Wonderful

6 × 4 in. framed print

Stevie Wonder, born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, in Saginaw, Michigan, was born six weeks premature and developed retinopathy of prematurity, a condition worsened by excessive oxygen in his incubator, resulting in blindness. Despite this challenge, Wonder displayed an extraordinary musical gift from an early age. After moving to Detroit at age four, he began singing in a church choir, and by the time he was 10, he had taught himself to play a variety of instruments, including the harmonica, piano, and drums.

Wonder became a master of nearly every genre within African-American popular music, seamlessly blending them into a distinct and innovative style all his own. His pioneering use of electronic keyboards inspired rock musicians, while his vocal phrasing echoed the artistry of the greatest jazz singers. The emotional depth and honesty of his voice, rooted in the Black church music of his youth, resonated powerfully with audiences worldwide.

Throughout his career, Wonder received numerous prestigious honors. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, awarded the Polar Music Prize for lifetime achievement by the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1999, and became a Kennedy Center honoree the same year. In 2005, he received a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement, followed by the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from the Library of Congress in 2009. In 2014, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, cementing his legacy as one of the most influential musicians of all time.