Stevie Wonder biography, age, family, children, height, net worth 2024

Biography of Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder is one of the world's greatest musicians, a multi-instrumentalist and performer of numerous hits that have become part of the golden collection of musical heritage. Blind from birth, he is the recipient of twenty-five Grammy Awards and the Gershwin Prize, having written over two thousand compositions. His most famous songs include 'My Cherie Amour,' 'Superstition,' and 'Living for the City.' Among Russian fans, ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You’ is particularly popular.

Childhood, Youth, Family

Stevland Hardaway Morris (the artist's full name) was born in the spring of 1950 to Lula Mae Hardaway and Calvin Judkins in the American city of Saginaw, Michigan. He was born prematurely, which required him to be placed in a newborn incubator with an intensive oxygen supply. At that time, doctors didn't yet know how harmful an excess of oxygen could be for infants. The combination of prematurity and excess oxygen caused retinal detachment. Thus, shortly after birth, Stevland lost his sight, which even 21st-century technology couldn't restore.

The father wasn't much concerned about the family—Lula and her three children, only two of whom, including the youngest, Stevie, were born in marriage with Calvin. Nor was he interested in work. Eventually, constant quarrels, escalating to physical altercations, exhausted Lula Mae's patience, and she filed for divorce, a heroic act for a Black woman at that time. She took the children and moved to Detroit, then considered the most musical city in the USA.

Shortly after, she remarried, and her children took on a new last name—Morris.

As a child, Stevie often worried about his mother. She frequently cried, partly because of his blindness, and he would reassure her that he was happy. In one interview, the musician admitted that it was his mother who taught him never to give up and to see things through to the end:

...To never be ashamed. Not to let my past bury me. When I was a kid, children laughed at me because I was blind. But I just got more curious: 'How can I climb this tree and get an apple for that girl?' That's what mattered to me. We had sheds in our backyard, and we played a game where we'd jump from the top of the shed into the alley. Who could jump the farthest? The kids were like, 'Go, Steve, go!' but it seems I missed the moment when my brother Larry whispered, 'Mom's home.' So, I'm standing on the shed roof and say, 'Ready? Here we go!' And I jumped right into my mother's arms. And she kicked that butt!

First Works

The boy grew up as a true musical prodigy. From the age of two, Stevie enthusiastically drummed with spoons on everything within reach, singing popular songs. With his mother's help, he learned the Braille primer and how to play the harmonica.

The family was very poor, but the neighbors gave the boy a drum set, and then a piano appeared in the house. He quickly began to pick out tunes on it: first, from his favorite Ray Charles, who was also a blind black musician, and then from other performers. Meanwhile, the boy started singing in the church choir and gave impromptu concerts for his neighbors.

Little Stevie Wonder - Fingertips (1963)

In 1961, Stevie presented his own song "Lonely Boy" to Ronnie White, a member of the famous group The Miracles. The musician, impressed by the young performer's talent, immediately arranged an audition for him with Berry Gordy, the president of the Motown record company. They signed a contract with the boy right away and suggested he take the stage name "Wonder" because he truly was a little wonder. That's how he was introduced: "Little Stevie Wonder."

That same year, his first single was released, and a year later, at the age of twelve, he recorded his first two albums: an instrumental and a vocal one – ‘The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie’ and ‘Tribute to Uncle Ray’.

Musical Career

The first step towards wide recognition was Stevie Wonder's live album ‘Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius’ and a track from it called ‘Fingertips’, which reached first place in Billboard magazine's Hot 100 in 1963. Stevie became the youngest performer in history to top this prestigious chart.

In the mid-sixties, Wonder dropped the word "Little" from his stage name. He released several hit songs, including ‘Uptight’, ‘With a Child’s Heart’, and a cover of Bob Dylan’s ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’.

Stevie Wonder - Blowin’ In The Wind

The early seventies marked a new contract, which comprised over a hundred pages. At 21, Stevie took control of his career, negotiating with Motown Records for significantly higher royalties, more creative freedom, and rights to his own works.

His discography featured hits like ‘My Cherie Amour’, ‘For Once in My Life’, ‘Superstition’, and ‘You Are the Sunshine of My Life’. For the first time, the artist produced and released albums ‘Where I'm Coming From’ and ‘Music of My Mind’, which were markedly different from his previous works.

I always think about how to take my music to the next level. It's not about selling millions of CDs or making millions of dollars. God has given me an incredible gift – the gift of music – and it is a blessing that is self-sufficient. I can go anywhere in the world with nothing and still find a keyboard and play. No matter what, no one can take that away from me. Even if I were a slave or Blind Tom and had all my instruments taken away, I could still imagine music and hear chords in my head.

It was in the seventies that Stevie Wonder became the only musician in the world to win the Grammy for Album of the Year three consecutive times for his albums ‘Innervisions’, ‘Fulfillingness' First Finale’, and ‘Songs in the Key of Life’. Later, many iconic artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, and Tina Turner, covered songs from these albums.

In the early eighties, the musician released the album ‘Hotter Than July’, which included the hit song ‘Happy Birthday’. The track was dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr., whose birthday was declared a national holiday.

In this decade, Wonder proved himself not only as a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He engaged in various charitable activities, performing with Bruce Springsteen in benefit concerts for starving children in Africa, and raising awareness about AIDS, writing the song ‘That’s What Friends Are For’.

Later, with R&B producer Babyface, he recorded the duet ‘How Come, How Long’, highlighting the issue of domestic violence. Stevie also participated in public service announcements against drunk driving.

Babyface ft Stevie Wonder - How Come How Long

In addition, in the eighties, he and inventor Ray Kurzweil founded the company Kurzweil Music Systems, which, among other musical products, began producing famous synthesizers.

The mid-80s brought the musician an Oscar for Best Original Song for a track in the Gene Wilder film ‘The Woman in Red’ titled ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You’.

Stevie Wonder - I Just Called To Say I Love You

This was the first Oscar won by an African-American musician. During the award ceremony, he dedicated his victory to Nelson Mandela, which led to an immediate ban on broadcasting his songs in South Africa, where apartheid was still in effect, and Mandela was imprisoned.

Later, Stevie Wonder stepped back from active concert performances and touring for almost two decades. The release of the new album ‘A Time To Love’ in 2005 was a joyous event for his fans. The artist received another Grammy for this album. So far, it is the last of his 23 studio albums.

In 2007, Wonder embarked on a major tour across the United States in memory of his late mother, donating the concert proceeds to charity.

In the 2010s, he appeared at significant events, including the opening ceremony of the World Summer Special Olympics in Greece.

In 2021, Wonder released a new song ‘Finish Line’ in a duet with Elton John. Critics noted that his voice sounded as vibrant and clear as in his youth.

A year later, singer Eddie Vedder released an album featuring Stevie Wonder as a guest musician playing harmonica on the track ‘Try’.

Stevie Wonder's Personal Life

The famous artist has had three marriages and nine children with five different women.

He first married at 20 to Motown label employee Syreeta Wright, who helped him release his first solo album. The couple lived together for two years before divorcing, remaining on friendly terms.

Soon, Wonder's common-law wife became Yolanda Simmons, who gave birth to two children, Aisha and Keita. After parting ways with the mother of his firstborns, Stevie lived for a while with singer Melody McCully. In this relationship, he had a son, Mumtaz.

Another two children, Sophia and Kwame, were born to the musician by another lover, whose name was never revealed to the public.

In 2001, the music legend married fashion designer Karen Millard. She gave birth to two sons, Kailand and Mandla.

Eleven years later, Stevie filed for divorce and began appearing in public with model Tomeeka Robyn Bracy. In 2013, she gave birth to a son with Stevie, and in 2014, a daughter, Nia.

Stevie Wonder with his children and grandchildren

Three years later, the couple had a grand wedding in Jamaica, attended by all of Wonder's children. The devoted father confessed in an interview:

I have great respect for my children's mothers. They raised the children well. But I'm not one of those fathers who just sends money. I guide them as a father and talk to them as a friend. I always want my children to feel they can tell me anything... I remember writing 'Isn't She Lovely?' - I almost cried thinking about it. The sound of my daughter Aisha splashing in the bath created the picture. It's an emotion stuck in a moment, and it can never, ever be taken away.

Stevie Wonder Now

In 2023, the artist delivered a special performance with Motown legend Smokey Robinson and country star Chris Stapleton at the Grammy Awards. He performed three of his classic hits and participated in two duets.

At the 'MusiCares Persons Of The Year Gala,' Stevie delighted the audience with a rendition of ‘Higher Ground’ from the legendary album ‘Innervisions’.

In recent years, Wonder rarely performs solo concerts, citing health reasons and a desire to spend as much time as possible with his family. However, he continues to record new songs, including for other musicians.

Interesting Facts

As a child, Stevie was a big fan of pop singer Neil Sedaka, which led other kids to nickname him "white boy."

But I was just a lover of all music. I liked Smokey Robinson's song 'I'll Try Something New.' When I sang that song, girls would come to me, and my heart would race. I couldn't see the girls, but I felt something from them. I thought, 'Man, they're into this.'
In 1973, Wonder was involved in a car accident that left him in a coma for four days. Upon regaining consciousness, he complained of a loss of smell. According to him, music was what helped him recover quickly.

In 2020, the artist underwent a kidney transplant operation, and afterward, he said he felt five years younger.

Barack Obama is a big fan of Stevie Wonder's work. He even got married to the musician's song 'You And I.' For his inauguration, the composer wrote the song 'All About the Love Again' and performed it for the first time at the ceremony. An incident related to the Obama family occurred when his wife Michelle failed to guide Wonder to his instrument at an event, causing Stevie to fall. He quickly recovered and joked that he didn't see the step because he was looking at his companion.

Important Life Events

1961: Signed a contract with Motown.
1962: Released debut album The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie.
1963: Released live album Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius.
1969: Released album My Cherie Amour.
1970: Married label colleague Syreeta Wright.
1971: Released album Where I’m Coming From. Signed a new contract with the label.
1972: Divorced Syreeta Wright. Released album Music of My Mind.
1973: Released album Innervisions, named "Album of the Year" and won three Grammy Awards.
1974: Released album Fulfillingness’ First Finale, named "Album of the Year" and won a Grammy Award.
1976: Released album Songs in the Key of Life, named "Album of the Year" and won a Grammy Award.
1980: Released album Hotter than July. Founded Kurzweil Music Systems.
1983: Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
1985: Won an Oscar for Best Original Song in the film The Woman in Red with the song I Just Called to Say I Love You.
1989: Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
1995: Released album Conversation Peace.
1996: Received Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
1999: Received the Swedish Polar Music Prize and honored by the Kennedy Center.
2001: Married fashion designer Karen Millard.
2002: Received the Gershwin Prize from Barack Obama.
2004: Ranked 15th on Rolling Stone's list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time."
2005: Released album A Time to Love.
2006: Inducted into the Michigan Walk of Fame.
2008: Ranked 5th on Rolling Stone's list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time."
2009: Awarded the second Gershwin Prize. Named United Nations Messenger of Peace.
2010: Awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture.
2012: Divorced Karen Millard.
2014: Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
2016: Childhood street in Detroit renamed Stevie Wonder Avenue.
2017: Married model Tomeeka Robyn Bracy.
2021: Released the song Finish Line in a duet with Elton John.
2023: Performed at the Grammy Awards ceremony.