Topic > The Life and Career of Stevie Wonder

Index Early Life Early Career Inspiration Building on Success Philanthropic Actions Conclusion Works Cited: Early Life Stevie Wonder was born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950. He was born six weeks early with an eye disorder, retinopathy of prematurity. It was not the best start to a life full of pleasant achievements for the musician. In addition to being blind, he also had an abusive father. It wasn't the way you would have thought one of jazz's greatest musicians would start his life. I would say that being blind and having an abusive father simply gave him more ambition to achieve more. He started and mastered the basics of many instruments at the age of 10. It was a promising start for any musician, but imagine being blind and not feeling safe in your home. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Early Career After learning the instruments, he found The Miracles (a band) and with that followed an audition to join that group. However, things are going better, with the owner of the group he obtained a recording contract. At the age of eleven he didn't have the choice to create the music he wanted. The owner would give him a genre to work on and some ideas and he would have to work on it. In 1962 he changed his name from Stevland Hardaway Judkins to Little Stevie Wonder. A name that people could remember and how they would remember it. As music began to be produced and enter the charts, he raised the bar for jazz musicians even for himself to create better and more intense music. Inspiration His music was inspired by his loved ones, who could be his ex-wives or his wife, and by his daughters. One of the best songs she wrote was "Ain't She Lovely" and was inspired by her daughter, Aisha Morris (her eldest). Furthermore, because he was blind and because he had all the odds stacked against him, he worked harder and harder. First of all, people thought he couldn't make it because he was blind and because if you're as blind as you can read music, it doesn't matter if you make it. Plus, he wanted to be part of the music community and he was talented too, so why not? Building on Success As I said before, Stevie had a great start in life (musically), and has continued to create his own albums even as he's gotten older. He has had many albums that have reached the top of the charts; the height of his career was in the 1970s, when jazz was the style of music everyone listened to. When the albums were released to the world, almost all of them reached the top of the charts. The greatest thing about Stevie (at least in my opinion) is that he doesn't stop when he gets a title or two, he keeps going. Philanthropic Actions Stevie Wonder made music, in a world and at a time where people listened to it. music to lift their spirits, fighting for what they think should be changed. It's a great thing, doing something you love and making people happy by listening to that thing you put your heart into. However, one should not forget that he also wanted to change the way the blind and disabled were looked at. He wanted to raise the standard for people like him. 2013 was the year everything changed, and for the better. He went to Marrakech to perform because of an international treaty that was signed. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Conclusion Stevie Wonder is still alive today, plus he still releases music. In my opinion he is a great role model to look up to because he never gave up. When the odds were against him when he was little,