Born on this day in 1950: American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist Stevie Wonder. Born Stevland Hardaway Morris in Saginaw, Michigan, he was a child prodigy who developed into one of the most creative musical figures of the late 20th century.
He was born six weeks premature which, along with the oxygen-rich atmosphere in the hospital incubator, resulted in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a condition in which the growth of the eyes is aborted and causes the retinas to detach, so he became blind.
Wonder signed with Motown’s Tamla label at the age of eleven and continues to perform and record for Motown to this day. Wonder has scored over 40 US & UK Top 40 singles. Albums include Talking Book, Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life.