has been an inspiration to many people as a singer composer and record producer is Stevie Wonder. The Grammy-winning singer is certainly one of the most beloved music stars of our time especially since his talent and success have inspired many people to pursue their dreams no matter what challenges try to stop them. As a singer of Soul jazz and pop Stevie Wonder is also vast enough to extend to other genres to be a success.
Stevie Wonder’s Quick Bio
The pop singer was born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, in Saginaw Michigan and was raised by his parents Calvin Judkins and Lula Mae Hardaway with his five other brothers and sisters. His mother would later take care of him and his other siblings’ education after she divorced his father before Stevland turned four. After his parents divorced he moved with his mother to Detroit where he grew up and where she changed his name to Morris.
From an early age, Stevie showed great musical talent; he started singing in the choir before his mother wrote songs for him. At only 11 years old he signed his first contract with the Tamla label and released his first album The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie in 1962 followed by Tribute to Uncle Ray the same year. In 2005 when he released A Time to Love the pop singer already had 25 other albums.
During a career that has seen him become one of the most important musicians of the 20th century, Stevie Wonder has won many awards including 22 Grammy Awards and Academy Awards among many others. He has also been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom which is the highest civilian distinction available in the United States.
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What Happened To His Eyes?
In the past, many have wondered if Stevie Wonder was really blind. Yes, he is. To be fair to those who claim he is not blind there are cases and occasions when he has done things that suggest he could see. For example, there was a time when he grabbed a microphone stand that was falling during a live performance. But there are many who can tell us how much the senses of those who have lost their sight can be sharpened.
Another reason some people say he could probably see him is because of an operation he was preparing for in 1999. According to the BBC the surgery that was to be performed at Johns Hopkins University could restore some of his sights. From then on nothing was heard about the operation but the available indications show that the pop star is still not able to see.
In case you wonder what happened to his eyes he lost them shortly after he was born. It is because of certain complications that he suffered as a result of his premature birth.
