Little Stevie Wonder

Little Stevie Wonder

I know ! I know ! He changed his name from Little Stevie Wonder to Stevie Wonder. But this is a history blog so I am sticking with the way we knew him from the first. Besides, I like the memories that come from his Little Stevie Wonder days.

Stevie Wonder

What a talent. He was just a kid but he had more natural talent than most of the grown up folks around him. I think we were 17 the first time we heard Stevie on the radio. That would be about right because he is five years our junior. When "Finger Tips" came over that old 53 Chevy's radio, it darned near blew me out of the drive in theatre.

Little Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder

If you are younger and did not have the opportunity to experience the  commercial phenomenon called "the drive inn" or better known as the "submarine races", you missed something special. The drive in movie theatres were a must on the summertime teenage social calendar. On Friday or Saturday night it was the place to be with your best gal. Musically, the "passion pits" were also magic. 

Little Stevie Wonder

In 1963, very few cars, even in the deep south, had air conditioning. Therefore you might have fifty cars filled with teenagers all close to each other and with the windows down. Since we teenagers typically ran with a herd mentality we listened to the same popular radio stations. Theatre rules said no radios because everyone was supposed to be there to watch the movie. Naturally, we had them on low while dealing with the real business at hand. 

Stevie Wonder

Back to Stevie Wonder and that special first time I heard him. On a sweltering summer night some disc jockey in some far away town played twelve year old Little Stevie Wonder. He was playing bongoes and  harmonica while singing "Finger Tips". Some back seater yelled out "turn it up".  With that teen battle cry, almost every car in the White River Drive Inn cranked up their radios. With the radios blasting, kids were jumping out of backseats and dancing on the gravel parking lot. Everybody sang along, as we would for many years to come.

Stevie Wonder

"Finger Tips" had some special magic creating the need to sing along. Marvin Gaye was beating the hell out of the drums. His bandmates, who would become known as the Funk Brothers, were absolutely tearing it up. It was a great tune. The bass, drums and harp alone could have carried it but it had so much, so much, more.

Stevie Wonder

With this scene in mind, we were all introduced to Little Stevie Wonder. The song went to number one. As would many, many more. 

Stevie Wonder

The Beatles didn't phase Wonder. He had hit after hit after hit. He was every bit as hot as anyone from Britain. He would stay on top as long as he wanted. He was and is a fantastic writer, arranger, producer, singer, multiple instrument wizard and band leader. The only reason Stevie's hits stopped coming after many, many years was because he stopped making them. I honestly believe if he wanted to go back to his usual hard working self he could be producing number ones again any time he wanted.

Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder's talent has no limits. I am not going to try to list all his awards or accomplishments. I am going to link you to the appropriate sites and let you read the huge list yourself. However, I think he may have been the most successful of the rock era musicians. If not, I don't who it could be. He won every kind of lifetime achievement award available. He won twenty or so Grammy's, had a gillion Top 10 hits, you name it, he's done it. 

Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder

From the first time, in that drive in movie, I don't think anyone ever expected anything less that a stalwart career. And that is what he gave us. Well done Little Stevie Wonder !

Stevie Wonder

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