Talk:Stevie Wonder

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Contents 1 Additional facts, current career 2 Birth name / real name 3 Discography 4 Plays bass guitar, not guitar 5 Incorrect Redirect? 6 Jungle Fever question 7 Commercial Period 8 Picture 9 Early career? 10 Left handed? 11 Early career AND bass playing 12 More required 13 Why does someone as great as Stevie Wonder collaborate with gangsta rap musicians?

[edit] Additional facts, current career

I think it would be useful to mention several additional facts about Mr Wonder - for example his skills as a musician and composer (he's far more than just a singer) or the way he has coped with blindness. Maybe someone who has read a bit more about him would care to elaborate... otherwise I'll have to get round to some research.
I think it would also be good to make clear that his career still continues - the final paragraph makes it sound like a posthumous review. 195.107.47.196 15:56 Apr 14, 2003 (UTC)

The above mentioned final paragraph was fixed 16 September 2003.

[edit] Birth name / real name

Wonder's birth name is the source of some confusion. His official site lists his birth name as Steveland Morris, but most sources agree his birth name was Steveland Judkins or Steveland Hardaway Judkins (his parents were Lula Hardaway and Calvin Judkins). Other sources spell it "Stevland," without the second "e." Relying on his mother's authorized biography, Blind Faith: The Miraculous Journey of Lula Hardaway, Stevie Wonder's Mother (2002, Simon and Schuster). The book states, "Stevland Judkins was born on May 13, 1950." Blind Faith also says that his surname was legally changed to Morris, "an old family name," when he signed with Motown in 1961 —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 212.219.247.229 (talk • contribs) 11:52, 11 January 2006 (UTC)

I changed them both to "Steveland" as I believe it to be the correct spelling, in the previous edit it was stated as both at the same time. If I am wrong, please change it, however change both references and not just one as this will lead to confusion. --Ccosta 07:45, 21 May 2006 (UTC)

"Stevie Wonder's real name is NOT "Steveland", it is "Stevland". He himself spells it this way in many album booklets.", according to the edit summary for the revision as of 03:23, 6 June 2006.

Anyone have infor on the change from Judkins to Morris. It changes in the article without explanation. BabuBhatt 22:30, 2 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Discography

The song "Sunset" should be added to the discography. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 68.170.193.188 (talk • contribs) 00:43, 26 March 2006 (UTC)

If you think so, then do it. Wasted Time R 22:48, 25 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Plays bass guitar, not guitar

I changed guitar to bass guitar in the Infobox (it had already been changed in the introduction of the article).
Wonder's bass guitar playing is well known, but I haven't found him playing the (six-string) guitar being mentioned anywhere.
I have no record covers or other reference (except the Internet) handy, but my guess is that if Wonder is credited anywhere for playing guitar, it is an odd occurance and not enough to call him a guitar player. Therefore, guitar shouldn't be mentioned in the list of instruments he plays. --Alderin 18:52, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

I thought Stevie did play guitar, and played bass lines on keyboard? I have a copy of 'Innervisions' with me which states Stevie plays all instruments on some tracks, eg 'Higher Ground', 'Living For The City', etc. And isn't the 'Superstition' riff his, too?Wwwhhh 03:10, 3 July 2006 (UTC)

Guitar on "Superstition" is Jeff Beck. --Stlemur 21:59, 24 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Incorrect Redirect?

Both the phrases "Shes a bad mama jama" and "She's a Bad Mama Jama" redirect to this article. I was under the impression that Carl Carlton was the artist that sang She's a Bad Mama Jama. Am I incorrect? Did Wonder write the song?--Dgrotto 07:07, 30 June 2006 (UTC)

No, you're not incorrect, that song is sung by Carl Carlton. I don't think Wonder wrote the song...--Mblovestix 17:36, 12 November 2006

[edit] Jungle Fever question

Does anyone know how I can get a copy of the song Stevie sang as the credits rolled after Jungle Fever. It was a beautiful track but not featured on the movie soundtrack. Thanks in advance. Mark in Dominica

[edit] Commercial Period

Attention wikipedia denizens. I added the "commercial period section". I've been to many forums and discussions (Berekely 1999, NYU 2003, etc) that discussed Wonder's career and those at the forum kept referring to 1980-1990 as his "commercial period". I think this is obvious to me, that this period is where his 70s work set the stage to expose people to his popular works, and then this fame allowed his permeation into pop culture.

However if the moderators which to strike this for not providing proper referencing i understand, although I think it would be doing this artist's record a diservice; grouping his ascent into fame in the 80s with his less-impactful 90s-and-beyond work obfuscates this important phase of his career.

[edit] Picture

What happened to the picture? It doesn't show Stevie, but someone named Craig Moffat! /M

[edit] Early career?

There doesn't seem to be anything in this article about his career in the 1960s. Didn't he sign with Motown at 11 and have hits in his teens?--T. Anthony 12:00, 18 December 2006 (UTC)

Amen! With over 10 Top 10s before 1972, I think the early part of his career bears some fleshing out. Anybody up for it? Iamvered 19:44, 9 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Left handed?

i was looking for information, if stevie wonder is right or left-handed ... does anybody have a clue? his amazing left hand piano technique and unusual moog keyboard bass lines give me the impression he might be left-handed.

i also don't think he plays the bass. both his "guitar" and "bass" playing are actually keyboards, and on most songs that have an electric/acoustic bass nathan watts is credited as the bass player...

also on superstition there's no guitar, the sound that seems to be a guitar is actually a (hohner?) clavinet, all intruments except sax and trumpet are played by SW himself . jeff beck plays on another song ("looking for another pure love") on the same album.

i was looking for information, if stevie wonder is right or left-handed ... does anybody have a clue? his amazing left hand piano technique and unusual moog keyboard bass lines give me the impression he might be left-handed.

i also don't think he plays the bass. both his "guitar" and "bass" playing are actually keyboards, and on most songs that have an electric/acoustic bass nathan watts is credited as the bass player...

also on superstition there's no guitar, the sound that seems to be a guitar is actually a (hohner?) clavinet, all intruments except sax and trumpet are played by SW himself . jeff beck plays on another song ("looking for another pure love") on the same album —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 201.37.25.135 (talk • contribs) 02:16, January 25, 2007 (UTC).

[edit] Early career AND bass playing

I agree that more stuff should be added about his early career - I wish I could do something to help. Tying in with other comments, wasn't the British (jazz) bass player Malcolm Cecil closely associated with Stevie's early career and/or classic period? 83.191.57.3 22:39, 27 January 2007 (UTC) (Sorry, that wasn't signed - Technopat 22:41, 27 January 2007 (UTC))

While on the subject, in the early career section it mentions that he also wrote material for his label mates. Can someone please provide examples? Thanx. --Technopat 16:20, 30 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] More required

Should be something on the origin of his stage name. Did Berry Gordy personally devise it? Is there anything on record from him as to how he devised/chose that name for Stevie?

For the sake of completeness we should list the dates/names of his marriages/wives. And the names and birthdates of all of his children (and identify their mothers). No need to put in unnecessary info about his personal life. Just the factual points.

Davidpatrick 04:19, 9 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Why does someone as great as Stevie Wonder collaborate with gangsta rap musicians?

I mean, Stevie is an icon. Why does he play music in the albums of some of these gangsta rap musician with violent gang connections, which is antithetical to Stevie's positive social views? AppleJuggler 10:55, 1 April 2007 (UTC)

Basically,they are all in it to make money including Stevie. You could also argue that his participation on American Idol cheapened his status.The guy has to make the rent Paul210 11:11, 1 April 2007 (UTC)

Oh well, I guess you're right. AppleJuggler 03:50, 2 April 2007 (UTC)