Mega Music Talent

The 51st Annual Grammy Awards are sure to feature some of the world’s top musicians. In fact some acts that are reportedly set to take to the glittery stage include: M.I.A., Robin Thicke, Neil Diamond and Smokey Robinson. But one musician stands out as truly one of the greats. Some might even venture to say that he is wonderful. Perhaps you know him: Stevie Wonder.

It’s no wonder that the folks orchestrating this whole Grammy Awards ceremony want the iconic figure to bask beneath the stage lights. He has many fans, not only in the United States, but around the world. These are people who love the deep hooks, classic grooves and soulful croons that comprise the R&B genre. Stevie Wonder was actually one of those fans, long ago, who became immersed in these unforgettable tunes. Blind since his birth, Wonder’s sense of heightened awareness of sound helped him appreciate music on a much deeper level than most people can grasp. He turned this heightened understanding of musical notes and tones into his own vibrant and colorful songs that emphasized the joys of life and encouraged listeners to be ambitious. For more information go to http://www.stubhub.com/stevie-wonder-tickets and get your own pair of Stevie Wonder tickets.

Stevie Wonder’s musical inspiration was none other than Ray Charles (similarities can be found in their styles of performing). In fact, one of Wonder’s first releases was entitled A Tribute to Uncle Ray, which featured covers of Charles’ own songs. A second album, The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie, was released around the same time and spotlighted Wonder’s instrumental skills on a variety of instruments including the piano, harmonica and the percussion. Keep in mind, Wonder had not yet even reached the teenage years when this pair of records was issued in 1962.

A year later, Wonder was still not very well known within the R&B circuit, but all that turned around when he released The 12 year Old Genius. The highlight of the record was the exceptional single, “Fingertips, Pt. 2.” The ballad shot straight to the top of the both the pop and R&B charts, much in part to Wonder’s youthful exuberance and undeniable skill as a recording artist. The late 1960s saw Wonder dipping his hands into actually providing the lyrics for many of songs, most of which made the Top Ten on the charts. Some of those irresistible numbers were: “I Was Made to Love Her,” “Once in My Life,” “Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day,” “You Met Your Match” and “Yester-Me, Yester-You.”

The following decade signaled more success for the now well-known Wonder. The 1970s would be the era that captured the essence of his music and from then on it would stick in fans minds for years to come. Arguably one of the strongest R&B albums ever released, 1972′s Talking Book portrayed Wonder’s futuristic experiences with electronic tunes, gutsy-funk grooves and mellow jazz ballads. A couple of the most notable songs to emerge from the record were: “Superstition” and “You Are the Sunshine of My Life.” Both went on to win Grammy awards.

It is nearly impossible to accurately convey the impact that Stevie Wonder has made on the music industry as a whole since the very first time he picked up an instrument when he was a young boy, deprived of sight, but certainly not inhibited.

Author Bio: This article was written by Alexa Evans and is sponsored by StubHub. Stubhub sells Stevie Wonder tickets, as well as many other kinds of sports tickets, concert tickets, special events tickets and theater tickets.