Over 100 million records sold. Ten number-one singles in the United States. A whopping 25 Grammy Awards. Stevie Wonder has more than earned his status as a cultural icon. He has forged a path to greatness over the years that has made him an inspiration to others, particularly those who are blind or visually impaired. The story of Wonder’s blindness, on the other hand, is a sad one. And it was all brought about by a truly tragic blunder.
The Truth Behind Stevie Wonder’s Blindness Has Been Revealed
Not Born Blind
You read that right; Stevie Wonder wasn’t born blind. Some argue, however, that he had the makings of a genius from the start. And his accomplishments are indisputable. In the 1970s, for example, Wonder won the Grammy for Album of the Year three times in a row, which was unprecedented at the time.
Not Born Blind
A Virtuoso
Then there’s the fact that Wonder can play just about any instrument you can think of. He could dazzle his family on the piano, harmonica, and drums before he was ten years old. He also learned to play the synthesizer, bass guitar, clavinet, and bongos as he grew older.
A Virtuoso
An Activist
There’s also Wonder’s activism. Have you ever considered how Martin Luther King Jr. Day came to be? On the other hand, the musician was instrumental in launching the campaign for a national holiday to honor the civil rights icon. And he’s gotten something in return for his efforts. Wonder was named a Messenger of Peace by the United Nations in 2009, and Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014.
An Activist
His Music
But it goes without saying that Wonder is best known for his incredible music. And if you think that’s an exaggeration, just listen to Elton John. Once upon a time, the English rock legend wrote for Rolling Stone, “Let me put it this way: wherever I go in the world, I always take a copy of Songs in the Key of Life. For me, it’s the best album ever made, and I’m always left in awe after I listen to it.” That’s exceptionally high praise.
His Music
It Didn’t Hold Him Back
Wonder, obviously, never let his handicap hold him back. And being blind wasn’t the only hardship he and his family had to deal with. Wonder grew up poor, according to his mother Lula Hardaway’s biography. His father was said to have been an alcoholic who mistreated his mother. However, the musical prodigy’s fortunes would improve over time.
It Didn’t Hold Him Back
Signing A Record Deal
Hardaway moved the family from Saginaw to Detroit, both in Michigan, when Wonder was only four years old. Her son grew up to be a talented young man in this environment. And it was the start of something big when Ronnie White of The Miracles discovered the 11-year-old Wonder. White arranged for the boy to meet with Berry Gordy Jr., the head of Motown Records. Wonder was then signed to a record deal by the mogul.
Signing A Record Deal
Starting At An Early Age
Wonder began working in the music industry at a young age! In fact, he released his first album before he reached the age of adolescence. The live album Little Stevie Wonder the 12-Year-Old Genius followed, with a title that may have seemed like a lot of hot air to some. But the young man would live up to that lofty reputation – even as he grew up blind.
Starting At An Early Age
Classic Period
In the 1970s, Wonder entered his “classic period,” releasing a slew of outstanding albums that cemented his reputation as a true artist. Slate’s Jack Hamilton reflected on this period in 2016, writing, “Most Americans follow up their 21st birthdays with a hangover. Stevie Wonder opted for arguably the greatest sustained run of creativity in the history of popular music.”
Classic Period
The Most Ambitious Work Ever Made
Wonder released Music of My Mind, Talking Book, Innervisions, Fulfillingness’ First Finale, and Songs in the Key of Life over the course of five years, from 1971 to 1976. Wonder’s last album, in particular, was a watershed moment in his career. But it meant a lot more than that. In his Slate article, Hamilton waxed poetic about Songs in the Key of Life, dubbing it “a monumental work of American popular culture” and “perhaps the most ambitious work ever made by a pop star at the height of his or her powers.”
The Most Ambitious Work Ever Made
Tackling Important Topics
If that sounds exaggerated, consider what a remarkable accomplishment that record was. In his lyrics, Wonder addressed a wide range of important issues, including religion, love, betrayal, social inequality, and divorce. He pushed the limits of what pop music could be – both sonically and conceptually. He did it all while blind, of course.
Tackling Important Topics
A Positive Mindset
Wonder, on the other hand, has been remarkably consistent in his portrayal of his disability. He doesn’t consider it a disadvantage, and he believes it allows him to access parts of his mind that sighted musicians can’t. During a 1975 interview with The New York Times, the star first explained this concept.
A Positive Mindset
How It Impacted His Music
A reporter from the New York Times asked Wonder if his inability to see had influenced his music composition at the time. And to that, the musician replied, “It’s played a part in that I’m able to use my imagination to go places, to write words about things I’ve heard people talk about. In music and in being blind, I’m able to associate what people say with what’s inside me.”
How It Impacted His Music
What The Piano Meant To Him
Since then, Wonder has talked about it. He spoke about what learning the piano meant to him as a young blind boy during a 2010 appearance on Larry King Live. “Obviously, sound was very important to me,” the musician revealed. “So, when I was able to, you know, to touch that thing, what’s called a piano, I was curious about it.”
What The Piano Meant To Him
A Fellow Blind Musician
King then mentioned George Shearing, a blind jazz pianist who once told him something profound. Shearing reportedly stated that being blind was not a handicap because it was all he knew. Wonder revealed that he knew Shearing as well and that he admired him.
A Fellow Blind Musician
Same Perspective
Wonder agreed with Shearing’s perspective on his disability. He explained, “Yes. I mean, it’s definitely more difficult for someone who has seen and then lost their sight.” Keeping in mind that, as previously stated, Wonder was not born blind.
Same Perspective
Wonder’s Creative Process
So, how did Wonder’s creative process change as a result of his blindness? King asked, “When you write a song, where does it come from? I mean, you don’t see colors. You don’t see people. You don’t know what a television set looks like. You feel a piano, but you’ve never seen a piano.”
Wonder’s Creative Process
Hearing Before Seeing
The musician then responded, “I honestly think if I were to, you know, see a piano or to see someone or all the other things you mentioned… I think I’d be pretty close to where I imagine it to be. I think I’ve got a pretty good imagination. And I think that, you know, we really feel before we see. We really hear before we see.”
Hearing Before Seeing
A Similar Question
It’s a similar line of questioning to one Wonder received from Oprah in 2004. She enquired of the musical legend, “If you’ve never seen, can you miss it?” And Wonder responded thoughtfully, delving into the sensory experiences that come with sight. He explained, “I miss what’s associated with seeing.”
A Similar Question
Missing His Sight
“I’d be lying if I said I don’t miss being able to drive somewhere with my wife and kids alone or, back in the day, with my girl. But there’s nothing I can do about it. I just have to work it out.” Wonder stated. As a result, Oprah wondered how Wonder understood the concept of sight.
Missing His Sight
Living Life
“Because I’m living life, aware of what everyone else is doing. I have a vivid imagination.” He then continued with self-deprecating humor by saying, “And growing up, I was around people who weren’t afraid to say, ‘Man, why are you lookin’ over there? What’s wrong with you? I’m over here. You need to keep your head still.’”
Living Life
How He Was Treated
The conversation then moved on to how Wonder was treated by his neighbors as he grew up. He also admitted, with a laugh, that his piano skills were not well-known in his neighborhood. “I was known as the blind boy who was always making noise, beating on walls, hitting on boxes, singing and playing the bongos from morning till sunset on the front porch,” the musical icon said. “People were like, ‘Give us a break.’”
How He Was Treated
Facial Radar
Then Wonder gave a fascinating glimpse into the life of a blind person. He talked about developing “facial radar,” or the ability to hear sounds reverberating off nearby objects. He explained, “If you close your eyes and put your hands right in front of your face, then move your hands, you can actually hear the sound of the air bouncing off your hands.”
Facial Radar
The Sound Of Everything
When Oprah asked if everything had a sound, Wonder replied, “Yes.” He explained by saying, “Everything has a sound in terms of its placement. In other words, there are many things in this room, and they make up how this room sounds – how dead or alive it is acoustically. If you took this desk out, the audio picture would be different.”
The Sound Of Everything
Not A Disadvantage
In a 2012 interview with The Guardian, Wonder inexorably brought up the subject of his sight. He was asked if he had ever felt disadvantaged as a result of his blindness or being born black. And to that, the celebrity replied, “Do you know, it’s funny, but I never thought of being blind as a disadvantage, and I never thought of being black as a disadvantage.”
Not A Disadvantage
Loving Himself
The “Overjoyed” singer continued, “I am what I am. I love me! And I don’t mean that egotistically. I love that God has allowed me to take whatever it was that I had and to make something out of it.” Overall, he considered himself fortunate to have such an abundance of musical inspiration. He added, “The genius in me is God – it’s the God in me coming out.” That’s a great attitude, especially considering he wasn’t born blind. In fact, if things had gone differently, he would still have had his sight.
Loving Himself
Memory Of Colors
It’s a topic that was mentioned in that 2004 Oprah interview. The host inquired about Wonder’s color memory, possibly because the star could see at one point. This prompted the two to discuss the blunder that had taken Wonder’s vision.
Memory Of Colors
Associating Colors
Wonder revealed, “When someone mentions a color, I associate it with my understanding of what that color is,” He continued, “I may have been able to see for a short time after I was born.” This was picked up on by Oprah, who asked, “Weren’t you put in an incubator and given too much oxygen?”
Associating Colors
How He Lost His Sight
Wonder then confirmed that this was the cause of his blindness as a baby. He explained. “Right – I was premature. My doctor didn’t know what’s known now about the right amount of oxygen, so I was given too much, and an area of my eyes was destroyed.” So, what exactly happened?
How He Lost His Sight
A Tragic Mistake
Wonder – or Stevland Hardaway Judkins, as he was known at the time – was born six weeks early in Saginaw, Michigan, in 1950. He was placed in an incubator as a baby for life support. Wonder, however, had lost his ability to see by the time he was seven weeks old. And, unfortunately, it was a case of doctors making a grave error.
A Tragic Mistake
Too Much Oxygen
Too much oxygen was pumped into the incubator, causing abnormal blood vessels to grow in Wonder’s eyes, as he told Oprah. The retina, which is the line of tissue at the back of the eye, is then affected by these vessels. When these vessels eventually hemorrhaged, they caused damage to the retina, causing it to detach.
Too Much Oxygen
The Condition
This condition is known as retinopathy of prematurity, according to the National Eye Institute. It usually affects premature babies weighing up to just under 3 pounds, and it’s one of the leading causes of childhood blindness. The disease was first identified in 1942, eight years before Wonder was born. Despite the fact that it may appear improbable, the actor believes he had a lucky escape.
The Condition
A Lucky Escape
“A girl who was born one minute before me actually died,” Wonder said to Oprah. “She couldn’t withstand that much oxygen.” Amazingly, Wonder claimed that he had never harbored any ill feelings toward the doctor who had made such a grave error. He’s also never been resentful of how it took away one of his senses.
A Lucky Escape
Visiting The Hospital
“Once I went to Saginaw, Michigan, and visited the hospital where I was born. There was this big hoopla – they gave me a special award. I think people were scared I was planning to sue that doctor’s ass. But he didn’t have any intent to harm me,” Wonder stated.
Visiting The Hospital
What He Said As A Kid
One story that has become Wonder folklore is that he told his mother as a child, “Don’t worry about me being blind, because I’m happy.” Oprah, ever the astute journalist, inquired if this was correct. And the pop icon reaffirmed it for her, saying, “I said something like that.”
What He Said As A Kid
He Didn’t Want His Mom To Be Upset
Wonder explained that he didn’t want his mother to be upset about his condition and that he wanted her to know he was fine. Wonder said, “It bothered me that my mother was crying all the time. She thought God might be punishing her for something. She lived during a time when things were particularly difficult for a woman in her circumstances.”
He Didn’t Want His Mom To Be Upset
Crucial Life Lessons
Despite this, Hardaway had taught her son some important life lessons. Wonder shared the words said to him, “to persevere, to never be ashamed [and] to not let my past bury me.” These mantras instilled in him a sense of self-assurance, regardless of the challenges that lay ahead.
Crucial Life Lessons
He Was Made Fun Of
Wonder admitted, “When I was a child, kids used to make fun of me because I was blind. But I just became more curious. ‘How can I climb this tree and get an apple for this girl?’ That’s what mattered to me.” The young blind boy was determined not to let his disability define him. His mother had taught him better than that.
He Was Made Fun Of
How He Was Raised
Indeed, Wonder explained that the way his mother raised him had aided him in rejecting the notion that he was handicapped. She let him make his own mistakes, for example, despite being available to assist him whenever he needed it. According to the star, who spoke with Oprah, “[My mom] didn’t bind me up. She wasn’t like, ‘Don’t step there!’ or ‘Watch out, you’ll fall!’”
How He Was Raised
It Paid Off
He continued, “[My mom would] tell me to be careful, but I was going to do what I was going to do. She was just fast enough to catch me. She knew I had to learn – and the more she allowed me to do, the more she could let go.” If Wonder’s incredible, boundary-breaking career is any indication, that approach paid off as well.
It Paid Off
Elton John’s Life
Elton John, Wonder’s famous fan, has also had a long and successful career. He even befriended royalty at one point. Yes, Princess Diana and Elton John were friends prior to her death. In his autobiography, Me, the pop icon has revealed even more details about his relationship with Diana. The musician chose to speak out in the book not only about what had happened to cause a rift between him and the princess but also about his feelings and fears for her at the time.
Elton John’s Life
Shocking Revelations
That wasn’t the end of it. “Me,” contains shocking revelations about Diana and the rest of the royal family’s private lives. And as someone who had essentially worked his way into the royal inner circle, Elton had witnessed some unexpected events.
Shocking Revelations
It Caused A Stir
Naturally, when Elton’s autobiography was released, it caused quite a stir – not least because he chose to reveal some rather surprising details about fellow musician Rod Stewart. When it came to Diana, however, he was gentle. Even when the star revealed the details of the feud, it was clear that he misses his old pal.
It Caused A Stir
How They Met
Elton and Diana first met in 1981, before Diana married Prince Charles and became a full member of the royal family. Specifically, the two had a run-in at Prince Andrew’s 21st birthday party, after which they became very close. And it became clear that Diana and Elton shared a passion for AIDS awareness and research, a cause dear to both of their hearts.
How They Met
Meeting Harry And William
Elton also became acquainted with Diana’s sons, Harry and William. He also wrote a piece for Time magazine in 2018, honoring Harry as one of the Time 100 for the year. “I first met an extremely shy and sweet Prince Harry at a private lunch at Kensington Palace, given by his mother Princess Diana for Gianni Versace and me many years ago,” the star said in the article.
Meeting Harry And William
An Advocate For Important Issues
Elton continued, “What a joy it has been to see that young boy grow to inherit his mother’s warmth, sense of humor and courage to stand up and champion the causes he truly believes in.” Diana appeared to be unafraid to participate in crusades that others might have wished she had avoided. Perhaps in an attempt to dispel myths about HIV, she allowed herself to be photographed holding the hands of AIDS patients, demonstrating that the disease could not be transmitted through touch.
An Advocate For Important Issues
Their Feud
So, what caused Diana and Elton to have a falling out? Interestingly, the singer spoke about the feud shortly after Diana’s death. It was 1997, and large swaths of the United Kingdom appeared to be mourning the princess’s death. Elton John famously performed the song “Candle in the Wind” at Diana’s funeral before releasing it to raise money for her favorite charities.
Their Feud
Not Responding To Each Other
Elton spoke to David Frost of the BBC at the time about his relationship with Diana. He revealed at the time, “[Diana and I] did have a little falling out earlier in the year over a charity event. We did write each other letters, which neither of us responded to. It was only after the tragic death of Gianni Versace that we actually spoke.”
Not Responding To Each Other
Their Mutual Friend
Versace was a mutual friend of Elton and Diana’s, and he had been involved in the incident that had caused the couple’s estrangement. Unfortunately, on July 15, 1997, serial killer Andrew Cunanan murdered the fashion designer outside his mansion. In what would turn out to be one of her final public appearances, Diana attended Versace’s funeral alongside Elton John.
Their Mutual Friend
Talking About The Funeral
Meanwhile, Elton shared his opinions on Diana’s burial in Me, and some of his remarks were damning. “William and Harry looked completely shell-shocked,” he wrote of his late friend’s children. “They were 15 and 12, and I thought the way they were treated that day was absolutely inhuman. They were forced to walk through the streets of London behind their mother’s coffin, told to show no emotion and look straight ahead.”
Talking About The Funeral
Candle In The Wind
Then, after the funeral, Elton went to a studio to record “Candle in the Wind” for release, he wrote. He eventually returned home, where he was overcome with grief. “I hadn’t felt able to show emotion all day. I had a job to do, and how I felt about Diana’s death might have interfered with my ability to do it.”
Candle In The Wind
The Song Haunted Him
Unfortunately, Elton would be haunted by “Candle in the Wind” for a long time. “In the end, I started feeling really uncomfortable with the single’s longevity. Its success meant there was footage of Diana’s funeral week after week on Top of the Pops. It almost felt like wallowing in her death, as if the mourning for her had got out of hand.” Elton wrote.
The Song Haunted Him
Avoiding The Topic
Elton continued, “And I didn’t want to do anything to prolong [the wallowing] any further. So when Oprah Winfrey asked me on her talk show to discuss the funeral, I said no.” He continued, “I’ve always tried to avoid the topic with journalists,” the star added. “It wasn’t that I wanted to forget it – or [Diana]. I just wanted life to get back to some semblance of normality.”
Avoiding The Topic
Where He First Met Diana
Nonetheless, when he wrote Me, Elton went back to that time in his life. He also revealed details of the “surreal” Palace party where he first met Diana in the book. “Because the Queen was there, and no one wanted to cause any offence to the royal sensibilities, the disco was turned down about as low as you could get without switching it off altogether. You could literally hear your feet moving around on the floor over the music,” he wrote.
Where He First Met Diana
Mingling With The Royals
At the event, Elton mingled with other members of the royal family, including the Queen herself. He penned, “Princess Anne asked me to dance with her to ‘Hound Dog’ by Elvis Presley. Well, I say ‘dance’: I ended up just awkwardly shuffling from foot to foot, trying to make as little noise as I could so that I didn’t drown out the music… Then the Queen appeared, carrying her handbag. She walked over and asked if she could join us.”
Mingling With The Royals
The World’s Quietest Disco
“So, now I was trying to dance as inaudibly as possible with Princess Anne and the Queen – still holding her handbag – while what appeared to be the world’s quietest disco played Bill Haley. I tried my best to come up with a facial expression that suggested this was a perfectly normal state of affairs.”
The World’s Quietest Disco
How Their Friendship Started
However, help was on the way, with Diana bringing a breath of fresh air to the situation. In the autobiography, Elton explained, “Anyway, that night in 1981, [Diana] arrived in the ballroom, and we immediately clicked. We ended up pretending to dance the Charleston while hooting at the disco’s feebleness.” And with that, the two began a long and largely fond relationship.
How Their Friendship Started
A Story About The Queen
However, in his autobiography, Elton told a fascinating story about the Queen herself. In fact, he claims to have seen her slap another member of the royal family. “In private, [the Queen] could be hilarious,” the singer recalled. “At another party, I saw her approach Viscount Linley and ask him to look in on his sister, who’d been taken ill and had retired to her room.”
A Story About The Queen
What Elton Saw
The monarch, according to Elton, was not pleased with the viscount’s response. “When he repeatedly tried to fob her off, the Queen lightly slapped him across the face, saying ‘Don’t’ – SLAP – ‘argue’ – SLAP – ‘with’ – SLAP – ‘me’ – SLAP – ‘I’ – SLAP – ‘am’ – SLAP – ‘THE QUEEN!’” And, naturally, Elton was rather taken aback. “As [Viscount Linley] left, [the Queen] saw me staring at her, gave me a wink and walked off,” he added.
What Elton Saw
A Bizarre Experience
Elton also expressed his surprise at how he came to be associated with such people. He stated in the autobiography, “No matter how funny or normal the royal family seemed – whether they were asking me if I’d done any coke before I went on stage as Princess Alexandra once did, or winking at me after slapping a nephew across the face – there’d inevitably come a moment where I’d find myself thinking, ‘This is just bizarre. I’m a musician from a council house on Pinner Road. What am I doing here?’”
A Bizarre Experience
Diana Was Different
Diana, on the other hand, was distinct from the rest of the family, according to Elton. “With Diana, it wasn’t like that. She was blessed with an incredible social ease – an ability to make people feel totally comfortable in her company,” he explained. “Her kids have inherited it, Prince Harry in particular; he’s exactly the same as his mum: [he has] no interest in formality or grandeur.”
Diana Was Different
Diana’s Personality
“That famous photo of her holding an AIDS patient’s hand at the London Middlesex Hospital – that was Diana. I don’t think she was necessarily trying to make a big point, although obviously she did. In that moment, she changed public attitudes to AIDS forever. She’d just met someone suffering, dying in agony – why wouldn’t you reach out and touch them? It’s the natural human impulse, to try to comfort someone.”
Diana’s Personality
A Fabulous Company
Elton went even further in his admiration for Diana in the book, describing her as “fabulous company – the best dinner party guest.” The singer continued, “If I was bowled over by Diana, it was nothing compared with the impact she could have on straight men. They seemed completely to lose their minds in her presence: they were just utterly bewitched.” And to prove his point, the pop star told a story involving a slew of well-known figures.
A Fabulous Company
The Most Peculiar Scene
According to Elton, he and his partner, David Furnish, hosted their own dinner party during the filming of the first Lion King film. The couple had also invited Disney CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg and his wife, George Michael, Richard Curtis, Emma Freud, Sylvester Stallone, and Richard Gere, as well as Diana herself, to help make up the numbers. During the gathering, however, Elton revealed that “the most peculiar scene developed.”
The Most Peculiar Scene
Gere And Diana
Gere reportedly began conversing with Diana at the party, who appeared to be equally interested in him. Elton revealed, “[Diana] was separated from Charles by this point, and Richard had broken up with Cindy Crawford. They ended up sitting in front of the fireplace together, locked in rapt conversation.”
Gere And Diana
A Strange Atmosphere
However, another guest at the party did not seem to agree with what was happening. Elton went on to say, “As the rest of us chatted, I couldn’t help notice a strange atmosphere in the room. Judging by the kind of looks he kept shooting them, Diana and Richard Gere’s newly blossoming friendship was not going down well with Sylvester Stallone at all.”
A Strange Atmosphere
A Situation
Elton said, “I think [Stallone] may have turned up to the party with the express intention of picking Diana up – only to find his plans for the evening ruined.” According to the musician, an even more awkward situation would soon arise. Stallone and Gere were allegedly both missing when dinner was served, so Furnish went to find them. However, when Elton’s now-husband returned, he reported that there was “a situation.”
A Situation
A Fight Almost Ensued
Furnish discovered Gere and Stallone about to have a fistfight over Diana, which was somewhat alarming. And it doesn’t appear that sitting down for a meal together helped to alleviate the tension. “After dinner, Diana and Richard Gere resumed their position together in front of the fire, and Sylvester stormed off home,” Elton wrote.
A Fight Almost Ensued
Stallone’s Outburst
Stallone, according to Elton, had announced, “I never would have come if I’d known Prince f**kin’ Charming was gonna be here. If I’d wanted her, I would’ve taken her!” After Stallone’s car had driven away, the musician and Furnish were said to have burst out laughing at his outburst. Diana, on the other hand, “seemed completely unruffled” by the uproar, according to Elton.
Stallone’s Outburst
She Might Have Been Used To It
Elton said, “Maybe [Diana] hadn’t realised what was happening. Or maybe stuff like that happened all the time, and she was used to it. After she died, people started talking about something called the Diana Effect, meaning the way she managed to change the public’s attitudes to the Royal Family or to AIDS or bulimia or mental health. But every time I heard the phrase, I thought about that night.”
She Might Have Been Used To It