Influences on Stevie Wonder

Influences on Stevie Wonder

"I went to a Sly and the Family Stone concert, and the whole place was rockin', super rockin'…and I wanted to have my concerts be like that," said Stevie Wonder. As a recording artist and songwriter for Motown Records from his preteen years on, Stevie Wonder was influenced by a million big names: he worked directly with Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, the Miracles, and many others at Motown before he was even 18. He was also influenced by Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, and Johnny Ace.

Influenced by Stevie Wonder

Wonder has been around for so long, and has been so prolific, that few big-time musicians in the soul, funk, pop or R&B genres could claim not to have been influenced by him, at least peripherally. Artists whose work seems to take direct inspiration include the Jackson 5, Prince, Lionel Richie, and D'Angelo.