There are not a lot of true music legends, either in general or on ERV, but Stevie Wonder certainly qualifies. Born as Stevland Hardaway Morris, and blind since shortly after birth, Wonder started in the music industry at 11 (!) and was given the name Little Stevie Wonder by Motown producer Clarence Paul.
While many acts count their top 40 songs or albums, one indication of Stevie Wonder's success is the amount of #1s. Wonder has ten #1 songs and three #1 albums. In the 1970s, his music - an upbeat fusion of soul, pop, and R&B - dominated the charts (and was critically acclaimed, to boot). For example, Wonder has four albums in the Rolling Stone top 500, including three in the top 60.
His 1980 LP, Hotter Than July may not quite reach the career peaks of his 1970s efforts, but it is still an extremely good record. The album would peak at #3 and go platinum, while "Master Blaster (Jammin')" would reach #5 on the singles chart. The song was heavily influenced by Wonder's friendship with reggae legend Bob Marley. The title is a nod to Marley's 1977 song "Jamming" and the lyrics, envisioning a world at peace, were also likely influenced by Marley.
Wonder continued to have significant commercial success through the 1980s, albeit with a somewhat more commercial sound. Although his production has decreased in the years since, he remains active in the industry as of this writing, and remains a true living legend.
No comments:
Post a Comment