Introduction

Stevie Wonder has been blind his entire life. He lives in a world of visual darkness. His music, however, has colored the world with brightness, joy, and hope. From his humble beginnings in Saginaw, Michigan, Stevie quickly rose to musical stardom. At thirteen years old, he was the youngest star at Motown Records. By the age of twenty-one, Stevie Wonder was known throughout the world as a musical genius. His genius goes beyond music, however. Stevie is also an outspoken civil rights activist, a political voice, and a person who brings different races in America together. Stevie's musical harmony also helped to bring some harmony to the American cultural map. Today, Stevie Wonder continues to write, produce records, and play to audiences around the world. His life has been an inspiration to musicians around the globe.

The story of Stevie Wonder is not all happiness, fame, and fortune, however. He has suffered from his blindness in ways no sighted person can imagine. He also dealt with racial prejudice, business conflicts, and broken relationships. Stevie's sense of humor and his music have kept him strong through it all. Sound has been his friend and ally since before he realized he was very different from most everyone else. In Stevie's words, though, his blindness has been a “blessing and a virtue.” And for the audience that has cherished his voice, lyrics, and music for nearly forty years, Stevie Wonder has an ability to see the world like few others of his generation.