Latest / GARAGE TO STADIUMS Music History Podcast / The Story of Stevie Wonder: The genius who changed popular music
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- GARAGE TO STADIUMS Music History Podcast Episode: The Story of Stevie Wonder Host: Dave Anthony Guest: Paolo Hewitt, former New Musical Express music journalist Dave Anthony 0:01 Dave, Hi there. I'm Dave Anthony, and this is the garage to stadiums podcast rated as one of the top 5% of podcasts globally. On each episode, we tell you the story of how one of our music legends rose from obscurity to fame and play some of the songs that mark that journey. Welcome to garage, to stadiums. Today's episode is the story of Stevie Wonder, a child prodigy who released his first album at age 12. Stevie Wonder rose from deep poverty, a fractured home and a significant physical disability to become one of the most influential musicians of all time. He's won 25 Grammy Awards, won an Oscar for Best Song, is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and was awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014 and has sold nearly 70 million albums. He was also a master of discovering new sounds, as you will hear from our returning guest, Paulo Hewitt, who has followed Stevie's career for decades. Paulo was a writer for UK music magazines, New Musical Express and Melody Maker, where he both interviewed Stevie Wonder and reviewed several of his albums. Paulo has also written extensively about the hip hop scene and has authored books on several artists. He appeared on two very popular garage to stadiums episodes to discuss the careers of David Bowie and Oasis. Welcome to garage to stadiums. Paulo, Paolo 1:30 great to be back again. This is my third appearance. Dave Anthony 1:35 That's right, a record. We're calling you hat trick Hewitt. Ah, there you go. There you go, Paulo, tell me what's up. I know you've recently launched a podcast of your own. Tell us a little bit about it. Paolo 1:46 Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's called but we'll shine on. I was brought up in a children's home, so the podcast is about people who were similarly brought up in what we call care here or in a children's home, and it's about how it's about people have done well in life. So we did a guy called Mark Riddell who grew up with a really terrible mother father and is now an MBE and advises the government on issues to do with children's home. We did Pauline black. Do you know the band of selector? Okay, we did Pauline. She was fostered. She was she was the black girl in a white family in a very racist area. And obviously she's in a very successful band. Dave Anthony 2:30 These are stories of people who've risen above the troubled beginnings. Paolo 2:35 You know, the thing is, it's about the human spirit. It's about how amazing the human spirit can be, that he can withstand all this cruelty and isolation and despair and come shining through at the end. It's quite something, you know. Dave Anthony 2:53 Yeah, that's an admirable effort that you've put together there. So thank you. Want to give you a shout out for it. Thank you. Today, we're going to talk about Stevie Wonder. I know you hold Stevie in high regard. What are your initial thoughts? As I say, Stevie Wonder, Paolo 3:10 ah, just nothing but love for the man. He's just Yeah, I first heard him. 76 probably songs. No, I'd have heard him before that. 7172 and I've just loved him ever since. I mean, not everything he's done, obviously, but I've just been a huge admirer. I put him up there with the grades. I actually went. You asked that question. I think of Mozart. I think he's like a Mozart, you know, he's our Mozart. That's what I think of him. I think the breadth and the width of the music. And he has this ability that as soon as you know, with his great record, as soon as it starts you that's Stevie. You know, straight away that Stevie other bands you might hear, and they're all you know might be good and but, but straight away, that's Stevie. He's, he's a unique and, you know, I like I say, I put him up on Mount Rushmore. Dave Anthony 4:05 Speaking of difficult childhoods, it always amazes our garage to stadium's team Paulo, how a good majority of the artists we feature had to overcome significant childhood hardship. And Stevie's upbringing was no different. It started with his birth. Stevie was born Steven Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950 in Saginaw, Michigan, about an hour and a half north of Detroit. Paolo 4:32 One thing that people might not realize is he wasn't born blind. He was born with sight, but they put too much air in the incubator and that blind view? Yeah, so after six weeks, he was blind. Dave Anthony 4:48 Yes, it's a condition called retinopathy of prematurity, which can lead to permanent blindness in some premature babies. It is associated with the use of oxygen in incubators, whereby the. Oxygen can apparently trigger abnormal blood vessel growth or cause existing vessels to grow incorrectly, I read where Stevie actually said, God blessed me with music and took away my sight. But then he went on to say, but I see far more than most people ever will. Paulo, let's get into a bit more background on Stevie. He was born the third child of five siblings, raised in a tiny apartment with very limited means. His mother, Lula Mae Hardaway, had been in an abusive relationship with his father, a man named Calvin Judkins, according to biography of Stevie's mother, Lula called Blind Faith, Calvin was a drinker and a prolific womanizer who appeared at various times, but disappeared for longer periods of time. In that biography, Lula incredibly tells of Stevie's father Calvin, forcing her into prostitution to help pay household bills after separating from Calvin, Lula moved Stevie and his siblings to Detroit in 1954 when Stevie was four years old, living in the Brewster Douglas housing projects, one of the city's most impoverished areas. Paolo 6:05 He came from very working class area of Detroit, which he talks about a lot in, I wish you know, sneaking out the back door, hanging out with those huge and friends of mine. Paolo 6:22 You he had a loving mother. The father seems to have been absent, but the mother is has been very dominant with him. Lula Dave Anthony 6:30 continued to struggle to make ends meet. Stevie would bang on pots and pans because they couldn't afford toys. But little Stevie seemed to gravitate to sounds and taught himself to play harmonica, piano and drums by the age of eight, largely by ear because of his blindness. Next, we will hear how an entrepreneurial record company started by another man in Detroit helped change the future of Stevie Wonder. You're listening Unknown Speaker 6:56 to garage to stadiums with host Dave Anthony. Dave Anthony 6:59 Stevie's destiny changed because the entrepreneurial efforts in 1959 of a man from Detroit named Berry Gordy Jr, a former boxer, Korean War vet, failed record store owner and Ford auto worker. While working at Ford, he hung out at a nightclub and started dabbling in music by writing songs for soon to be famous Detroit singer Jackie Wilson and a young, then unknown group called Smokey Robinson and the miracles even co writing various songs for them like shop around. Dave Anthony 7:37 After the songwriting success, he had a bigger goal, bringing black music to white America. In one of the great entrepreneurial stories of America, Berry Gordy took his savings from his songwriting royalties, plus $800 he borrowed from his family, and launched something revolutionary, what became known as Motown Records. That meant breaking through a segregated radio system of the 1950s and early 60s, Barry wanted to demonstrate that black performers were talented, entertaining and sophisticated. To achieve this sophistication, he wanted his acts trained in choreography, dress and even manners, hiring etiquette expert Maxine Powell to polish his stars. Motown soon became famous to future legends, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, the temptations, and eventually a little boy who would become known as Stevie Wonder. Here's how the connection to Stevie Wonder was made. At the tender age of 11, Stevie started performing with his childhood friend John Glover. Stevie and John started as a street corner duo, Stevie on vocals, bongos and harmonica with John on guitar and harmonies. They soon played at parties and dances. But everything changed when Stevie's bandmate, John introduced him to his cousin, a man named Ronnie White, who was in Smokey Robinson's group the miracles, who were by now assigned act to Berry Gordy's new company, Motown Records. Ronnie white recommended that Berry Gordy needed to audition this little boy of 11 named Stevie. Stevie wowed Gordy, singing, drumming, playing harmonica and piano on his own composition called Lonely Boy. And Barry Gordy sang Stevie on the spot at age 11, Motown dubbed him little Stevie Wonder. Barry Gordy said of Stevie, when reflecting on the signing of the youngster, he had the hunger, the discipline and the soul of someone far beyond his years. And as Paulo said, Gordy added Stevie's mother Lula's strength was the foundation of it all because of Wonder's age, Berry, Gordy drew up a rolling five year contract in which royalties could be held in trust until wonder was 21 he and his mother would be paid a weekly stipend to cover their expenses, about $2.50 per week, equivalent to $26.30 approximately today in 1960 Two at the age of 12, Stevie's debut album was released and was called the jazz soul of little Stevie. Stevie played harmonica, bongos, drums, organ and piano. The album was all Instrumental Jazz and meant to feature Stevie's all round musicality, namely that he wasn't just a child singer. He was a versatile musical force in the making. And Paulo Stevie was quite a character in his own right, Paolo 10:25 but he also developed this great sense of humor when he signs to Motown. He used to love he's a very good mimic. Because of his blindness, all his other senses are accentuated. And so he would ring up Motown and pretend to be Berry Gordy, and they would think it was Berry Gordy. And he'd ring him up and he'd go tell son. So give Stevie three more albums and another 20,000 pounds. You know, Dave Anthony 10:59 he also composed two original songs on that album, one of which was fingertips, a harmonica led instrumental. Dave Anthony 11:14 As Paulo said, just after that first album release in 1962 Stevie joined what was known as the Motown review berry Gordy's efforts at raising the profile of his record label by starting a traveling showcase of Motown stars like the Supremes, Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight and the Pips. The tour traveled across the US and Europe and faced open racism, especially in the segregated US South in one terrifying moment in Birmingham, Alabama, gunshots rang out as the tour bus was being loaded. But even under such conditions, young Stevie's talent began to shine between navigating life on the road, Stevie attended the Michigan School for the Blind in Lansing, Michigan, studying classical piano and completing his high school education, his mother, concerned about Stevie's education, asked Berry Gordy to pay for a tutor named Ted Hall to travel with him on the revue tours Hall, a white man often had to advocate for the all black Motown group in the review just to get them basic access to food and lodging. And that fingertip song from his first album was also recorded live on that tour, and that live version of that song, that harmonica led instrumental, became his first number one hit at the incredible age of 13, still Motown struggled to market him. One album had Stevie covering Ray Charles songs an awkward attempt to compare him to a legendary blind performer. Others had him singing jazz standards like when I wish upon a star, or even beach music to cash in on the popularity of the Beach Boys and surf music in 1964 with an album called Stevie at the beach throughout the 60s, Motown had him trying out various genres. He covered folk tunes like blowing in the wind by Bob Dylan, pop songs by Sonny and Cher R B songs by Otis Redding, and even rock songs like light my fire by the doors and others by The Beatles, as the search for a signature Stevie sound continued through much of the mid 60s, none of these genres seem to resonate with audiences. How do you think his early Motown years shaped his later world, because I know they struggled to find him a sound. But what do you think that did for him those early Motown years? Paolo 13:28 Well, I think that, yeah, you're right. I mean, if you listen to those albums, they kind of go all over the place. They can't. It's a bit like Aretha. They struggled with her to find her niche, and we but I think with Stevie, what he did was he learned songwriting because he was with two or three other songwriters, and I think from then and going in the studio, he absorbed it all. Absorbed it, absorbed it, absorbed it. Dave Anthony 14:02 Yeah, he was like, he was like, the gym rats. We called him the guy who just wants to hang around the gym. He just wanted to hang out in that studio. Paolo 14:10 Absolutely. I mean, music is a force, is something that is a healing presence, or is something which, once you enter the world of music, and I had this as a kid growing up, everything else around you disappears, all the problems you've got or anything. It just disappears, if you're immersed in music, as he was. And he, I mean, he hurt. He had an early hit where he was 1213, then he was going on tours, Motown tours, yeah, the Motown review. Yeah, he did the Motown review. So it was just, I mean, the guy was just absorbing music from, like, a very, very early age, you know. And that, I think, is what stood him in such good stead until he was 21 I Dave Anthony 14:59 believe. Bright Spot came very unexpectedly out of a challenging situation in 1966 when Stevie Wonder was 16, as Stevie's voice began changing during adolescence, Barry Gordy of Motown actually considered dropping him, until a woman named Sylvia Moy stepped in to help. Who was Sylvia Moy? Well, she was a Motown performer herself, but Barry Gordy had asked her to instead become a songwriter to supply the Motown acts in need of constant new song material. Sylvia thought highly of Stevie and begged Berry Gordy for one more shot for the youngster Stevie, she promised to write him a hit. That hit was uptight, everything's all right on his 1966 album of the same name. And incredibly, because of Stevie's blindness, Sylvia had to feed Stevie each line through his headphones as he recorded just one line ahead of the now 16 year old. Somehow, Stevie nailed it up tight. Everything. The success of uptight marks Stevie's transition from child prodigy to mature recording artist and saved his career at Motown, uptight reached number three on the pop chart. Suddenly, Stevie wasn't just a prodigy. Was a hit maker another track from that album, nothing's too good for my baby climb to number four, Dave Anthony 16:29 further proving he was now a marketable force with real creative input after the success of the song, uptight the next couple of years started to accelerate. Stevie in 1967 still only 17. His album, I was made to love her, started to reveal his signature sound with the title track going to number two on the Billboard Pop charts in July 67 Dave Anthony 17:00 by 1968 Stevie followed up with the album, for once in my life, that title track became another smash, reaching number two on the pop charts, just shy of the top spot blocked by Marvin Gaye, as I Heard It Through the Grapevine. Still, Stevie kept the momentum going with Shooby Dooby Doo today, which made it into number nine on Billboard. Not only did he write the songs, he actually CO produced the album at age 18, his voice, songwriting, musicianship and production oversight were now fully in sync, and the world was starting to realize just how special he was. In 1969 with his album Sharia Moore Stevie displayed a genre defying versatility to produce mainstream pop and love songs, with the title track going to number four on the charts. It was his eighth top 10 hit, and he was still only 19. The hits continued. 1970 signed, sealed and delivered went to number three on the Billboard charts. Dave Anthony 18:02 The in 1971 Stevie Wonder reached another turning point, both musically and personally, when he began co writing with Motown artist Sarita Wright, who had become his wife. The year before their partnership marked a creative breakthrough. For the first time, Stevie released an album called where I'm coming from that featured all original material, co written entirely by him and Sarita, rather than having covers of other artists on an album, Songs like if You really love me, Dave Anthony 18:41 and do yourself a favor, showed a new depth and direction in Stevie songwriting. Paolo 18:58 Exactly he just heard music and probably because he couldn't see the reaction of people around him, or whatever, or Yeah, you know, he just, it was just that, that, that that's what his mindset was. And when He comes, I think his first album for after that deal you're talking about is where I'm coming from, and a lot of it. He wrote that with his girlfriend at the time, Sarita Wright, and he produced her two solo albums. Yes, that's right, which are brilliant. Dave Anthony 19:30 The first album was Sarita was the first time that he actually did their own material, correct? There wasn't any covers on that album, as we mentioned earlier, Stevie's early royalty earnings were placed in a trust fund till he turned 21 so when he did turn 21 in 1971 he was shocked at how little money he had, and believed he was financially short changed, especially considering the massive profits Motown and Berry Gordy made off of hits like his many top 10 hits. However, this was standard. Practice of Motown during the 1960s especially with young or less business savvy artists. Many Motown artists, including the Supremes, the temptations and Marvin Gaye later complained about unfair financial treatment. Paolo 20:13 He then comes back and he says to Berry Gordy, I'm going to do my own albums now. You know, and berry Gordy's a funny one, because Barry Gordy's running a very, very, I mean, Barry Gordy's commercial instincts are impeccable, because by the time Stevie's now doing this, you know, he's had hit after hit. You know he knows, I mean, he's a taskmaster, but he knows what sells, and he's incredibly successful. But there were two artists that he always struggled with, and that was Marvin Gaye, who said, I want to do the what's going on album. And berry fought him all the way until he went to number one, and then Berry was all over him and Stevie, because Stevie said, I'm going to write and produce and do my own thing. If you want to sign me, great. And if you don't, I'll go somewhere Dave Anthony 21:01 else. Yeah. So what did Stevie decide when he let his Motown contract expire to put maximum pressure on Barry Gordy, the owner of Motown, that would have been a rare and bold move at the time we spoke earlier about Stevie's first 10 years, where Barry Gordy, notoriously, is very tight with the money, and Stevie was kind of disappointed at the royalties he received. And then he said, You know what, we're renegotiating this in 1971 Yeah. And he gets a massive increase in royalties. He gets an upfront Paolo 21:36 he gets a million pounds, right? Yeah. In 1971 Dave Anthony 21:41 Stevie negotiated a landmark new contract with Berry Gordy and Motown giving him full artistic control, higher royalties and an ownership of his publishing rights. Going forward, his new deal resulted in a 14% royalty rate up from the previous 2% This agreement also included an advance of over $900,000 and substantial annual guarantees. Stevie, now age 21 had negotiated better terms, including full creative control and ownership of his music. And Gone was the mandate to do cover songs and other creative control exerted by Berry Gordy and Motown. Stevie was free to create his own style, and as the 1970s dawned, as will we hear next, he would prove his abilities on an entirely new level, one that would impact music forever. So what would Stevie's new music style be now that he had a newly minted contract that guaranteed a clean canvas of creative control? Well, next we'll talk about how Stevie's musical path starts with knocking on a door in New York City. Speaker 1 22:48 Want more garage to stadiums. Check out garage to stadiums.com. For official playlists, concert footage and other interesting facts for each episode. Dave Anthony 22:59 Let's rewind now to what precipitated Stevie knocking on a random door in New York City and finding that new musical direction. Well, it starts in the spring of 1971 Stevie had been listening to an album by a pair of far out performers called tonto's expanding headband. He was intrigued by the sounds on that album of a new type of instrument that the performers had invented based on their use of what they called Tonto synthesizers, an evolution of the Moog synthesizer invented earlier in the 1960s you Dave Anthony 23:43 Stevie was blown away by the soundscapes on the Tonto expanding headband album, and so Stevie, ever the spontaneous innovator, decided to drop in unannounced to visit the recording studio in New York City, where he encountered the hippie Looking twosome who made up tonto's expanding headband, a British jazz bassist and producer named Malcolm Cecil and an American producer and sound engineer Bob margoloff. These two men were white and made quite a visual pairing. Malcolm Cecil sported a massive Afro and trademark white overalls, and Bob margoloff routinely wore ankle length fur coats and hair that went down to his elbows, their Sonic experiments were equally striking. Within mere hours of meeting Cecil and margoloff Stevie was experimenting with the synthesizer, learning its quirks, and by the end of that random visit weekend, the trio had recorded 17 new songs, including the beginnings of a song called Evil, which would appear on Stevie's next album, 1972 is music of my mind. Dave Anthony 24:58 Other tracks included. On that album, Superwoman, Dave Anthony 25:10 having you around and keep on running. Dave Anthony 25:20 This album marked the first full display of Stevie's new synthesizer work and studio independence to create his own sound. Malcolm Cecil and Robert margoloff, yeah, tonto's expanding headband. They were synthesizer innovators, yeah. Stevie hears their album, yeah. And goes, my goodness, I need to figure out how to use this instrument, the move synthesizer. Paolo 25:45 You know, the thing was, and it's such an important thing. But when he turned so, when he turned 21 he got a million pounds right, and he he did something which nobody saw coming. He went and hung out with two guys who, who, who were using the synthesizer, using the Moog, and he'd heard them, and he fascinated him, and so he goes and spends a year with them in New York. And I read an interview, and this guy reckoned that they'd done 36 songs. Okay, yes, now then think about albums, albums at that time, vinyl, Dave Anthony 26:26 12, inching 10 or 12 tracks, maybe Paolo 26:29 10 to 12. So they basically made in a year, three and three and a half, four albums. Wow. I mean, it's just staggering. If that is true, that's staggering. And it shows how, one how Stevie's instincts were spot on to make that move. I mean, I mean, we spoke about Bowie, didn't he? So I suppose Bowie going off to do low and yeah, Berlin is a similar is a similar journey, but it's quite something. And for him to be coming from that R B world, you see, that's the thing about Stevie. He transcends all genres. Yeah, that's a great point. Paulo, yeah. He just transcends all genres. Because, you know, like you say, he heard, he heard the album, the Tonto expanding headband album, and he went, That's where, that's where I need to go, which, Dave Anthony 27:21 you know, historically, R, B and soul, I mean, to to introduce electronic kind of sounds that's pretty innovative. Paolo 27:28 And also, the thing is, as well, that, you know, you Well, you did know this yourself, but those two worlds were miles apart, miles and miles apart. You know, they, you know, there was a separate chart. Wasn't there for R and B records. And, you know, two different worlds, absolutely. And Stevie made the joke across the cross the bridge. Yes, he Dave Anthony 27:52 was, he one of the first artists to kind of incorporate the synthesizer into sort of mainstream, Paolo 27:57 absolutely, and to and to bring it into R, B, and into and into funk, and to make it funky and to make it soulful. You know, the song creeping. You know the way he plays. He makes that soulful. That synthesizer is soulful on that you know, Paolo 28:27 age and then on superstition, it's funky as hell, right? Paolo 28:40 He was just driven by his music. And then he comes with, with music of my mind, which the, the title of which tells you everything you you need to know. But also, I mean, how old is he here? He's what? Dave Anthony 28:55 2122 22 Yeah, it's amazing. Paolo 28:59 This is his 14th album. 14 albums. He's 22 that's, isn't it? It's got happier than the morning sun. Paolo 29:18 Go Blue. Good. Good Speaker 2 29:22 morning. I Paolo 29:29 love. Keep on running. I love every little thing about you. This is just great songs and, um, Superwoman, Dave Anthony 29:36 yep, having you around is a good track. Paolo 29:39 Oh, I love having you around. It's a great track, if you played Dave Anthony 29:43 having you around from that music of my mind, stay Dave Anthony 29:59 right here. Then you play tumbling dice by the stones, you almost hear a similar like that backup female chorus that goes on and on. Dave Anthony 30:18 I think Mick was listening, and then goes on, as you said, to start to really revolutionize music industry. I mean, he ends up opening up for the stones in 72 on their tour, Paolo 30:29 yeah, yeah, yeah. That sold. That crossed the bridge again, you see, for Stevie, music is music. He's not bothered about categories. He's not bothered about, you know genres, he's, if it's a good album, it's a good album, right? And, you know, if he's good music, it's good music. So he's actually, um, he's selling himself to if he doesn't care, he will do Dave Anthony 30:53 anything. Yeah. Paulo referenced the prolific amount of Songs Created with Malcolm and margoloff that put Stevie in a position to quickly release another album that same year of 1972 called Talking Book, and it marked the beginning of his so called Classic period, a stretch of four years from 1972 to 1976 where Stevie released album after album that weren't just critically acclaimed, but revolutionary. The Talking Book, album gave us superstition, a song Stevie had written for Jeff Beck. But instead, why is it kept for himself? Dave Anthony 31:36 And you are the sunshine of my life. You are the sunshine of Speaker 2 31:41 my life. My Unknown Speaker 31:45 life. Paolo 31:49 Yeah, I remember that at school, and I remember thinking, I mean, there's a there's these kind of singles, like, You are the sunshine. And I just called to say, I love you. And he's got that thing that the cartney's got. He can write these really kind of, I don't want to use the word trite, but these kind of pretty songs, you know, Dave Anthony 32:09 right? And I guess that's the that's the flexibility that he just then, in your honor, he's happy to go to so absolutely. And what about superstition? I mean, that song, man, that song was everywhere. Paolo 32:21 Oh, man, was that the same view, right? Oh, Dave Anthony 32:25 that guy owned the mid 70s. All I remember is Stevie winning awards and putting these albums out. Yeah, Paolo 32:30 exactly. And super every everywhere you went, you heard that. So I remember going to school. I remember it one morning, going to school up, just up by the alleyway. Then that led to the field, and somebody was playing superstition in the house, you know, I was Dave Anthony 32:43 walking, I would argue that that opening of that song is one of the most recognizable tracks in The history. Yeah, yeah, you're Paolo 32:49 spot on. Spot on. Dave Anthony 33:02 But both superstition and you are the sunshine of my life went straight to number one and each song won stevia, Grammy for Best R, B performance with superstition and Pop Vocal Performance for sunshine of my life. Another funky track called maybe your baby was about challenging romantic relationships. Stuff is scary. Dave Anthony 33:29 A song called Big Brother mocked the words of politicians that never materialized in progress for black people, children dying. Dave Anthony 33:44 The album was funky, romantic and political, and the world was listening. And remember at the beginning of the story that little boy that impressed Berry Gordy at Motown Records at age 11, with his versatility on various instruments. Well, on this Grammy winning album, Stevie played every instrument. Next came 1973 inner visions. Stevie continued on with his New York synthesizer wizard Cecil and margoloff at his side, the album won a Grammy for Best Album of the Year, and Cecil and margoloff were listed as associate producers and engineers and programmers on the album. They were recognized with a Grammy award together for best engineer recording. Now Stevie was going even deeper. This record tackled social justice, drug abuse, systemic racism and spiritual longing, living for the city, for example, was a cinematic protest song of social commentary on the complex challenges facing the inner city schools. Because Paolo 34:52 I think you're right about the social commentary, and he's very good at it as well. We know his lyrics like living for. City, you know, that whole stuff about boy, and he's trying to get job, and he can't do it, and he has to steal, and he got it, you know, he understood it, you know. And you know, a bit like dealing with with somebody's like Hurricane, the way he's able to lay out that whole song for you, that whole story, yeah, in lyrical form. And Stevie does that, obviously, with living for the city, yeah, and becomes involved in a lot of social causes. Correct that he plays, he plays up in Harlem, and he plays a lot of benefits. And, you know, he's using music now is a social force and a spiritual force. The Dave Anthony 35:44 higher ground song would prove dangerously prescient as Next, we'll discuss how Stevie was involved in a serious accident that threatens not only his career but his life. Speaker 1 35:56 Are you a fan of Bob Dylan, The Who Jim Morrison or Bob Marley check out garage to stadiums on Spotify, Apple podcasts and more. Dave Anthony 36:04 In August 1973 while traveling through North Carolina mere days after the critically acclaimed Innervisions album was released, Stevie is involved in a serious car accident. A car he was in collided with a flatbed truck, and a log from the truck struck him in the head. Stevie was in a coma for several days, and when he finally woke up, incredibly, he lost his sense of taste and smell. Thankfully, he regained his lost senses shortly after. And that 73 inner visions Paula was the first of his Grammy run. He won the Grammy Album of the Year that year, okay, and then it followed up that with 74 he's got, uh, fulfilling this first finale, yeah, Boogie On reggae woman. Paolo 37:00 This first finale. I've always I remember when I was a kid, it was like, Steve's got a new arm out. What's called fulfilling this first finale. What? I know it's hard one the what the finale is? What? Yeah, after his Dave Anthony 37:14 accident, Stevie was more committed than ever to using his music to reflect the world's beauty and its injustices. His 1974 album, fulfilling this is first finale. Won a Grammy for the second year in a row for Album of the Year. It contained songs like Boogie On reggae woman you haven't done nothing, which featured fellow Motown act the Jackson Five and a young Michael Jackson Dave Anthony 37:44 and please don't go. The album also won three other Grammys that year, Paolo 37:49 because, remember, he has that car accident which nearly kills him, right? Which is quite significant, because one of my favorite songs, they won't go when I go, came from that he was lying in hospital, and he felt like all these people, he had all these people who were loving him, and they were all his friends. And then he suddenly in hospital, and only a couple of people visit. Speaker 3 38:10 No more lying friends, though they do breathing, they won't go when I go. Dave Anthony 38:22 So 73 I think that's when he has the car accident, yeah, that's right, and he's in a coma, and ultimately recovers, but, man, it kind of changes him a little bit, because he starts to write a bit more social impact. Paolo 38:36 Yeah, big time. And he becomes known for that spiritual element comes into it. I think he, I think he kind of connects with God on during that time, like higher ground. He's talking about, he's talking about spiritual uplift. That's what he's still he's talking about the higher ground. Paolo 39:02 So about the ground that Jesus walks on. Yeah, that's where that's and, you know, on Songs in the Key of Life. I remember there was a leaflet. We had pamphlet with it with the lyrics, but right at the bottom, it said, Thank you God, because it was through God that these songs came. So, yeah, you know. So I think he's and he was close, wasn't he, like you say, he was in a coma, and took him a bit of time to recover, but I think he probably found God there. And Dave Anthony 39:41 I think he talks about that in one of his quotes, he said, You know, I lost my sight, but God gave me the gift of music. Like, in other words, God gave me something that very few people have, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And it was, it wasn't Grammy Album of the Year. I mean, the guy goes on this incredible. Run credible run, so much so that the next album, the one you referenced, Songs in the Key of Life, which, I think that's what the peak is that where we're getting to the peak here, Paolo 40:09 yeah, absolutely without a doubt. What I love about Stevie is he gets all this fame and acclaim and whatever, but he keeps his eyes on the prize, which is the music. And he spends two years on that album. And, yeah, that's right, the people were saying who were working on it were just like he was doing 18 hour days. You know, Dave Anthony 40:35 think about, think about that. The folks in the audience, you're on this run where you've won two Grammys in a row, yeah? So hot. You would think the pressure to go, I gotta strike while the iron is hot, instead, he spends two more years, yeah, 7576 to do this album. Amazing. Andy, Paolo 40:53 I remember the it was a bass player or whatever, said four o'clock in the morning, and the phone rings, yeah, Stevie, I got a good and get to the studio. I got an idea. Get in there. Yeah. And God, what songs are on then? Well, there's, Dave Anthony 41:11 uh, there's sir Duke. Unknown Speaker 41:21 Music is a word. Paolo 41:28 Yeah, that's all right, but that's good. It's good. I wish Paolo 41:42 now enjoy inside my tears. Paolo 41:54 Oh, I love that song. Yeah. Dave Anthony 41:56 What else do you like on there? Paolo 41:58 As ads are just amazing. And that then with the single you give away that loves in need of love today, my maid went to see him. He Stevie played Hyde Park, and he he did Songs in the Key of Life. And he said, I wrote this song 50 years ago today. And it pains me to say that it's, it's more relevant today than it ever was. And he played loves. That must have been, yeah, Dave Anthony 42:23 it was a double album, too. I mean to your, to your point about output Paolo 42:27 for any some order, songs, joy inside your tears, loves Dave Anthony 42:31 in need of love. Have a talk with God sir Duke. I wish past time paradise. Isn't she lovely? Is one of those? Paolo 42:48 Yeah, I always used to skip that one. I wish is on there, isn't it, yeah. I mean, how funky is that? That is. I remember walking. I was at college, and I was working to college. It was a, what we called a disco, you know, yeah, and it was the summer night, and he was blaring out, I wish I just stopped in the middle of this driveway. Just went, wow. It's just I hadn't heard it before. I knew it was Stevie. I knew it was Stevie. Dave Anthony 43:14 He sort of has these songs that you recognize instantly, but you can't remember the title because they're just so cool. You're listening to the music, yeah, Paolo 43:22 and then you put that for the name. There's a single that comes with the album, an extra four tracks, yeah, he's got another star on there, which is, you know, one of his classics. I mean, it would go on any best of albums. Yeah, Dave Anthony 43:37 it's, it was such a funny story in 76 I guess because Songs in the Key of Life come in out in 76 so he wins the Grammy in 77 because of the next year. But Paul Simon wins in 76 and he says, I want to just thank his acceptance speech. I want to thank Stevie Wonder for not putting out an album this year to allow me to win the Grammy. Paolo 44:03 That's about right innit. It's about right Dave Anthony 44:05 by 1976 Stevie Wonder wasn't just a star. He was a cultural force. He wasn't following trends. He was setting them. And more than that, he was showing the world that soul music was entertaining, genre defying and socially conscious all at once, four years, five masterpieces and a legacy sealed in real time. Next, Stevie enters his third decade, the 1980s at age 30. But before we get there, let's recap. Stevie released 21 albums before he was 30, incredibly 11 of those before he was 20, and another 10 between the ages of 20 and 30. Speaker 1 44:48 Want more garage to stadiums, visit us on Instagram, YouTube, X, Facebook and LinkedIn, Dave Anthony 44:56 after those experimental and expansive Stevie works. Of the 1970s the so called Classic period. Stevie releases the 1980 album hotter than July, which marks the return to shorter, more radio friendly tracks. Its mix of pop appeal, political messaging and musical influences of funk, reggae, soul and pop showcase Stevie's versatility without the conceptual heaviness of earlier albums, it showed that Stevie could still evolve while staying grounded in sold music. It hit number three on the US charts, went platinum and became Stevie's biggest success in the UK, four times platinum, more than just a hit record hotter than July marked the start of Stevie's role as not just a musical genius, but a cultural activist with a global voice, an example of the reggae influence is the track Master Blaster jammin, which was a tribute to Bob Marley. Stevie had been deeply influenced by Marley and even toured with him in 1979 the song contains the lyrics quote from the park, I hear rhythms and Marley is hot on the box. Speaker 4 46:02 The The Dave Anthony 46:11 song was a top 10 hit in several countries, I think, past the 70s. He gets into sort of, I guess, the reggae Master Blaster and a few others, or anything that stands out. Paolo 46:24 I was a Melody Maker, and the first album that I reviewed of his was hotter than July, which was the one next after songs. And it was okay, it was but it was Dave Anthony 46:39 patchy. The interesting thing on the 80 album is he has that song, happy birthday. He's advocating socially now for Martin Luther King, so that there's a national holiday in the US for King, which ultimately does happen in 1983 so he played a huge part in raising awareness of that issue. Paolo 47:10 Yeah, and that's what I mean. He knows how to use his position, his power and influence to to affect change. And there's no better example of that than that is there. Dave Anthony 47:22 As the 1980s progressed, Stevie was commissioned to write the soundtrack for the film woman in red. The soundtrack features Stevie's biggest hit. I just called to say, I love you, which hit number one internationally and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. I Paolo 47:38 interviewed him right in 8687 it was the character's album, right? So they flew me to Paris, and I saw a show of his there. Then we then we drove up, we went up to the next show, which is on the coast of France. Okay, yeah, I've seen the set the night before. And there was a bit where it was one of the sort of latterly songs he did. Don't worry about thing, you know, that's bit latterly, right? Yeah. And there was a bit where he jammed, you know. So he's playing, he's playing away, and I'm watching him, and suddenly I see him hit three chords, bang, bang. And I see him shout to the band, vamp on this, vamp on this. And I thought he's writing a song on stage. He was writing a song on stage. It hit these songs, yeah, honestly, you just go, wow. The albums afterwards are patchy. But in that interview I did, and it's so true, he said to me, I'll never make the albums I made in the 70s. I'll never make albums as good as that. But look out for my albums, because there'll always be one or two gems on there. Dave Anthony 48:44 What was his reasoning? He's just, uh, peaked, or were there, Paolo 48:48 you know? So, I mean, he's a wise man. He knew. He knew it wasn't. Dave Anthony 48:52 He knew that, how could you duplicate perfection kind of thing? Paolo 48:56 Yeah, you know, he knew that. He'd that it was that period. I mean, all musicians have it. Dave, they have periods. James Brown, 967, to 7374 The Beatles, 65 to 68 you know, they all have these periods Dave Anthony 49:14 where stone, 68 to 72 Yeah, Paolo 49:17 Oasis, 94 to 97 I mean, it's it, that period. It's like, you can't do any wrong, yeah, the peak run. You've got, you've got it, you're on it, you're you're on top of your game. And Stevie, and Stevie understood that. But, you know, in terms of live performances, I mean, that guy could be, he's playing Hyde Park this this summer. Oh, is he? Yeah, and he could do three nights of three different, three completely different sets. All is good, all of the same quality. That's how good that guy is. Dave Anthony 49:53 Yeah. Bob Dylan says about Stevie, if anybody can be called a genius, Stevie Wonder can, I wouldn't label on any. People, but I think it's appropriate here. Paolo 50:01 Yeah, you know what I began the article about, when I interviewed him, I said, Dave Anthony 50:07 What year was that? Paulo, 1980 87 Paolo 50:11 and I said, no, 89 and I said that. I said the word, the word genius, is bandied around too much, but if there's one person it can be applied to, it's Stevie. Wonder Dave Anthony 50:25 we've seen many periods of music you and I and the younger generation are seeing even more, because obviously they're going to be around longer. What do you think younger generations do not know about Stevie or misunderstand or should know about this man. Paolo 50:41 Well, they should know that they're in this man is is a genius, and that in the same way that you know, great art has to be investigated if you're interested in it, you have to investigate this man. You have to, you have to start. You know, you've only got something like 48 studio albums to get through. But hey, it's worth it. Yeah, right. I mean, he was so right. I mean, on the characters album when I interviewed, and there's a song called overjoyed, it's just fantastic. There's another song called free. It was just as good as anything that you'd ever done, you know, right? You know, he's still, he's still got it, you know, he's still, he's still Mr. Know it all, you know, right? Dave Anthony 51:27 The what I Paolo 51:30 mean, if you're into music, if you're seriously into music, you have to investigate Stevie Wonder, there's just, you know, it's like, you know you're doing the English literature. You're gonna do Shakespeare, right? You do music. You do Stevie. Dave Anthony 51:43 Well, remember one of his songs, uh, even influenced sort of the hip hop generation with the pastime paradise was, yeah, yeah, exactly as gangsters, Paradise, yeah. Unknown Speaker 52:02 Living. Through. Paolo 52:05 He showed that you didn't have to be categorized. He showed that, if you got it, you can rise above all that, and you can, you can become a force of your own, like he did Dave Anthony 52:14 that. He think that's his legacy, lasting legacy. Paolo 52:18 It's Stevie. He's not, oh, there's ICE T he's a hip hop guy. You know, there's Luther Vandross. He's a R and B singer. It's Stevie. And just that, it's Stevie is a world in itself, of music that brings in jazz, that brings in funk, that brings in ballads, that brings in pop that brings in rock, that brings in Fauci, you know, and then he makes it all his own, jazz, Latin. I mean, it's, it's phenomenal. It's absolutely phenomenal. He's up there. He's just, you know, that thing you have sometimes I don't you have the eye of you. Sometimes think, Oh, who's number one, Dylan, The Beatles Beach Boys. And often I say, Nah, Stevie, it's Stevie, you know, yeah, Dave Anthony 53:07 in terms of the breadth, width, depth, yeah. And just, I can only think of, you know, Bowie as a guy who innovated across so many different soundscapes. But yeah, man, wonder is right there, or more like, it's amazing, Paolo 53:21 yeah, and a good guy as well. I mean, I It was awful the interview, because I had to do it in the dressing room afterwards, okay? And I was like, Oh, okay. And everybody was talking, and then it was about 30 people in the room. Then everybody went, he was doing an interview. So some I've got this audience, you know, so I really don't want, yeah, I just want it to be me and Stevie. Anyway, David, about halfway through, I froze, right? I looked at him, and I thought, Oh, my God, he's Stevie. Wonder. Stevie. I couldn't talk, and he was going, Oh, have you have you finished? Have you finished? And I was like, and I just asked some crap question, just to, just to give me space, just wow. And I was hoping you do that thing. You know, blind people do it. They put their hands on your face. And, I Dave Anthony 54:20 mean, that says something. A for a rock journalist who's met all the stars, like, you have to actually be speechless with the man. Paolo 54:27 Speechless man. I mean, I've, I've known him. I've known his music, like, since 71 like I said, 7172 so, you know, he's just, it's always, it's, it's like, it's, it's like, there's air, there's water, and there's Stevie Wonder. I mean, it's that, you know, Dave Anthony 54:44 right? If you had to pick three songs that say somebody who's coming into Stevie or looking to investigate where, where would be three songs they should focus on. And then we're going to ask you about one album they should dive deep into, just to get a flare. Uber for this man. Paolo 55:00 Okay, well, I'd go golden lady. Paolo 55:12 I would go free. This song, free, which I think is off the character's album. I Paolo 55:29 and I would go overjoyed, which is another later song, you too might Speaker 5 55:39 be overjoyed. I've Paolo 55:46 gone for the latest songs because I'd like people to realize that there is stuff later on. Yeah, the album is Songs in the Key of Life. Yeah, probably the greatest double album ever, voted Dave Anthony 56:00 number four by Rolling Stone magazine, in the top 500 and What? What? What was above it? May I ask? Well, that's a great question. I think. How dare they? Who are they shouldn't have said that. You're going to be pissed. I am. I bet the stones and the Beatles are there. I think Dylan was in there. Yeah, it was fair enough. Okay, number one, Marvin Gaye, aha, what's going on, which, by the way, kept Stevie out of the top spot in 1971 wow. Okay, I didn't know that the Beach Boys Pet Sounds. Number two, okay. Paolo 56:39 And Dylan, Blonde on Blonde. Number three, Dave Anthony 56:41 no, Joni Mitchell, blue. Paolo 56:43 What? What that's about, rather than songs in the care life. And Dave Anthony 56:47 then number four is Stevie. And then the number five is Abby road. Paolo 56:51 They need to stop. They need to stop using that wacky backy in the Rolling Stones offices. And Dave Anthony 56:59 that's good. What is his lasting legacy? We've talked about a lot of things, him being a genius, but I mean lasting legacy in the history of music. 100 years from now, people are gonna go, Stevie was the blank. Paolo 57:11 Stevie was Stevie. Dave Anthony 57:15 You compared him to Mozart earlier. He's gonna be one of the classical Paolo 57:18 you go, Mozart, right? When you say Mozart, you're talking, you're talking up there, right? Say Stevie. Stevie's up there, man. Whatever you're looking for in music, you'll find in his work. If you're looking for ballads, you'll find Him. If you're looking to dance with someone, you'll find it. If you're looking to explore new musics such as Latin or classical or funk, then you will find it everything that the world of music has to offer. He will have he has touched upon in his in his canon of work. And I think that's an amazing legacy. Dave Anthony 57:57 I like it. Paulo, as always, you are a pleasure to have on this show. Your music college is Paolo 58:03 always great to be on. Thank you. Dave Anthony 58:07 Some closing notes on Stevie Wonder Stevie must have a massively large award cabinet. He's got an incredible 25 Grammy Awards. He's got on Oscar in 1991 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 96 he got the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2014 he received the US Presidential Medal of Freedom. Guess who he told to shut up during a performance. Once, Stevie was performing at a club when suddenly he yelled, shut up at Lil Wayne, who was interrupting his show. In addition to Stevie Wonder playing pianos, keyboards and synthesizers, he's renowned for his harmonica playing, particularly his use of the chromatic harmonica and his unique style incorporating blues and jazz elements. Stevie also plays drums, and his ability to maintain the groove while also manipulating tempo changes. Makes him a unique drummer, even according to some professional drummers, he also plays clavinet and bass and even a harpeji, a cross between a piano and a guitar. There's been several famous quotes about Stevie from legendary figures. Quincy Jones once said, Stevie Wonder is a musical prophet, and his gift is a blessing to all of us. Bob Dylan said about Stevie if anybody can be called a genius Stevie Wonder can, I wouldn't put that label on many people, but I think it's appropriate here in 2014 an all star tribute to Stevie Wonder was staged called Songs in the Key of Life, an all star Grammy salute a diverse set of performers, including Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, John Legend, Pharrell Williams, Tony Bennett Andre bucelli and guitarist Gary Clark Jr, performed as well as Janelle, Monae, Annie Lennox, Usher LL Cool J and even Stevie singer. Daughter, Aisha Morris, performed in 2020 after six decades with the Motown label, starting when he was only 11 years old, Stevie Wonder announced the formation of his own music label. He called it what the fuss music, and it meant that Stevie would leave Motown after almost 60 years with the label. Isn't she lovely? His daughter, Aisha Morris, was born on February 2, 1975 after Aisha was born, wonder said quote, she was the only thing that I needed in my life and in my music for a long time, Aisha was the inspiration for wonders hit single. Isn't she lovely? Kidney transplant. Stevie underwent a kidney transplant, reportedly successful in late 2019 as we discussed today. Stevie is an artist who broke barriers of music genres, performing soul, RnB, funk, pop rock, reggae and more during his career. So it's no surprise to see the wide ranging acts that covered his songs, including the Red Hot Chili Peppers covering higher ground. Dave Anthony 1:01:18 George Michael, who did an entire album of Stevie covers Prince had performed rousing editions of superstition live, accompanying Stevie on guitar. Other performers included the Fugees and boys to men. Stevie's real last name was Hardaway. When Stevie was signed by Motown in 1961 his surname was legally changed to Morris, which was an old family name. Motown producers gave him the name little Stevie Wonder. Stevie single fingertips was a number one hit on the billboard 100 when Stevie Wonder was aged 13 in 1963 and it made him the youngest artist ever to top the chart. In this episode, we discussed Barry Gordy of Motown Records. Here's some interesting lineage of Barry. His grandfather named Barry Gordy. The first was the son of James Gordy, a white plantation owner in Georgia, and one of his slaves. Barry, the first half brother James, son of the elder James and his legal wife, was the grandfather of President Jimmy Carter, making Berry Gordy and Jimmy Carter relatives, thanks for making garage the stadiums, one of the top 5% of podcasts in the world. We'd love for you to follow our shows on your favorite podcast platform so you can be alerted when our next episode drops. Follow us for some great music history content posted on our social channels, Instagram, X, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. Our YouTube channel has additional bonus coverage from our interviews, visit us at garage to stadiums for more bonus content on all the bands featured and links to great downloadable playlists on Apple and Spotify, thanks to our special guest today, former New Musical Express and Melody Maker, writer Paulo Hewitt, thanks to our producers, Amina faubai and Connor Sampson, our program director Scott Campbell, Creative Director Chad Raymond and video director Nigel Campbell, you've been listening to garage to stadiums. I'm Dave Anthony. See you next time for another garage to stadium story, Unknown Speaker 1:03:24 another blast furnace, labs, production