Singer: Stevie Wonder

Who has won more Grammy Awards than any other male solo artist? Why, that’s right, it’s Stevie Wonder. It’s amazing that you knew that! What gave it away?

Stevland Morris recently celebrated his 60th birthday. He began recording for Motown at the age of 11. During that 49-year (so far) career, he’s had more than 30 top ten hits (pop/R&B charts), and won 22 Grammys. That’s pretty good for the third child of Calvin Judkins and Lula Mae Hardaway, born blind in Saginaw, Michigan.

He was dubbed “Little Stevie Wonder” by Motown impresario Berry Gordy, Jr. when he signed his first contract at age 11. He had his first hit, “Fingertips, Part 2” (recorded live) the following year. Before he turned 16 he’d co-written a chart smash (“The Tears of a Clown”) with Smokey Robinson, and he was skilled not just at harmonica, but also on piano, organ, and drums.

Stevie Wonder’s career has featured one hit single after another, one powerful album after another. Two of his albums, Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life received the Grammy for Best Album of the Year. He’s won an Academy Award for Song of the Year. He is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and he has a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Here are the Stevie Wonder songs that reached the top 10 on the pop chart:

1963: “Fingertips, Part 2” • 1966: “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)”, “Blowin’ in the Wind”, “Place in the Sun” • 1967: “I Was Made to Love Her” • 1968: “For Once in My Life”, “Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day” • 1969: “My Cherie Amour”, “Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday” • 1970: “Signed Sealed Delivered”, “Heaven Help Us All” • 1971: “If You Really Love Me” • 1972: “Superstition” • 1973: “You Are the Sunshine of My Life”, “Higher Ground”, “Living for the City” • 1974: “You Haven’t Done Nothin'”, “Boogie On, Reggae Woman” • 1977: “I Wish”, “Sir Duke” • 1979: “Send One Your Love” • 1980: “Master Blaster” • 1981: “Happy Birthday”, “That Girl” • 1982: “Do I Do”, “Ebony and Ivory” • 1984: “I Just Called to Say I Love You” • 1985 “Part-time Lover” • 1986: “Go Home”