Monday, June 9, 2014

What makes Black American music so great pt1.

My late grandpa used to show off his turntable by playing loudly to the tune of American, British and local musics. The sound can be heard to 4 or 5 houses away left and right. Those were the days before videos kill the radio. We were fed to the music of Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder to Anita Sarawak. The days before heavy metals were unheard off, before techno. Lyrics were simple, easy to understand and chorus always in the middle. I was a little boy then but I was sure of one thing, my love for black American songs. The Supreme were goddess of music, Michael was beyond entertainer, Quincy Jones gave us the beat and Stevie....the blind artist, his music was so enlightenning. Let me tell you about Stevie.... Stevie Wonder was born in May 13, 1950, as Stevland Hardaway Judkins in Saginaw, Michigan . He has been blind since shortly after birth. A child prodigy, he has become one of the most creative and loved musical performers of the late 20th century. Wonder began playing instruments at an early age, including piano, harmonica, drums and bass. Wonder signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age of eleven and continues to perform and record for Motown as of the early 2010s. Among Wonder's works are singles such as "Superstition", "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" and "I Just Called to Say I Love You". and albums such as Talking Book, Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life. He has recorded more than thirty U.S. top ten hits and received twenty-two Grammy Awards, the most ever awarded to a male solo artist, and has sold over 100 million albums and singles, making him one of the top 60 best-selling music artists. Today, Wonder is an inspirational to all, young and old, a handicapped that does more than he can give.