I can’t add too much more about Stevie Wonder than has been expressed all day on social media.
Isn’t he lovely?
Stevie has long been one of my idols. His run of albums from “Music of My Mind” through “Songs in the Key of Life” is legendary. So much innovation, so many great songs. He’s an actual genius.
Even after “Songs in the Key Of Life,” Stevie picked up with “Hotter than July,” the album that gave us a song I adore called “Overjoyed.” He released his greatest hits and added two classics, “Do I Do,” and “That Girl.”
I know people find “I Called To Say I Love You” too sweet, but you know, its composition is not simple. And “Ebony and Ivory” with Paul McCartney, plus “What’s That You’re Doing?” are wonderfully realized pop.
Stevie’s last album was in 2005, “A Time to Love,” was one I encouraged while Sylvia Rhone and Doug Morris really quarterbacked it. Steve was by then a towering legacy artist, and you know what that means. Even Bruce Springsteen can’t get his new records played on radio. It’s a shonda.
Stevie’s greatest legacy has been his personal march for peace and supporting the civil rights movement. He’s a practitioner of peace. He wrote “Happy Birthday” for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. birthday holiday which he helped create. Now everyone sings it on birthdays!
When Aretha Franklin was coming to an end, Stevie flew from LA to Detroit and sat at her bedside. I know what that meant to her. They loved each other, not just because he wrote one of Aretha’s biggest hits, “Until You Come Back to Me.”
That song, and many others, preceded “Music of My Mind.” In the mid to late 60s, Stevie’s output of hits was unparalleled. My favorite was “If You Really Love Me.” Listen to it. It’s a remarkable record, composed with, again, genius. He was always ahead of the game.
A couple of years ago, I was backstage with Stevie at the Musicares salute to Motown. He was wearing the coolest shiny jacket. I said, “Stevie, I love that jacket.” He responded without missing a beat, “Do you want it? Take it.” My face flushed red. “No no no,” replied, “Thank you for the offer.” He was ready to give it to me. OMG.
Stevie is hilarious. He’s one of the best mimics of all time. He does impersonations that leave you on the floor. I’ve heard that he drives on his property. Nothing is beyond him.
Oh wait — one more thing. At the 2009 Obama Inauguration Stevie performed with Sting on the ABC special. Stevie and Sting are close friends. The backstage area was just curtained off sections for each artist. I was talking to Sting in his section when from the other side of the curtain we heard Stevie practicing “Signed, Sealed, Delivered,” with his special recording machine. Sting and I looked at each other, a gog. We were witnessing history.
Happy birthday, Stevie! We can’t get through this without you!
