Latest News 2012
December[28] Stevie will be a special guest at Star Studded 1st Annual Broadway Royale New Year's Eve Dinner and Times Square Ball Drop at Legendary Copacabana Supper Club. The event will be Hosted By 2012 Tony Award Winner Dale Badway and Radio City Music Hall's Ken Lundie.
[26] Stevie joined Brazil’s Gilberto Gil late Tuesday for a massive free Christmas concert on Rio’s Copacabana Beach attended by half a million people. “Tudo bem?” (Everything allright?) Stevie shouted out to the crowd in Portugese after being led on stage by his sons.
[19] At Saturday's House Full of Toys concert Stevie presented a $100,000 check to a 10-year-old girl fighting cancer. He invited Jasmine Faulk and her father a Hermosa Beach police officer, on stage to present them with the donation. Stevie serenaded Jasmine with his classic Isn't She Lovely after which she grabbed the mic and said, "I love you Stevie!" before giving him a hug.
[07] Stevie made an appearance yesterday on the TV Breakfast show, Good Day LA, to promote the 17th annual edition of his “House Full Of Toys” fundraising concert at the Nokia Theatre. See video below:
[03] On Sunday, Stevie dropped by Atlanta radio host Frank Ski's annual Kids Foundation Benefit Auction. He played a harmonica, lending it a little "Stevie Wonder spit," which was then sold for $11,000. A guitar signed by Sting went for $2,400.
[29] Stevie has cancelled his performance scheduled for the Dec. 6 FIDF Gala in Los Angeles saluting the Israel Defence Forces Soldiers. In a statement, Stevie explained: “I am and have always been against war, any war, anywhere. Given the current and very delicate situation in the Middle East, and with a heart that has always cried out for world unity, I will not be performing.” Instead of performing at the benefit concert, he said he will donate money to charities that help both Israeli and Palestinian children.
[25] Stevie will perform at the Annual Charity Gala of the Friends of the Israel Defence Forces to be held on Thursday, December 6, at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
[19] Stevie paid tribute to the late Dick Clark on last night's American Music Awards with a medley of hits including Master Blaster (Jammin'), My Cherie Amour and Sir Duke. The 40-anniversary edition of the awards show – which Clark created in 1972 – marked the first AMAs to take place since the TV host died of a heart attack in April at 82.
[09] Stevie was a surprise guest star at the 25th Annual Soul Train Awards, held last night, Nov 8th, at the Planet Hollywood Casino in Las Vegas. He took part in an homage to late Soul Train creator Don Cornelius, and also performed a medley of hits to close out the festivities, during which about a dozen of the show’s performers and presenters joined him on stage for Signed, Sealed, Delivered. The ceremony will air on BET and Centric on Sunday, November 25th.
[08] Stevie has been added to the list of recording artists slated to appear at the 2012 American Music Awards. Due to air live from Los Angeles on Sunday, November 18, this year's American Music Awards will also feature performances from Christina Aguilera, Usher, Justin Bieber, Pink, Pitbull, Linkin Park, Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj.
[05] Last night Stevie performed at President Obama's Cincinati Campaign Rally. He joked with the crowd saying, "You know, I've not looked at either candidate," then pausing for a wave of laughter as the joke sank in. "So it's not based on that, the color of their skin. But I must tell you, it's based on their spirit."
[04] Eddie Murphy: One Night Only, a tribute to Murphy, featuring Stevie, Chris Rock, Jamie Foxx, Adam Sandler and Samuel L. Jackson is set to air on Spike TV in the US on Wednesday, November 14. Stevie and Eddie Murphy does a duet on Higher Ground.
[04] Stevie will perform a free concert Monday night 5th Nov. in Hampton Roads Virginia in support of President Barack Obama. The concert will take place at the Norfolk Scope Arena, 201 E. Brambleton Ave. Doors for the event open at 6pm.
[03] Stevie will rally for President Barack Obama and encourage Ohioans to vote early when he performs at Party at the Polls on Saturday 03. The event will be held at the CSU Music Communications Building, located at 2001 Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, at 9:30 a.m.
[01] Stevie will join President Obama at a campaign appearance, Sunday in Cincinnati at Fifth Third Arena, 2700 O’Varsity Way.
October
[31] Stevie will perform during Michelle Obama's campaign visit on Thursday Nov 1st, the Obama campaign has announced. She will be speaking to grassroots supporters at the Prime F. Osborn Convention Center, 1000 Water Street, Jacksonville. Doors open at 9:30 a.m.
[30] Macy Gray, an established talent in her own right, has taken mighty task of reworking Stevie's 1972 album Talking Book. The album which was originally released 40 years ago this week features hits such as You Are the Sunshine of My Life and Superstition. You can listen to the album here, courtesy of AOL Music
[26] Stevie as donated a new song to President's Obama Re-Election Campaign titled Keep Moving Forward. Listen to the track here.
[25] Last night, Wednesday 24th, Stevie hosted a three hour all star birthday bash for the United Nations on UN Day in the Great Assembly Hall with guest stars Sting, Wyclef Jean, Valerie Simpson, Bebe Winans, Doug E. Fresh, Janelle Monae, Freddie Jackson and Stephanie Mills. The show won’t be seen on BET until February 23, 2013
[23] In celebration of the sixty-seventh anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations Organization, the 2012 United Nations Day Concert A Message of Peace featuring United Nations Messenger of Peace Stevie Wonder, will take place on Wednesday, 24 October, at 7 p.m. at the United Nations in New York. The celebration which will include appearances by Sting, Paul Simon and others will stream live via webcast on UN Multimedia and will premiere on BET, VH1 and Palladia on Saturday, 23 February 2013.
[16] Stevie's 17th Annual House Full of Toys Benefit Concert in aid of disadvantaged children will be held this year on Saturday December 15th at the Nokia Theater L.A. Guest artists appearing are to be announced at a later date. Tickets go on sale October 19th.
[12] The new album by debutant Sheléa who recently performed at the White House honouring this year's Gershwin Prize winners Hal David and Burt Bacharach has her new album, Love Fell On Me out on October 16th (October 23rd in the UK). The beautiful title track features Stevie on Harmonica and forms a delightful backdrop to an album that's a romantic tour de force. Stevie had the following to say about this young new talent: When I hear her voice, it goes straight to my heart. When I feel her spirit, it goes straight to my soul.
[25] Stevie will join Katy Perry, Jennifer Hudson, Jon Bon Jovi and Earth Wind and Fire in an evening performance to raise money for Barack Obama's Re-Election campaign at the Nokia Theater on Oct. 7.
[22] The memorial send off for lyricist Hal David was held last night, September 21st in Los Angeles. Stevie who had a hit in the late 60s with Alfie performed a virtuoso harmonica solo that brought the audience to its feet. Stevie talked about hearing You’ll Never Get to Heaven If You Break My Heart for the first time on the radio when he was about 12.
[15] Last night, Friday 14th, Stevie played his first concert in Istanbul, Turkey at the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts Music Festival
[12] On Monday 10th Tom Hanks, Jay Leno, Loretta Devine and Stevie were among many who helped celebrate the life of Michael Clarke Duncan during a four-hour memorial service. Duncan died on September 3rd from a heart attack. Stevie who was in Europe at the time appeared via video, solemnly playing piano and singing the opening verses of his life-affirming song "As" for the man he called "a gentle giant".
[10] Last night, Sunday, Stevie closed the Bestival Music Festival on the Isle of Wight, UK with a performance and set list that has been highly praised by the press.
August
[25] R’n'B veteran Macy Gray's forthcoming studio album, due in November, is set to be a cover of Stevie’s Talking BooK in full. Gray explains “Talking Book is one of my top five favorite albums of all time, and Stevie is my favorite. This is my own personal gift to Stevie Wonder, for all that I learned from him and for his miraculous songs that change my life every time I hear them. This is not a tribute album or concert, it’s a love letter and a big thank you card on record and on stage”.
[25] Stevie along with Paul Simon and James Taylor will perform at the 25th annual Children's Health Fund Benefit on October 4th at New York City's Radio City Music Hall. Also appearing are Tom Hanks and Tina Fey.
[13] Last night, Sunday, Stevie closed the Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco.
July
[30] On Saturday Stevie gave a Surprise Performance to conclude the National Urban League 2012 Gala which was opened on Wednesday by President Obama. Stevie received the League's Living Legend Award and was serenaded by Jazz vocalist Stephanie Jordan before performing a medley of his hits.
[12] The University of Hawaii Benefit Concert scheduled for August 18th and reported on this site on June 25th has now beem cancelled because of scheduling / booking issues. The University confirmed that all persons in posession of tickets will recieve a full refund.
[10] Stevie to headline Steve Harvey's 2012 Hoodie Awards which Celebrates its 10th Year With a Star-Studded 4-Day Extravaganza Aug 2-5 at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino and Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas.
June
[25] Stevie will perform in Hawaii on Saturday, August 18 at the Stan Sheriff Center. Proceeds of the concert will benefit University of Hawaii Athletics.
[15] At the Billboard Music Awards Stevie performed a part of a new song titled Ten Billion Hearts. He mentioned at a later press conference that it would be the title track of a forthcoming album. In the meantime lyrics to the full track can be viewed here.
[05] Stevie was among many celebrities last night commemorating the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace, London. Stevie performed Sir Duke, Isn't She Lovely (updating lyrics to honour the Queen), Happy Birthday (as it was also the Queens official birthday), and closing his set with Superstition. Stevie performance can be viewed on YouTube
[03] Last night June 2nd Stevie highlighted the Saturday night at the Rock in Rio-Lisboa Festival in Portugal.
[31] On Wednesday night, May 30th, Magic Johnson, Stevie and others celebrated Johnson's new part-ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers at RnB Live in Studio City.
[21] Stevie is scheduled to headline the Garanti Jazz Green Festval in Istanbul, Turkey on September 14.
[21] Last night, May 20th, Stevie received the Billboard Icon Award at the Annual Billboard Music Awards Show. The award was presented by Alicia Keys who also dueted with Stevie on Higher Ground and Overjoyed. Stevie closed the evening with a performance of Ten Billion Hearts and Superstition.
[21] On May 18th Stevie Performed at the 19th Annual Race To Erase MS. The event raised $1.8 million to benefit the Nancy Davis Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis and its Center Without Walls program.
[18] Watch Stevie perform Alfie at the White House in honour of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, here
[13] Happy Birthday To You - Stevie Wonder
[12] Stevie Victim of Extortion - Two people have been charged with extortion after police say they arrested the pair for trying to sell bogus embarrassing information to the tabloids. Alpha Lorenzo Walker and Tamara Eileen Diaz are each charged with one count of extortion in connection with the plot to try to obtain money under false pretenses.
[10] Last night at the White House Stevie was present to honour Burt Bacharach and Hal David with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize. He sang their compositions, Make It Easy on Yourself and Alfie and wowed the crowd on his harmonica. The tribute is to be broadcast on PBS on May 21st.
[09] Billboard reports that Stevie will be presented with the Billboard Icon Award at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Arena, which will air live on May 20 on ABC at 8 PM ET. The evening will feature an all star tribute to Stevie.
[04] Burt Bacharach and Hal David are the recipients of the 2012 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Celebrating their achievement at the Whitehouse on May 9th will be Stevie, Sheryl Crow, Michael Feinstein, Diana Krall and Mike Myers. The concert will air May 21st at 9 pm on PBS.
[02] Time - The Album from the 80's Musical by Dave Clark is to be released on iTunes on 8th May. Stevie is featured on 2 tracks, She's So Beautiful by Cliff Richards and Time Will Teach Us All by Julian Lennon. Click here for details.
[01] Last night at the United Nations General Assembly Hall Jazz musicians and other cultural icons from around the world gathered to celebrate the first International Jazz Day. Below Stevie is pictured with Esperanza Spalding, Herbie Hancock and Sheila E.
April
[30] Last fall the United Nations designated jazz a “universal music of freedom and creativity” and decreed that henceforth every April 30 is to be celebrated around the world as International Jazz Day. As part of the first year’s festivities some of the genre’s biggest names will be performing tonight at the United Nations headquarters. Stevie along with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Wynton Marsalis, Esperanza Spalding, in addition to musicians from Latin America, Africa, Europe and Asia will be participating.
[24] Stevie will celebrate the day he was born at the place he was born, 62 years ago, at Saginaw’s St. Mary Hospital on Sunday, May 13. A fundraising telethon on NextMedia’s WTLZ-FM, 107.1, beginning at 3 p.m. Friday, May 11, with a musical tribute to Stevie and ending 6 p.m. May 12 will form part of what is being called Saginaw Wonder Fest.
[23] Stevie will be among the VIP crowd at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on April 28 as a representative of the American Urban Radio Networks.
[20] The Rock in Rio-Lisboa Music Festival in Lisbon, Portugal, June 02, has confirmed that Stevie will be one of the headlining acts. Click here for details.
[17] The Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco, August 10-12, has confirmed that Stevie will be one of the headlining acts. Click here for details.
[01] The new album, One, from Take 6 features a cover version of Stevie's Can't Imagine Love Without You with Stevie on lead vocals and harmonica.
March
[27] Stevie has been named among a host of musicians to headline Ghana’s Tribute to the group Osibisa which will be staged at the National Theatre, Ghana on June 1st.
[22] Stevie has been confirmed as the closing night headliner at this year's Bestival on the Isle of Wight, which takes place from 6th to 9th September 2012. Click here for details.
[14] Audio Fidelity will on 2nd April, release a limited edition remastered 24k Gold CD of Stevie's 1973 Grammy Album of the Year, Innervisons. Details here.
[13] Last week Stevie headlined the Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia. Here are some photos from that performance.
[12] A new album of innovative jazz arrangements of Stevie Wonder songs, titled Wonderous Visions, by Irish jazz vocalist, Orla Murphy, was officially released on the 6th March 2012. Songs that feature on the album are: Another Star, I Don't Know Why, All I Do, Too High, Make Sure You're Sure, Visions, Big Brother, Seems So Long, Heaven Help Us All and They Won't Go When I Go as well as an original, written by Orla, entitled Timeless.
[03] Last night Stevie played a one-off concert at the Sandalford Estate in Margaret River, Perth, Australia.
[01] Stevie has been Signed, Sealed And Delivered for the line-up of the June 4th Diamond Jubilee Concert for Queen Elizabeth II to take place outside Buckingham Palace. He said: It’s an honour to celebrate The Queen. It’s an honour to celebrate Great Britain. The time is overdue that I meet Her Majesty.
February
[23] Stevie is set to headline the Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta Indonesia on March 4th. Other artists on the bill include Herbie Hancock, Erykah Badu and Al Jarreau.
[19] Last night after the funeral of Whitney Houston, Stevie attended the Power of Love Gala celebrating Mohammed Ali's 70th Birthday. Stevie sang Happy Birthday with Ali sat by his side. ABC and ESPN plan to air the gala on 25th Feb.
[19] At an emotional Funeral service yesterday fot Whitney Houston, Stevie performed a specially tailored version of Ribbon in the Sky and Love's in Need of Love Today after thanking god for allowing him to be in life at the same time as Whitney. Other performers included Alicia Keys, R. Kelly and Kevin Costner delivering a eulogy.
[17] Stevie performs Love's in Need of Love Today during a private memorial service for Soul Train creator and host Don Cornelius in Los Angeles, yesterdasy 16 Feb.
[16] Stevie and Aretha Franklin will perform at Whitney Houston's funeral on Saturday 18th Feb at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, N.J. Below are pictures of Stevie with Whitney in happier times and a performance of their duet We Didn't Know and Superstition can be viewed here and here.
[15] The BET Honors 2012 show will air in the UK on Sky (191) and Freesat (140) networks on Saturday 18th Feb. at 20:00. Stevie along with Maya Angelou, Spike Lee and Mariah Carey were honoured on 14th January.
[13] Last night at the 54th Grammy Awards Stevie paid tribute to Whitney Houston saying "To Whitney up in heaven, we all love you", then played a few bars of Love Me Do on the harmonica before introducing Paul McCartney to perform his new song, My Valentine.
[13] A memorial service with tributes from Stevie and Smokey Robinson will be held for Soul Train founder Don Cornelius on 16th Feb in Hollywood Hills, Calif.
[10] Last night (9th Feb) Stevie apeared on Will.i.am's i.am Angel Foundation charity fund raiser at the Hollywood Palladium. Stevie was the night's top guest and played the harmonica, keyboards and sang classics like My Cherie Amor and Superstition.
[10] Stevie will apear at the Power of Love Gala in Las Vegas Honoring Muhammad Ali's 70th Birthday on 18th Feb. The event will be televised on ABC and ESPN2 the following Saturday, 25th Feb.
[09] On Wednesday 8th Feb Stevie made a surprise visit on the Dr. Phil Show as the guest, Donny Osmond, proclaimed that Stevie was his inspiration. Click here for clip from the show.
[02] Stevie spoke to CNN to remember Don Cornelius, the creator and host of Soul Train, who died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound yesterday. Click here for interview. Pictured together below left at the TV Land Awards 2005 and right at the 2005 Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards
January
[28] Today Stevie attended the funeral of Etta James, where he performed the song Shelter in the Rain with the church choir, the Lord's Prayer and a harmonica solo.
[21] Thursday 19th, Stevie attended the opening day of the annual NAMM Show in Anaheim, California to explore the latest in musical products and technologies.
[20] Stevie adds his harmonica to the song Only Our Hearts on the forthcoming Paul McCartney album titled Kisses on the Bottom. Sir Paul said: Stevie came along to the studio in LA and he listened to the track for about ten minutes and he totally got it. He just went to the mic and within 20 minutes had nailed this dynamite solo. When you listen you just think, 'How do you come up with that?' But it's just because he is a genius, that's why.
[15] BET recognized the achievements of legends in the fields of music, literature, entertainment, media, service, and education at its 5th Annual BET Honors last night. First Lady Michelle Obama took the stage at the awards ceremony recognising the works of Stevie, Mariah Carey, Maya Angelou and Spike Lee.
[10] This week sees the release of a new book by Gil Scott-Heron titled The Last Holiday: A Memoir. The books includes a retelling of the struggles faced by Stevie and others in trying to enact legislation to make the birthday of Martin Luther King a holiday in the USA.
[06] The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas rang in 2012 by hosting a New Year’s Eve bash headlined by Stevie.
