Stevie Wonder

Stevland Hardaway Morris (born May 13, 1950), known as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer, musician songwriter and record producer. He has contributed to jazz fusion, funk, and synthesizer music during his "Classic Period" which was between 1972 and 1980.

Contributions to progressive pock
Many of Stevie Wonder's songs during his classic period consisted of the use of synthesizers such as Clavinet, Moog, and T.O.N.T.O synthesizers. With Music of my Mind, Wonder plays all the instruments except electric guitar on "Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)" which is an 8-minute song and "Love Having You Around" which features a trombonist.

Wonder's Grammy-winning albums Innervisions, Fulfillingness' First Finale, and Songs in the Key of Life'' feature prog synth elements such as "Living for the City" which features a section where the man in the song leaves Mississippi for New York City and gets framed for a crime he didn't commit. Songs like "All in Love is Fair" and "They Won't Go When I Go" feature classical piano pieces with synthesizers and soul music. "Pastime Paradise" also uses classical composition and features synthesizer strings.

After the soundtrack to The Secret Life of Plants, which was entirely based on the music by Stevie Wonder, he returned to more pop music — though tracks like "Overjoy" still included some examples of sound experimentation, some effects such as nature sounds of water and birds played throughout the song.

Discography

 * The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie (1962)
 * Tribute to Uncle Ray (1962)
 * With a Song in My Heart (1963)
 * Stevie at the Beach]] (1964)
 * Up-Tight (1966)
 * Down to Earth (1966)
 * I Was Made to Love Her (1967)
 * Someday at Christmas (1967)
 * Eivets Rednow (1968)
 * For Once in My Life (1968)
 * My Cherie Amour (1969)
 * Signed, Sealed & Delivered (1970)
 * Where I'm Coming From (1971)
 * Music of My Mind (1972)
 * Talking Book (1972)
 * Innervisions (1973)
 * Fulfillingness' First Finale (1974)
 * Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
 * Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants" (1979)
 * Hotter than July (1980)
 * In Square Circle (1985)
 * Characters (1987)
 * Jungle Fever (1991)
 * Conversation Peace (1995)
 * A Time to Love (2005)