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Stevie Wonder, Motown hit-maker
Biography by Rock Hall
Only 12 when he began to record for Motown, Steveland Morris grew up on vinyl in the public eye.
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 Profile
His first hit, "Fingertips - Pt. 2," under the name of Little Stevie Wonder, rose to No. 1 as an R&B shouter in the mold of Ray Charles.. He then steered toward ballads with "I Was Made to Love Her" (1967) and "For Once in My Life" (1968).
After turning 21, Wonder wrested artistic control over his career from the Motown hit-making factory; the results were such No. 1 hits as "Superstition" (1972), "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" (1973), "I Wish" (1976) and "Sir Duke" (1977).
Many of his '70s songs dealt with politics and ghetto life, but by the '80s he had returned to more predictable material, such as "I Just Called to Say I Love You" (1984) and "Part-Time Lover" (1985).
Important Dates
Stevie Wonder was born.
August 10, 1963
Motown's 12-year-old prodigy, Little Stevie Wonder, tops the pop charts with "Fingertips (Pt. II)" Recorded in concert, it is the first live single in history to reach Number One.
August 10, 1963
Stevie Wonder hits #1 on the R&B and pop chart with "Fingertips - Pt. 2.
January 21, 1973
Superstition (Stevie Wonder) was a hit.
May 13, 1973
You Are the Sunshine of My Life (Stevie Wonder) was a hit.
1974
Stevie Wonder hits #1 with "You Haven't Done Nothin'" and #8 with "Living For the City".
October 27, 1974
You Haven't Done Nothin' (Stevie Wonder) was a hit.
1975
Stevie Wonder hits #3 with "Boogie on Reggae Woman".
January 16, 1977
I Wish (Stevie Wonder) was a hit.
May 15, 1977
Sir Duke (Stevie Wonder) was a hit.
October 4, 1980
Stevie Wonder's tribute to Bob Marley, the reggaefied "Master Blaster (Jammin')," enters the singles charts. It will top the R&B chart for seven weeks and peak at #5 on the pop chart.
October 7, 1984
I Just Called to Say I Love You (Stevie Wonder) was a hit.
October 27, 1985
Part-Time Lover (Stevie Wonder) was a hit.
-- www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=214
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