(born 1950) Born Steveland Morris and blind since birth, Stevie Wonder became one of the biggest artists on the Motown label until he terminated this contract in 1971. By the mid-1970s he was the bestselling American singer/songwriter, with successes like Talking Book (1972), Innervisions (1973) and Songs in the Key of Life (1976). Mastering many instruments at an early age, he led the way in embracing the new electronic synthesizers and recording techniques, and often played all the instruments on his records. His songs have combined different musical traditions—gospel, blues, reggae and rap—with strong social commitment, as in the songs “Living for the City” (1973), about a migrant new to New York City caught up in a drug deal, and “Happy Birthday” (1980), advocating the nationwide adoption of the Martin Luther King holiday.