American Singer, Songwriter, Producer, and Multi-Instrumentalist • Born 1950 • R&B/Soul
Fast Facts
- He was considered a child prodigy because he was a skilled musician (piano, organ, harmonica, drums) by 8 years old.
- He made his first recording debut at the age of 12.
- He was blind, but not born blind; he became blind due to retinopathy of prematurity, which got worse after he received too much oxygen in an incubator.
- He was born in Michigan, USA.
- His first stage name was “Little Stevie Wonder.”
- He has received 25 Grammys and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.
- He was a huge advocate for social issues and used his single, Happy Birthday, to help create a national holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday.
- He also supports social issues such as AIDS research and research for the blind community.
- Because of his commitment to social issues, he was named the United Nations Messenger of Peace in 2009.
Musician of the Month Project 