Stevie Wonder to Play Festival d'été de Québec
... The 46th edition of Quebec City's Festival d'été de Québec has a pretty diverse roster full of big-name headliners, but organizers have now announced that they will close out the event with one of the most iconic soul and R&B artists ever:
Stevie Wonder. A press release confirms that Wonder will make his way to Quebec City for the first time ever on July 14 to headline the Bell Stage on the Plains of Abraham. To say the least, organizers are thrilled to have the music icon on board for the Festival d'été de Québec. "We're just so proud that he chose Quebec City, especially since his live performances are rare," programming director Louis Bellavance said in a statement. "We wanted a big name to bring out the crowds for the last night of the event and we can say mission accomplished!
Stevie Wonder is hugely popular with audiences of all ages." On top of Wonder's festival closing performance, other celebrated artists appearing at the Plains of Abraham between July 4 and 14 include Rush, the Black Keys, the Wu-Tang Clan, Wiz Khalifa, Classified, MGMT, Father John Misty, Belle & Sebastian, Les Trois Accords, Bruno Mars, Ellie Goulding, Austra, A Tribe Called Red, Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell, Diamond Rings, Bad Religion, Weezer, Passion Pit, Tiesto, and more. You can find out more about the lineup over here . A general admission pass to the fest is currently retailing at $76. You can pick one up here.
Stevie Wonder to Play Festival d'été de Québec ...
[ read more ]Yeah Yeah Yeahs Dedicate 'Maps' To Stevie Wonder At Hangout Fest
... festival setting.Nine Hangout Fest Vines That Put You Right On The SandAlong with playing Hangout Music Fest, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have a host of other festival gigs lined up for the summer, including Firefly Festival in Delaware, Milwaukee's Summerfest and the Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco.MTV, VH1 and CMT are live from Hangout 2013, bringing you all the latest news, interviews, performances and more from the Shores. If you're not able to be there, be sure to check in and watch live streaming performances all weekend. Yeah Yeah Yeahs Dedicate 'Maps' To
Stevie Wonder At Hangout Fest ...
[ read more ]Stevie Wonder, Trey Anastasio Band, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, moe. and More Highlight The Hangout's Final Day
... Taxi and the jam-embraced roots act Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit. In addition, moe. turned in a well-attended 60-minute set on the Letting Go Stage. The band opened with "St. Augustine," before moving into "It" and an interesting sandwich of "Moth" and "She Sends Me." "Dr. Graffenberg" and a version of "Hi & Lo" that segued into an appropriate version of "Water" closed the set. The Hangout's promoters have already confirmed that the festival will return in 2014. Pre-sale tickets are now available.
Stevie Wonder, Trey Anastasio Band, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, moe. and More Highlight The Hangout's Final Day ...
[ read more ]
Stevie Wonder
(May 13, 1950)
Artistfacts®: You can leave comments about the artist/band at the bottom of the page.
He was born Steveland Hardaway Judkins. His mother was Lula May Hardaway, who was 17 at the time of his birth, and his father was Calvin Judkins, a man who was nearly 30 years her senior. When he was four years old, Stevie, his mother, and his two older brothers moved from Saginaw to Detroit. It was then that Wonder's surname was legally changed to Morris, an old family name, as a preemptive strike against any attempt by Calvin Judkins to cut in on their sudden good fortune. Many say that Morris was Lula's married name, but this is clearly erroneous, as her second husband was a man named Paul Lynch.
According to his official biography, Wonder was born six weeks premature in a Saginaw Hospital. He was kept alive in an incubator for a month, and during this time, too much oxygen was pumped into the incubator, causing him to develop retrolental fibroplasia, now technically known as retinopathy of prematurity, which caused his blindness. Wonder says he tries to create "Sonic Pictures" with his songs. (thanks, Annabelle - Eugene, OR)
Eddie Murphy used to imitate him on Saturday Night Live. Wonder once appeared on the show in a skit with Murphy.
Motown Records signed him when he was 11 and released his first album when he was 12. He was billed as "Little" Stevie Wonder, the boy genius. His 1963 album Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius, went to #1.
In 1976, Wonder signed what was the biggest record deal ever, for $13 million over 7 years.
In 1973, he was in a coma for four days after getting in a car accident (someone else was driving). His vehicle hit a logging truck, and one of the logs went through the windshield and struck Stevie as he was listening to a mix of his Innervisions album. He lost his sense of smell for a while, but it gradually returned, along with the higher consciousness that comes with a near-death experience. "I was definitely in a much better spiritual place that made me aware of a lot of things that concern my life and my future," Wonder said.
Stevie took a year off when he was 14 because his voice was changing.
He graduated from the Michigan State School For The Blind.
He plays most of the instruments on his albums. He is skilled on the keyboard, bass, drums and harmonica.
In 1969, Motown gave him complete control of his recordings. He was one of the first artists to write, produce, arrange, and perform his own songs.
In 1968, Stevie Wonder wrote the music to Smokey Robinson's #1 hit, "Tears Of A Clown." Then in 1970, with the help of Lee Garrett, another blind songwriter, Stevie produced and wrote the 1970 hit, "It's A Shame", for a local band in Michigan, The Spinners. Lee Garrett soon became friends with Stevie, and before long, they were songwriting partners. (thanks, Annabelle - Eugene, OR)
Minnie Riperton and Deniece Williams use to sing backup for Stevie Wonder. After they would both pursue solo careers. Minnie Riperton is most remembered for the song "Lovin' You" and Williams is famous for singing "Let's Hear It For The Boy" on the Footloose Soundtrack. Both were also famous for their use of the whistle register. (thanks, Jordan - Brooklyn, NY)
Motown head Berry Gordy said Wonder was, "The most innovative person that I've ever known. But also unique with his tones and his voice quality."
In his early years, Stevie wanted other people in the studio with him when he recorded his vocals so he could feel their presence, which made him more comfortable. There were times when workers and people hanging around the studio were summoned to join Stevie while he tracked his vocals.
Wonder doesn't see his blindness as a liability. "Being blind, you don’t judge books by their covers," he said. "You go through things that are relatively insignificant, and you pick out the things that are more important."
Comments:
Chris Knight
This Kentucky singer/songwriter's hits include "She Couldn't Change Me" (recorded by Montgomery Gentry) and "It Ain't Easy Being Me."
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Unplugged.
Toatally agree with you , his 70's work was what you call class.
I have heard some tracks from his new album, he performed some live in japan and stockham last year and they sound very promising.
Dave
Loved ,'Songs in the key of life' also 'Fullfilingnes first Finale' and 'Innervisons'. Stevie writes very complex melodies but makes them sound simple and has a very good vocal range and his songs cover various of styles.
To me his highlights are his ballads, songs like 'You and I' and 'All is Fair in Love'and the classic,'Knocks me off my Feet' as well as the very beautiful 'Summer Soft'.
One of my favorites is 'Send one your Love' that song is so well arranged and produced and is a joy to listen too.
Really looking forward to his new album, 'A Time 2 Love' which is due out on May 3rd 2005. the 'Evening Standard'a London newspaper did a good review on the album stating it being a wonderful return.
Dave