Martha & the Vandellas on 1964 record sleeve, from left: Martha Reeves, Annette Beard,and Rosalind Ashford.
One of the 1960s’ more renowned “girl groups” coming out of Berry Gordy’s Motown music center in Detroit, Michigan, was named “Martha and the Vandellas.” Between 1963 and 1967, this group – consisting initially of Martha Reeves, Annette Beard, and Rosalind Ashford – laid down a string of hits that helped define the popular music of that day. Their sound was distinctive, and it would become one of the hallmark musical identities to be associated with Motown for years thereafter. But in the 1960s, this music also distinguished Motown as a rising power in the pop music business. For at that time, Motown was just beginning to be noticed on the national music scene.
“Heat Wave”
One of the first big hits to come from Martha and the Vandellas was “Heat Wave”– a key song released in July 1963; a song that helped send this group, Motown, and its songwriters into the realm of big business. At the time, leading-edge baby boomers, with their significant buying power, were moving through their high school years. “Heat Wave” hit the streets precisely as millions of these kids were coming of age. A buoyant, hard-driving rock ‘n roll tune, “Heat Wave” captured the spirit and optimism of its time – along with the energy of its young listeners – as well as well as any song of that era. Even to this day, “Heat Wave” is an irresistible dance tune. In 1963, it quickly scaled the pop charts.
Music Player “Heat Wave” – 1963
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The song’s full title is actually “(Love is Like a) Heat Wave,” with lyrics about teen love describing a young girl’s heart burning with desire — “like a heat wave.” As Martha and her ladies ask in the singing: “Has high blood pressure got a hold on me, or is this the way love’s supposed to be?” Their answer: “Can’t explain it, don’t understand it, ain’t never felt like this before.” But in 1963, the power of this song was not in its lyrics. Rather, this tune aroused its listeners with buoyant hand-clapping, an unyielding drum beat, and pure musical drive. Its “message” was its energy and its vibrancy. “Heat Wave” offered its coming-of-age charges pure possibility. To them, the song’s optimistic musical assessment suggested wide-open horizons with few limitations – especially in those more innocent, pre-JFK-assassination days of September 1963. It was not unlike a song of another era – “In the Mood” by Glenn Miller in 1939-40 – a tune that despite hard times also captured a certain kind of energy and optimism then in the air.
A 45 rpm of Martha & The Vandellas’ ‘Heat Wave’ on the Gordy label from Motown, 1963.
“Heat Wave” became a million seller, and by late September 1963 it had risen to No. 4 on the pop charts and No. 1 on the R&B charts, remaining in those spots for about five weeks. “Heat Wave” was produced by a famous three-person team at Motown – a team consisting of the two brothers, Brian and Edward Holland, along with Lamont Dozier. This talented trio — “Holland-Dozier-Hol- land,” as they came to be known, or H-D-H — wrote and arranged a number of the songs that came out of Motown, producing a distinctive sound that helped define American popular music in the 1960s. During their tenure at Motown, from 1962-1967, Dozier and Brian Holland were the compo- sers and producers, while Eddie Holland wrote the lyrics and arranged the vocals. Thus, “Holland-Dozier-Holland” was the credit line that often appeared on many of the Gordy and other record labels coming out of Motown in that period.
Cover of a 2009 U.K. remastered CD with 'Come & Get These Memories' & 'Heat Wave,' plus four bonus tracks. Universal/Island.
“Heat Wave” was the second hit collaboration between the Vandellas and the H-D-H team. “Come and Get These Memories” had been Martha & the Vandellas’ first hit, released earlier in February 1963. “Memories” rose to No. 29 on the Billboard singles chart, and No. 6 Billboard R&B chart. But it was “Heat Wave’s” success that helped propel the “Vandellas-HDH-Motown” sound to new heights. The song also garnered the group’s only Grammy Award nomination – Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group for 1964. “Heat Wave” was followed shortly by another song in the same vein, as HDH turned out “Quicksand,” released in October 1963. “Quick- sand,” like “Heat Wave,” was another very “danceable” tune. In its lyrics, the lover this time was bringing his lady “closer and closer” – into a love that was like “quicksand,” causing her to fall “deeper and deeper in love” with him. This tune rose quickly on the charts, reaching No. 8. It was the third hit for the Vandellas and the HDH team.
Getting Their Start Young Artists Rising
1960s photo of Martha & The Vandellas – from left: Annette Beard, Martha Reeves, and Rosalind Ashford at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.
Martha Reeves, Annette Beard, and Rosalind Ashford formed a singing group in high school called the Del-Phis. They recorded one single with the Check-Mate records, a subsidiary of Chess Records. Martha Reeves had also sung on her own under another name. However, in 1961, Reeves took a secretarial job at Motown working for recording producer Mickey Stevenson. On one occasion in July 1962, Motown’s head, Berry Gordy, was in need of some back-up singers for a recording session, and Reeves and her friends were called in to sing behind Marvin Gaye on two songs – “Hitch Hike” and “Stubborn Kind of Fellow.” Now under contract with Gordy and Motown, the three young singers soon recorded their first song, “I’ll Have To Let Him Go.” By then they adopted their new group name, Martha and the Vandellas – “Vandellas” being a word combi- nation made from Detroit’s Van Dyke Street and Martha Reeves’ favorite singer, Della Reese. By February 1962 they released “Come and Get These Memories,” their first song to chart, and with that, they were one their way.
European record sleeve for 1964's ‘Dancing in the Street’ single.
“Dancing in the Street”
In July 1964, came perhaps the crowning gem of Martha & The Vandellas’ career – “Dancing in the Street” – another signature Motown tune and one of the Vandellas’ most famous songs from that era. This song was produced by William “Mickey” Stevenson and written by Stevenson and soon-to-become Motown star in his own right, Marvin Gaye. Originally written with another singer in mind, Kim Weston, Martha and the Vandellas did the song after Weston passed on it. After Martha Reeves first heard the demo, she asked if she could arrange her own vocals to fit the song’s message. Gaye and Stevenson agreed. They also included a new Motown songwriter, Ivy Jo Hunter, who helped with instrumentation and musical composition. The song was then recorded in two takes.
Martha & the Vandellas performing, 1960s.
“Dancing in the Street” peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard chart in September 1964 and would remain in the Top 40 for 11 weeks. It was released as the first single from the group’s third album, Dance Party. “Dancing’s” lyrics offer a good time “in the streets” in practically whatever city the listener could imagine. The song’s lyrics, in part, go as follows:
Calling out around the world,
“Are you ready for a brand new beat?”
Summer’s here and the time is right
For dancing in the street
They’re dancing in Chicago
Down in New Orleans
In New York City…
All we need is music, sweet music
There’ll be music everywhere…
Music Player “Dancing in the Street”-1964
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“Dancing in the Street” was released in late July 1964 and played through that summer at the height of the civil rights movement in the U.S. Some interpreted the song as a call to “demonstrate in the streets,” others as an anthem for social change. However, Martha Reeves would remark at one point that it was nothing more than “a party song.” And according to co-writer William “Mickey” Stevenson, the song was inspired by the sight of a group of multi-racial kids playing in the spray from a fire hydrant on hot summer evening in Detroit in the summer of 1964: “All the hatred and prejudice in the world, and these kids had no concept of it,” Stevenson would say. And notably, Berry Gordy had fashioned his Motown music business for commercial success with the idea of his stars “crossing over” to appeal to larger white audiences all across the country. So “Dancing in the Street” was not designed as music to incite street riots.
Martha & the Vandellas ‘Dance Party” album of 1965 included ‘Dancing in the Street’ and other of their popular songs, and is regarded by some as one of their best compilations.
Still, after black activists such as H. Rap Brown began playing the song while organizing demonstrations, some radio stations began taking the song off play lists. That the music had a certain energy and conveyance for many people, there is no question. Motown recording artist Marvin Gaye would later observe that of all the Motown acts he’d recalled from the 1960s, he thought “Martha & The Vandellas came closest to nearly saying something [political].” Gaye continued: “It wasn’t a nearly conscious thing, but when they sang ‘Quicksand’ or ‘Wild One’ or ‘Nowhere To Run’ or ‘Dancing In the Street’, they captured a spirit that felt political to me. I like that.” Still, for many, it was just good music.
It does appear, however, that by 1967 something of a turning point had occurred, as Martha and the Vandellas and other Motown artists toured the country during a time of racial strife and urban unrest. “Dancing in the Street” and other Motown songs became more politically freighted than they had been, whether intended or not. In fact, politics and pop from that time on became more intertwined at Motown and elsewhere. At least some of the music at Motown and other labels – as well as the artists themselves at those labels – began addressing national concerns more directly than had previously occurred. In more recent years, books such as Dancing in the Streets: Motown and the Cultural Politics of Detroit (2000, Harvard University Press) by Suzanne Smith, have probed the historical and cultural impact of Motown’s music and business on both Detroit and the broader civil rights movement.
“Dancing in the Street,” in any case, was a huge hit, remaining a classic of the period. Tom Moon, writing in his book, 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die, labels it the “Quintessential Summer Single.” In November 2005, the song was ranked No. 40 by Rolling Stone’s list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” And in April 2006, Library of Congress announced that Martha and the Vandellas’ version of “Dancing in the Street” would be preserved by the National Recording Registry.
Record sleeve for Martha and the Vandellas’ single ‘Nowhere to Run’ issued in Holland.
“Nowhere to Run”
“Nowhere to Run,” another of the Vandellas’ HDH-Gordy-Motown hits, was released in February 1965. This song tells the story of a woman trapped in a bad relationship with a man she cannot help but love. Musically, the sound is quite similar to “Dancing In The Street.” The song also appeared on the album Dance Party. “Nowhere to Run” hit No. 8 the Billboard singles chart, and No. 5 the Billboard R&B chart. It also charted in the U.K., peaking at No. 26. Over the years, “Nowhere to Run” has been played at football contests and other sporting events, sometimes to taunt oppossing teams, or otherwise to energize crowds.
Other songs for Martha and the Vandellas followed “Nowhere to Run,” as seen on the list of hits below. Two of these were Top Ten finishers – “I’m Ready for Love” in 1966 and “Jimmy Mack” in 1967. But after 1967, it proved tougher going for the group.
Martha & The
Vandellas 1960s Hot Hits
Come and Get These Memories 1963- No. 29; 6 R&B Heat Wave 1963- No.4; 1 R&B Quicksand 1964 – No. 8 Dancing In The Street 1964 – No. 2 Wild One 1965 – No. 34 Nowhere To Run 1965 – No.8 I’m Ready For Love 1966 – No. 9 Jimmy Mack 1967 – No. 10; 1 R&B
By 1971, when the Motown organization moved west to Los Angles, Martha and the Vandellas parted company with the record label, going out on their own for a time. Things were never quite the same thereafter. Reeves, in fact, was stunned to learn of Motown’s move to Los Angeles and she fought a legal battle with the label to be released from her contract. In the 1970s, Reeves had a bout with prescription drug problems, but emerged in the late 1970s drug free.
As female artists at Motown, Martha & the Vandellas were second only to Diana Ross and the Supremes, with whom they competed for resources and attention. One story has it that Berry Gordy favored the Supremes, and allocated resources accordingly. Once the Supremes had demonstrated their crossover appeal with a couple of No. 1 pop hits, Gordy decided they would be the more lucrative group, and he reportedly sent the best material to the Supremes and helped them in other ways. Martha Reeves would later write that Gordy held back the song “Jimmy Mack” for two years because it sounded too much like a Supremes song. Reeves and two other Vandellas – Beard and Ashford – would sue Motown for back royalties in the 1980s. Beard and Ashford in fact, claimed at one point they had received no royalties from Motown dating to the 1960s. There was a settlement in some of the litigation, and at least one lump sum payment to Beard and Ashford. But as of 2004 or so, disputes were still ongoing in some of the cases. Reeves appeared to have had separate litigation dating to 1983, and won a lawsuit for some back royalties, an award which also specified royalties for current and future reissues of past work.
Top Motown Group
Through The Years
During their years of performing, Martha and the Vandellas’ personnel changed a few times. Betty Kelly replaced the departing Annette Beard in 1964, and after Kelly left in1967, Lois Reeves came on. Sandra Tilley was added to the group in 1969 after Rosalind Ashford left. Martha Reeves remained throughout the group’s 1963-1972 run. The group broke up in 1973 after a final farewell performance in December 1972 at Detroit’s Cobo Hall. Reeves tried a solo career briefly in the mid-1970s, but the magic of the 1960s did not return. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s there were occasional reunions and perfor- mances, variously constituted, and also a recording here and there. In 1994, Reeves published an autobiography, Dancing in the Street: Confessions of a Pop Diva, with Hyperion and writer Mark Bego. By 2005, Reeves ran for and won a seat on Detroit’s city council, which she held until an election loss in August 2009. Thereafter she returned to performing with her sisters as “Martha Reeves and the Vandellas.” This group had a sold out tour in the UK in 2009.
In their heyday, Martha and the Vandellas proved to be one of Motown’s top acts, and their popularity led to spots on popular TV shows of that era, including The Ed Sullivan Show, The Mike Douglas Show, American Bandstand, and Shindig! During their nine-year run on the charts, from 1963 to 1972, Martha and the Vandellas had over 26 hits. Twelve of these charted within the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100; six within the Top Ten including: “Dancing in the Street,” “Heat Wave,” “Nowhere to Run” and “Jimmy Mack.” Two of their songs – “Heat Wave” and “Jimmy Mack” – were also No. 1 R& B hits, while eight others finished in the R&B Top Ten.
In 1995 the trio was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “Heat Wave” and “Dancing in the Street” were included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine also recognized the group, ranking Martha and the Vandellas at No. 96 on their list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. The group has also received various other awards and recognition in recent years. Martha Reeves and the Vandellas have also been inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
Article Citation: Jack Doyle, “Motown’s Heat Wave, 1963-1967,” PopHistoryDig.com, November 7, 2009.
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Sources, Links & Additional Information
Martha Reeves’ biography with Mark Bego – ‘Dancing in the Street: Confessions of a Motown Diva’ – was issued in August 1994 by Hyperion Books.
Martha & the Vandellas – Dutch record sleeve for single, “Heat Wave.”
Martha & the Vandellas – Dutch record sleeve for single, “Quicksand.”
“Martha and the Vandellas / Martha Reeves,” in Holly George-Warren and Patricia Romanowski (eds), The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, Rolling Stone Press, New York, 3rd Edition, 2001, pp. 613-614.
Richard H. Lingeman, “The Big, Happy, Beating Heart Of the Detroit Sound,” The New York Times Magazine, Sunday, November 27, 1966, p. 25.
Andrew Briggs, “Martha, Vandellas in Town”[at Whisky-a-GoGo, W. Hollywood], Los Angeles Times, May 6, 1967, p. B-7.
Loraine Alterman, “Meet the Graduates of the Motown Sound; Recordings,” New York Times, Sunday, July 28, 1974.
“New Image Shown By Martha Reeves At the Bottom Line,” New York Times, Sunday, September 15, 1974.
“Miss Reeves, Solo, at Reno Sweeney’s,” New York Times, Thursday, December 18, 1975, p. 63.
Richard Skelly, “Martha Reeves and the Vandellas: The Motown Years,”Goldmine, March 3, 1995, pp. 34-50.
Emily Gaul, “The Recordings of Martha Reeves and the Vandellas,” Goldmine, March 3, 1995, pp. 64-68.
Gerri Hirshey Nowhere to Run: The Story of Soul Music, New York: Times Books, 1984.
Martha Reeves and Mark Bego, Dancing in the Streets: Confessions of a Pop Diva, New York: Hyperion Books, 1994.
The clear, calling harmonica was the sound that first got your attention; it was coming from a new piece of music being played on the radio in late summer 1963. That was the summer of Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech; the summer preceding John F. Kennedy’s assassination. The harmonica in the air those days was from a song that had an unusual name: “Fingertips,” or more precisely, “Fingertips, Part 2.” It was like nothing else at the time; part of a distinctive mix of music and vocals, a song recorded live with an unusual arrangement. And it was performed by a 12 year-old blind boy. “Little Stevie Wonder” they called him; a Detroit kid who had a sixth sense about him; a kid who could, it was said, discern a coin’s identity by the sound it made when dropped on a kitchen table.
Stevie Wonder was born Steveland Judkins in May 1950 in Saginaw, Michigan, later known as Steveland Morris after his mother’s married name. Placed in an incubator immediately after birth, baby Steveland was given too much oxygen, leading to permanent blindness in childhood.
Early 1962 album with Motown.
Growing up as a blind child, young Stevie developed an affinity for musical instruments, playing the harmonica at five, taking piano lessons at six, and playing drums at eight. After his family moved to Detroit, he began singing and playing instruments in church, including the piano, harmonica, and bongo drums. With a transistor radio to his ear, he also listened to Ray Charles and Sam Cook. In 1961, at the age of 11, the young boy and his mother were introduced to Brian Holland and Berry Gordy of Motown records through Ronnie White of the singing group The Miracles. After an audition, Motown signed the boy to a contract, giving him the stage name Little Stevie Wonder.
Stevie & harmonica.
His first recordings in 1962 attempted to link him to jazz and Ray Charles. They included two albums, one, A Tribute to Uncle Ray, featuring Stevie’s versions of tunes by his hero, Ray Charles. A second album, The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie, spotlighted his various instrumental skills. Neither of the albums amounted to much. But then came “Fingertips.” Originally written by Clarence Paul and Henry Cosby, the song was recorded for the studio album The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie Wonder. “Fingertips” was basically a long instrumental piece, showcasing Wonder’s talents on the harmonica. However, a live version of the song — recorded during a “Motown revue” at the Regal Theater in Chicago — was the version that would become the hit. Motown initially grouped it with others songs as part of another Little Stevie album — Recorded Live! The 12 Year Old Genius.
First #1 album with Motown-Tamala, 1963.
DJ’s Liked Pt. 2
Radio DJs for some reason began playing the 7-minute version of “Fingertips” on the album, which was quite unusual since songs of more than 3 minutes were rarely played on the radio. The DJs especially liked the second part of “Fingertips,” labeled “Fingertips Pt. 2,” which seemed to capture the frantic energy of a live concert. Seeing how the DJs were reacting to the song, Berry Gordy decided to issue it as a 45 rpm single, with “Fingertips Pt 1″ on one side, and “Fingertips Pt 2″ on the other side. By early August 1963, “Fingertips” became Motown’s second #1 hit. The Marvelettes’ “Please Mr. Postman” had been Motown’s first #1 record, topping the charts in late 1961. “Fingertips Pt 2″, in fact, became the first live, non-studio recording to reach #1 on the Billboard pop singles chart. The live song, with full instrumentation behind it, also had some “call-and-response” sections, complete with audience participation, as in the excerpt below:
45 rpm with two sides of 'Fingertips' - Pt.1 & Pt.2.
Stevie: Evvybody say yeah,… Audience: Yeah… Stevie: Everbody say yeah, yeah, yeah … Audience: Yeah, Yeah, Yeah… Stevie: Clap yo’ hands just a little bit louder… Audience: [Clapping rhythmically]….
But the harmonica solos in the live version were full of energy and the novel arrangement caught the attention and enthusiasm of DJs and listeners. “Fingertips” held the #1 spot on the pop charts for three weeks. The song also reached #1 on the R&B singles chart and the album made history as well. Little Stevie Wonder became the first artist to have a #1 album and #1 single simultaneously. He also holds the record for the youngest artist (age 13) to have an album go to #1 on the charts, eventually selling over a million copies.
Cover of 'Early Classics' CD, year 2000.
Path to Stardom
“Fingertips Pt. 2.” put Stevie Wonder on a musical career path that would take him to stardom and a prolific 40-plus years of making and writing music. But not right away. After the novelty of “Fingertips” wore off, a follow-up hit did not come for Stevie. Although he managed to chart a few more singles over the next year, none had the success of “Fingertips.” His voice also changed, and his recording career was temporarily put on hold. He then studied classical piano at the Michigan School for the Blind. On his return in 1964, he dropped “Little” from his stage name and in 1965 had a successful Motown dance tune, “Uptight, Everything’s Alright,” which he co-wrote. That song hit #1 on R&B chart and # 5 on the pop chart. Stevie Wonder was on his way. Through the1960s and 1970s other hits came, among them: “Nothing’s Too Good for My Baby,” Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind”, and Ron Miller’s “A Place in the Sun”– all in 1966. He also wrote music for others, including The Miracles’ #1 hit of 1967, “Tears of a Clown,” co-authored with his producer, Hank Crosby. But there were other Stevie Wonder hits too, including: “I Was Made to Love Her”(1967), “For Once in My Life”(1968), “My Cherie Amour”(1969), and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours”(1970), a song from the first album he produced.
Up to this point, Wonder was still a minor under the law and Motown managed his career, controlling his publishing and recording sessions and keeping his money in a trust fund. By 1971, however, that changed when Stevie turned 21, taking control of $1 million then in his trust fund (some say he had earned $30 million for Motown by that time). He also began negotiating a new contract with Motown. The 21-page contract he negotiated set precedent there, and gave Wonder complete creative control over his music as well as a higher royalty rate, with Motown still distributing his product.
Ten Grammys in 2 Years
In 1972, he gained a broader national audience by opening for the Rolling Stones on their major U.S. tour that year, where he unveiled the soon-to-be #1 hit “Superstition.” Albums in 1972 and 1973 followed. Then he won five Grammy awards in 1974, and five more the following year. He was now an established rock star and had become a multi-millionaire. His 1976 contract with Motown for $13 million over seven years was then the largest in recording history.His 1976 contract with Motown for $13 million over seven years was the largest in recording history at that time. By then, he had 20 hit singles to his credit and eleven best-selling albums. Yet three more decades of music-making still lay ahead, with more hits and more renown, including some unique collaborations, such as 1982′s “Ebony And Ivory” with Paul McCartney, which remained #1 for seven weeks. In 1986, The New York Times – noting his wide ranging skills in several genres, from funk to ballads, bossa nova to quasi-showtunes – called him “a one-man Tin Pan Alley.” In the 1980s and 1990s he also found time to become engaged in children’s and civil-rights causes, and led the campaign to make Martin Luther King’s birthday a national holiday. His music has also paid tribute to figures like King and jazz great Duke Ellington.
Stevie Wonder Hits Selected Top 20 Singles
1963 “Fingertips – Pt. 2″
1965 “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)”
1966 “Nothing’s Too Good for My Baby”
1966 “Blowin’ in the Wind”
1966 “A Place in the Sun”
1967 “I Was Made to Love Her”
1968 “For Once in My Life”
1969 “My Cherie Amour”
1969 “Yester-Me, Yester-You…”
1970 “Signed, Sealed, Delivered…”
1970 “Heaven Help Us All”
1971 “We Can Work It Out”
1971 “If You Really Love Me”
1972 “Superstition”
1973 “You Are the Sunshine…”
1973 “Higher Ground”
1973 “Living for the City”
1974 “Don’t You Worry ’bout a Thing”
1974 “You Haven’t Done Nothin’”
1974 “Boogie On Reggae Woman”
1976 “I Wish”
1977 “Sir Duke”
1980 “Master Blaster (Jammin’)”
1980 “I Ain’t Gonna Stand for It”
1982 “That Girl”
1982 “Ebony and Ivory”*
1982 “Do I Do”
1984 “I Just Called to Say I Love You”
1984 “Love Light in Flight”
1985 “Part-Time Lover”
1985 “That’s What Friends Are For”*
1985 “Go Home”
1987 “Skeletons” _________________________________
*collaborations
Collaborator & Innovator
Known as a musician who has influenced the work of many other artists, Stevie Wonder has also collaborated with a number of his musical colleagues, including Prince, Michael Jackson, Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Julio Iglesias, the Eurythmics, Babyface, Angie Wood and others. He provides the harmonica on Elton John’s “I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues.” He has also written over 100 songs for fellow artists. Wonder’s writing and performing over the years has been distinguished for its novel and complicated musical style and its jazz influences. American Idol contestants who attempt to cover his songs, for example, find them difficult to perform, as they use unusual chords, make abrupt, unpredictable changes, and often require that a syllable be sung over several notes. His selection of musical key – sometimes using the black notes on the piano or keyboard, for example – is more often found in jazz than in pop, but he has used it to great success. He has also been a musical innovator, playing an important role in bringing synthesizers and electronic keyboards to pop music.
CD cover, 2002 edition, Stevie Wonder 'The Definitive Collection,' by Motown.
Songwriter, Producer
Today, Stevie Wonder is among the giants in the music industry; an accomplished singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. In the U.S., he has had at least nine #1 hits and more than 30 top ten hits. In August 2007, he under-took his first U.S. concert tour in over a decade, performing in a dozen U.S. cities and Toronto, Canada. During his career, his album and single sales have exceeded the 100 million mark and he has received numerous awards and honors. He is the recipient of 25 Grammy Awards — a record for a solo artist — and has also received a Grammy lifetime achievement award. In 1984, he won an Oscar for Best Song — “I Just Called to Say I Love You” – from the film, The Woman in Red. In 1989 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 1999, received Kennedy Center Honors. He is also a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. No less a musical authority than the former opera star Luciano Pavarotti once called him a “great, great musical genius.”
Stevie Wonder has come a long way since the early 1960s and the days of “Fingertips, Pt. 2.” Yet the innocence of that early sound, and his “Fingertips” harmonica, still send a good and clear calling, just as it did way back then.
For other stories at this website on the history of popular music and profiles of songs and artists, please see the “Annals of Music” category page. Thanks for visiting. – Jack Doyle
Article Citation:
Jack Doyle, “Fingertips, Pt.2, 1963,” PopHistoryDig.com, April 21, 2008.
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Sources, Links & Additional Information
CD cover for a Billboard “Top Hits of 1963” collection, which includes “Figertips-Pt.2.”
John S. Wilson, “Big Stevie Wonder Serves Soul at Philharmonic Hall,” New York Times, Saturday, September 27, 1969, p. 24.
“Black, Blind and on Top of Pop,” Time, Monday, April 8, 1974.
Jon Pareles, “Concert: Stevie Wonder,” New York Times, September 28, 1986.
John Rockwell, “Stevie Wonder,” in Anthony De Curtis and James Henke (eds), The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll, Random House, New York, 1992, pp.293-298.
“Stevie Wonder,” in Holly George-Warren and Patricia Romanowski (eds), The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, Rolling Stone Press, New York, 3rd Edition, 2001, pp. 1079-1081.
Steve Huey, “Stevie Wonder, Biography,”All Music Guide.
“Biography of Stevie Wonder,” About the Artist, The Kennedy Center, Washington D.C.
Ed Hogan, “Fingertips – Pt 2,” Song Review, All Music Guide.
