His talents caught the attention of Ronnie White of the band The Miracle, which led to an audition with Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. Living in poverty, they often faced hunger and, as Wonder’s mother said in a 2002 biography, Blind Faith: The Miraculous Journey of Lula Hardaway, Stevie Wonder's Mother, his father drank, abused his mother and eventually forced her into prostitution.Įventually, his mother moved the family to Detroit, where Wonder taught himself how to play instruments, including the piano, harmonica and drums before the age of 10. She lived during a time when things were particularly difficult for a woman in her circumstances.”īut his eyesight wasn’t the family’s only challenge. ![]() She thought God might be punishing her for something. At five years of age, he reportedly told his mother, “Don't worry about me being blind, because I'm happy.” When asked by Oprah Winfrey about the remark, he acknowledged it, saying, “It bothered me that my mother was crying all the time. From a breakthrough career as a Motown child prodigy to a 2019 inductee in the R&B Hall of Fame, the Michigan-born performer became one of the most-loved American musicians throughout his decades-long career.Įven as a child, Wonder never let his vision disorder hold him back. ![]() Receiving too much oxygen in the incubator likely worsened the condition for the tiny baby, leaving him blind.Įven though he hasn’t been able to see for most of this life, Wonder (born as Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950) has long had vision. Superstar singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder lost his sight as a newborn when he came into the world six weeks early with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), an eye disorder caused by abnormal blood vessels throughout the retina.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |