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October 10, 2005
He was
"Little Stevie Wonder" at just 12 years old, fresh from his first
appearance on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. Since that debut,
Wonder has recorded more than 30 Top 10 hits and won 19 Grammys.
After a
ten-year absence from recording, Wonder is back. He is motivated by a
special message, the message some say "has formed the cornerstone of
his legendary career." Gathering reporters to his studio for a special
studio session and interview, he interspersed performances of the 15
tracks on his new album with reflections on his career and his purpose
for writing and singing.
"Of all the
needs that we have right now," Wonder tells them, "more than anything,
we need a time for love." Each track on his new album touches on love
in one of its forms, "from physical to unrequited to family affection
to the way people treat strangers on the street."
Leaning
forward during his interview, he drives his point home to his
audience. "We need to have more respect for each other." Wonder is
responding to the lack of respect he senses coming "from people in
their relationships as well as our leaders in government."
Born as
Steveland Morris Judkins Hardaway, on May 13, 1950, Wonder was only 12
when he began to record for Motown. He had his first hit at the age of
13, "Fingertips." While his own performance as a singer won him
critical acclaim, he also worked behind the scenes, writing for such
groups as The Spinners and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.
Blind from
infancy, Wonder developed a love of music. He began to learn the piano
at the age of seven and had also mastered drums and harmonica by the
age of nine. After his family moved to Detroit in 1954, Steveland
joined a church choir, planting the root of a gospel influence on his
music.
The enduring
quality of Wonder's music over a span of 40 years owes much to his
ability to express optimism, faith in the future, and love. Sylvia
Rhone, who heads up Motown Records, says, "Nobody can illuminate our
greatest hopes, soothe our deepest fears, and put us on the musical
high road like Stevie Wonder."
Even his song
titles inspire the high road. How can anyone repress a smile when
reading, "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," "My Cherie Amour" and
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours"? His 1984 hit, "I Just Called
To Say I Love You", is Motown's biggest-selling single in the UK and
won him an Oscar for best song.
"Ever since
Songs in the Key of Life," Wonder says, "I feel it's been a
blessing from God giving me the titles, but ultimately, all songs must
stand on their own. I've always written about love, but the ones that
spoke to me the loudest are the ones you'll find on A Time 2 Love."
We owe a debt
of gratitude to Wonder and other entertainers who use their talents to
inspire the finer and nobler sentiments in life. The unfortunate truth
is that we humans have both love and hate pulsing through our blood.
And it is the rhythm and sound of our culture that is needed to beat
the drum, stirring our passions and filling our spirit with the
life-giving message of love.
A Time 2
Love
is a message worth passing on -- in music and in life.
Copyright © 2005 Jane Jimenez
December 10, 2004 The Best Part of Snuggling
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