Stevie Wonder artist discussion

[areyoureadytojump]

Billboard.com:

Wonder Saluting Late Mother On Next Album


September 13, 2007

by Gary Graff, Detroit

The death of his mother 16 months ago has inspired Stevie Wonder to get cracking on a new album, "The Gospel Inspired by Lula," that he hopes to have out as soon as January.

"I've been working on it in my mind and in my hotel room," the Motown icon told Billboard.com during a press conference following his homecoming concert last night (Sept. 12) in suburban Detroit. "I have my little set-up; with technology being what it is today, I'm able to work on putting it together ... and then I'll get real musicians to play certain parts, or I'll play them live.

"We'll just do it like that, very similarly to what I did with (2005's Grammy-winning) 'A Time 2 Love,' where I put it all down and I knew exactly what I wanted to do and I played a lot of the stuff live."

Wonder said he'd like to release the album by Jan. 11, which would mark Lula Mae Hardaway's 77th birthday. "I'm inspired, yes, by it," he said of the deadline, which would make the release of a second album in just over two years something of a land speed record for the notoriously perfectionist Wonder in recent years. But he cautioned, "if it's not good enough I might not put it out. You know how we roll."

Wonder said he does "have a lot of material already" for the set, including covers of some of his mother's favorite songs as well as songs that she taught him, along with originals. "It's not the traditional gospel -- at least not all of it is like that," Wonder said. "It's gonna have a wide spectrum, I can tell you that much. I might do a song in Arabic. I might do one in Hebrew. I might do one in Zulu. I might do one that sort of has an East Indian feel to it. It will be songs of celebration, really."

During the press conference, Wonder also said he's considering a fall version of his A Wonder's Summer Night tour -- his first road trek in more than a decade -- which has three shows left plus an appearance at the Dream Concert for the Martin Luther King, Jr., memorial fund in New York.

He's also thinking about taking the show to Australia and has ideas for some even larger stage productions that would incorporate orchestras and dance companies.

[WotUNeed]

Any news on the album?

He did indeed extend his tour into November and December, including, miraculously, a date here. Pretty damn exciting.

[No Passengers On Her Plane!]

can't wait

[reception]

Jan 25, 4:56 AM EST
Stevie Wonder to Take Stage at Jazz Fest

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Stevie Wonder has not performed at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 35 years, and has never headlined the event. Organizers want to change that this year.

Wonder was scheduled to headline the second weekend of the 2008 Jazz Fest along with Billy Joel, Sheryl Crow and Louisiana native and country music star Tim McGraw, festival promoter Quint Davis said Thursday in announcing the lineup. Joel, Crow and McGraw are all festival first-timers.

The last time Wonder took the stage at Jazz Fest was in 1973, when he participated in an impromptu jam session with The Meters, the New Orleans group founded by Art Neville, the eldest of the Neville Brothers.

"Stevie was a Meters fan ... he got on stage and started playing the keyboard, then he got on drums. He's so talented it's beyond comprehension," Davis said.

The outdoor festival spans seven days over two weekends - April 25-27 and May 1-4. Wonder is slated to perform May 2. His hits include "My Cherie Amour," "Superstition," "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" and "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life."

Davis said he could not be more excited that Wonder is one of this year's main acts.

"Over the past 20 years, he hasn't really been touring, so we feel really fortunate," Davis said.

The death of Wonder's mother in 2006 may have prompted Wonder's recent return to the touring circuit, he said. "His mother always told him 'You should get back up there and do what you do,'" Davis said.

Jazz Fest is held at a horse racing track where organizers will set up 11 stages and tents for the more than 1,000 musicians slated to perform, including festival veterans Jimmy Buffett, Santana and Dr. John.

This is the first year since Hurricane Katrina that organizers have restored Thursday to the festival's second weekend, making the event a total of seven days. Jazz Fest was scaled back to six days the past two years because of the storm and subsequent recovery.

Davis said the extra day will mean an addition of more than 50 acts.

The festival also features food, arts and crafts and other cultural exhibits unique to South Louisiana.

[busyboy]

Stevie Wonder Plots Euro Tour/Albums, Gives Love to Obama

By Njai Joszor

Stevie Wonder will return to Europe this fall, his first tour there in more than a decade.

Slated to kick off September 8th in Birmingham, England, the R&B legend will play twelve dates including stops in Sweden, Norway, and The Netherlands according to Billboard.

Wonder made the announcement during a showcase at London’s Hard Rock Café, saying “I am looking forward to performing in these venues in Europe… We are going to have some wonderful nights of intimate excitement."

Produced by Live Nation, the tour will wrap up September 28th at the Paris Bercy. Last year Wonder broke the same type of hiatus in the U.S.

Wonder also announced that the tour will prelude the release of two new albums, ‘Gospel Inspired by Lula’ and ‘Through the Eyes of Wonder’.

The former is set to be released later this year and is a tribute to his late mother, Lula May Hardaway, who passed away 2 years ago. The latter is Wonder’s take on what other people see.

September Tour Dates

8 - Birmingham NIA
9 - Manchester MEN
11 - London O2 Arena
14 - Rotterdam Ahoy
17 - Aalborg Gigantium
19 - Stockholm Globe
20 - Hamar Vikingskipet
22 - Cologne Arena
23 - Mannheim Sap Arena
25 - Munich Olympiahalle
26 - Milan Datchforum
28 - Paris Bercy

In other Stevie Wonder news, the music legend showed his support for the Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama in a recent press conference, likening the US Senator to Martin Luther King Jr. and John F Kennedy.

www.singersroom.com/news/entertainment-story-1764.asp

[busyboy]

His classic Songs in the Key of Life album will be reissued on vinyl next week, as a 3-LP set.

[Deleted]

Stevie is being strongly rumoured to headline Glastonbury.

[Deleted]

STEVIE WONDER FILES FOR DIVORCE

Stevie Wonder has just filed for divorce ... TMZ has learned.

In the divorce docs obtained by TMZ, the music icon cites irreconcilable differences. According to the papers, Wonder has been separated from wife Kai Millard Morris since October 2009.

Wonder filed the divorce papers using his legal name, Stevland Morris, and signed with two fingerprints.

n the docs, filed by disso-queen Laura Wasser, Wonder asks for joint custody of the couple's two boys, ages 10 and 7.

In the docs, Wonder agrees to pay both spousal and child support.

Although Wonder amassed his fortune long before he tied the knot with Kai back in 2001, some assets will be split ... though the papers indicate the amount has yet to be determined.

[Deleted]

Stevie Wonder Clears Up Frank Ocean Sexuality Comments

During a recent interview with The Guardian Stevie Wonder was asked for his thoughts on Frank Ocean and his CHANNEL Orange album, but his response didn't come across quite as clearly as he'd intended. The legendary singer made a few remarks about homosexuality, which he thinks were misconstrued. He has issued a statement to clear it up.

Wonder was asked for his thoughts on Ocean and Channel ORANGE when he shared an opinion on homosexuality. "I think honestly, some people who think they're gay, they're confused," he said. "People can misconstrue closeness for love. People can feel connected, they bond."

In a statement to MTV News, Stevie Wonder addressed his previous comments, writing: "I’m sorry that my words about anyone feeling confused about their love were misunderstood. No one has been a greater advocate for the power of love in this world than I; both in my life and in my music. Clearly, love is love, between a man and a woman, a woman and a man, a woman and a woman and a man and a man. What I’m not confused about is the world needing much more love, no hate, no prejudice, no bigotry and more unity, peace and understanding. Period."

rapfix.mtv.com/2012/09/02/stevie-wonder-clears-up-frank-ocean-sexuality-comments/

[Deleted]

Stevie Wonder Boycotts Florida And States With 'Stand Your Ground' Law

Following the not guilty verdict in the George Zimmerman trial and public outcry from the people of America, legendary musician Stevie Wonder is planning to sing his farewells to Florida. During a performance Sunday (July 14), Wonder announced that he would not perform in Florida and any other states that uphold the "Stand Your Ground" law.

"I decided today that until the "Stand Your Ground" law is abolished in Florida, I will never perform there again," he said. "As a matter of fact, wherever I find that law exists, I will not perform in that state or in that part of the world. The truth is that -- for those of you who've lost in the battle for justice, wherever that fits in any part of the world -- we can't bring them back. What we can do is we can let our voices be heard. And we can vote in our various countries throughout the world for change and equality for everybody. That's what I know we can do."

The "Stand Your Ground" law states that anyone may use force in self defense when there is reason to believe you are threatened and unable to retreat. Almost half of the U.S. have some sort of the law enacted, a lot of them southern states, including Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, and Texas.


www.vibe.com/article/stevie-wonder-boycotts-florida-states-stand-your-ground-law#sthash.SKlxXGQ7.dpuf

[areyoureadytojump]

Since I started this thread in 2007, Stevie has still not released an album?

[HolidayGuy]

At least two albums in 2014. :) Hopefully Ten Billion Hearts is a studio album.

www.uncut.co.uk/stevie-wonder-confirms-first-new-albums-in-eight-years-news

Stevie Wonder confirms first new albums in eight years

Stevie Wonder has confirmed his plans to release two new albums in 2014, and is working on a third, reports AP.

The albums are titled When The World Began, a collaboration with producer David Foster, and Ten Billion Hearts.

He also plans to fulfil a promise he made to his mother Lula, who died in 2006, to record a gospel album in her memory.

When The World Began will include reworked versions of several of Wonder's hits played with a symphony orchestra.

Meanwhile, Wonder is due to play his 1976 album Songs In The Key Of Life in its entirety on December 21 at his annual Los Angeles charity concert.

[Deleted]

Snippet of an unreleased track from the Songs in the Key of Life sessions that just leaked:

[HolidayGuy]

Is there any word of the new music from Mr. Wonder? Haven't heard or seen a peep.

[Deleted]

He’s taking a break from touring to undergo a kidney transplant.

[Deleted]

Thank you to whoever gave him a kidney!! We need to keep our legends alive

[🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲]

[Edith Puthie]

Rolling Stone's 500 Best Albums of All Time (2020)

[Deleted]

Readying the release of his first album/EP in over 15 years.

Stevie Wonder has announced a new label, So What the Fuss Music—marketed and distributed under Republic Records and Universal Music Group. The announcement comes along with two new songs, “Can’t Put it in the Hands of Fate” (featuring Rapsody, Cordae, Chika, and Busta Rhymes) and “Where Is Our Love Song” (featuring Gary Clark Jr.) Proceeds from the latter will benefit Feeding America. Check out both tracks below.

The two new songs mark the first time Wonder has released music separate from Motown Records since 1961. In a press conference, Wonder elaborated on future music plans for So What the Fuss Music, which takes its name from 2005’s “So What the Fuss,” the Prince-featuring lead single to his 23rd album A Time to Love. He discussed an EP and a separate project titled Through the Eyes of Wonder. No release dates have yet been revealed.

pitchfork.com/news/stevie-wonder-launches-new-label-shares-two-new-songs-listen/

[🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲]

[🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CO1UJxKLWpw

https://www.instagram.com/p/CO3E9PQnfI7

[Deleted]

Stevie's featured on Elton John's new album

[🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVouFt1lTLP

[back2blk]

Overjoyed
Lately
My Cherie Amour
A Place in the Sun
Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday

[Deleted]

[🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲]

#7 in Rolling Stone's 200 Best Singers Of All Time.


www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-singers-all-time-1234642307/stevie-wonder-24-1234643204/

Whatever tone Stevie Wonder is aiming for, from starry-eyed romance to gritty realism, his voice can convey it with ease. Few other singers could so convincingly sell both the unabashed tenderness of “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” or “I Just Called to Say I Love You” and the simmering anger that underlies “You Haven’t Done Nothin’” or “Living for the City.” The last song showcases Wonder’s patented growl, one of many vocal tactics he uses to push a song into overdrive (see also: the upper-register melodic acrobatics heard on “Sir Duke” or the gospel-like swoops on the climax of “They Won’t Go When I Go”). Talking about singers who “squall,” or favor an overheated delivery, in a 2014 interview, D’Angelo singled Wonder out. “The thing about Stevie Wonder,” he said, “was that he brought these vocal mechanics into the squall that other motherfuckers just couldn’t do.” —H.S.