Songs in the Key of Stevie Wonder’s Life Essay - 1850 Words

At the young age of twenty two, Stevie Wonder sang, â€Å"When you believe in the things you don’t understand / Then you suffer / Superstition ain’t the way†. He started his career in the early 1960s, but in 1972, Superstition established Stevie Wonder as one of the most recognizable musicians of his time in American and African-American culture and music. Although music was Wonder’s main priority, he also dedicated his time to a fight against racism throughout national and international borders. Musically, socially, and politically, Stevie Wonder was able to bring people together with his music and words. From the time of his birth to the present day, Stevie wonder sang his way into our hearts and remains one of the most influential people†¦show more content†¦Retrolental fibroplasia is caused by the disruption of the growth of blood vessels in back of the eye which leads to the person’s retinas to detached (Pub Med Health). For some peopl e, retrolental fibroplasia has been temporary but this was not the case for Wonder. Even though he was blind from birth, it was not an obstacle for him to overcome. While growing up, Wonder was optimistic and refused to let his disability get in the way of â€Å"seeing†; according to Stevie Wonder himself, he states, â€Å"In my mind, I can see all of these things in my own way, in the manner that blind people can see them† (Brown 7). If anything, his blindness opened up his world to a different type of judgment and vision in which everything is left to Wonder’s magical interpretation. Moreover his blindness later transferred over was epitomized within his music which Wonder calls â€Å"blindism†. Visibly seen whiling he is performing, any spectator will notice Stevie’s movements as he plays the piano in which he bobs his head to right and left throughout any song. Wonder explains his â€Å"blindism† as the idea of â€Å"building a lot of e xcess energy that [others] get rid of through his eyes† (Goldberg). Seeing singers can look into the eyes of their spectators and lure them into the music. Moreover, Stevie Wonder’s â€Å"blindism† is the same type of tactic, the movements of his body exuding such liveliness and passion becomesShow MoreRelatedEssay about Stevie Wonder904 Words   |  4 Pages Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder has been a major figure within the Black Music scene over the last forty years. Stevie Wonder was born Steveland Judkins on May13, 1950, however, he now prefers to be known as Steveland Morris after his mothers married name. He was blind at birth. The cause was the prematurity of the eye. Blood vessels in the back of the eye hadnt reached the front of the eye thus when he was born, prematurely, that growth temporarily stopped thenRead MoreStevie Wonder1180 Words   |  5 PagesStevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Jenkins is what it may say on his birth certificate, but this world-renowned, transcendent artist is better known as Stevie Wonder. Even at birth, Stevie was ahead of his time. He was born premature and doctors were unsure if he would live. Stevie was placed in an incubator to save his life. As a result of the incubator supplying Stevie with too much oxygen, he was left blind. Throughout life, Stevie never let his disability hold him back. By age 10, he had alreadyRead MoreGreat Composers of the 19th Century1106 Words   |  5 Pagespop to blues and jazz. Ray Charles Robinson was known as The Pioneer of Rock Music. He influenced the lives of people worldwide, and he paved the way for various artists such as Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, and Van Morrison. 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The song demonstrates an upbeat tempo along with a joyful and higher pitched vocal inflection blesses the song with aRead MoreEssay1244 Words   |  5 PagesThe children were laughing and hugging and filled with joy at the first song to liven up the Blackgood home since the death of their music loving mother.   But it was not to be the last song by any means. For the n ext several months Ray taught them song after song.   Up in the attic, they found their late mother’s old instruments which included electric guitars and a collection of high-tech synthesizers.   The children finally took to their computer programming assignments with glee in order to learnRead MoreThe Independent Record Labels of the 1950’s and 1960’s4437 Words   |  18 Pagesacoustical treatment, and a control room with a used five channel presto mixer, a presto 6-N lathe and one loudspeaker. Philips would take a while to realize that a huge prospect was about to enter his life and studio. Elvis Presley, a young truck driver, had come in to record two songs at a cost of $8 as a birthday present for his mother. Philips was actually out of the office so his secretary Marion Keisker recorded Presley. Foreseeing talent, Keisker put aside a copy of the acetate master