Big Mama Thornton was born Willie Mae Thornton in Montgomery, Alabama today (December 11) in 1926.
Thornton has held influence over several genres of music. Her 1952 hit song “Hound Dog” made Elvis Presley world famous.
Jerry Butler was born today (December 8th) in Sunflower, Mississippi.
He moved to Chicago at the age of 3 and has called the city home ever since.
Butler attended Washburne Trade, which later became “Cooley High.” He dropped out of school at the age of 14 to work and support his family after his father died. Butler was 17 when he joined The Roosters, a name that would be dropped for the classy name “The Impressions.”
Today, legendary singer Stevie Wonder is celebrating his 63rd birthday.
Stevie, who was born in Saginaw, Michigan (May 13, 1950) lost his eyesight shortly after he was born.
His mother moved from Saginaw, to Detroit in the early 1950s, after his father Clarence, abandoned the family. In Detroit, future Miracles group member Ronnie White introduced Stevie to Berry Gordy, who promptly signed the boy genius to his Tamla label in 1961. By the age of 13, Stevie was a #1 artist.
1. Stevie Wonder was born premature on May 13, 1950. Ironically, he spent 40 days and 40 nights in an incubator. He was blinded after too much oxygen was sent to his incubation tank. It was either his sight, or his life.
2. Stevie Wonder grew up in the Brewster-Douglass Projects, in Detroit.
3. Stevie Wonder once claimed he lost his virginity at the age of eight.
4. Stevie once claimed he could tell if a woman was pretty or not, just by her smell and the way she talked. He claimed he could sense the woman’s “vibrations” and labeled these types of women “Satin Dolls” because they were beautiful on the inside out.
5. In 1973, Stevie Wonder’ skull was crushed in a horrific car accident.
6. Stevie Wonder’s music was banned from South African Airwaves in 1985, due to his anti-apartheid stance.
7. Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in the Key of Life” was Motown’s biggest shipping record up until the 1980’s, with pre-orders exceeding 1.3 million copies
8 Stevie Wonder was a leader in helping to get Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday declared a national holiday. When Arizona reps refused to acknowledge the holiday, Stevie vowed to never play in the state again.
9. Stevie Wonder won an Oscar for his hit song “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” which was taken from “Woman In Red.”
10. He was sued for plagiarising the song shortly afterwards, by a songwriter named Lloyd Chiate. The suit was eventually dismissed and Stevie was cleared of any wrong doing.
