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101-567: The Carter Barron Amphitheatre closed for repairs following a February 2017 inspection. The National Park Service (NPS) found that the stage's substructure was structurally unsound to handle the onstage weight of performers and equipment. If the NPS has the requisite funding, the construction phase of the process has been planned for 2021–2022. The Carter Barron Amphitheatre (CBA) is located in Rock Creek Park. Initial plans for an amphitheatre in

202-435: A Computer Music Melodian . It was also his first digital recording , and one of the earliest popular albums to use the technology, which Wonder used for all subsequent recordings. Wonder toured briefly with an orchestra in support of the album, and used a Fairlight CMI sampler onstage. In this year Wonder also wrote and produced the dance hit " Let's Get Serious ", performed by Jermaine Jackson and ranked by Billboard as

303-659: A federal holiday in the United States. In 2009, Wonder was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace , and in 2014, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom . Wonder was born Stevland Hardaway Judkins in Saginaw, Michigan , on May 13, 1950, the third of five children born to Lula Mae Hardaway , and the second of Hardaway's two children with Calvin Judkins. Wonder was born six weeks premature,

404-476: A soloist at age eight. His mother later rekindled her relationship with her first child's father (whose surname was also coincidentally Hardaway), changed her name back to Lula Hardaway, and had two more children. Wonder began playing instruments at an early age, including piano, harmonica, and drums. He formed a singing partnership with a friend; calling themselves Stevie and John, they played on street corners and occasionally at parties and dances. When Stevie

505-475: A $ 55.3 million redevelopment surrounding the historic Emory United Methodist Church in Brightwood, opened in 2019. The project delivered 99 housing units: 91 reserved for tenants earning 60 percent or less than the area's median income, and eight for people leaving homelessness. Brightwood has the highest percentage of immigrants of any neighborhood in D.C., with immigrants making up nearly 50 percent of

606-468: A Clown ", a No. 1 hit for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (it was first released in 1967, mostly unnoticed as the last track of their Make It Happen LP, but eventually became a major success when re-released as a single in 1970, which prompted Robinson to reconsider his intention of leaving the group). In 1968, Wonder recorded an album of instrumental soul/jazz tracks, mostly harmonica solos, under

707-415: A church and a school. The original building stood two stories high: a first floor of logs for the school; and a second story of frame construction for worship, with a separate entrance from the outside. Black worshippers sat in a gallery. The church was named for John Emory of Queen Anne's County, Maryland , who had just been ordained bishop. Bishop Emory paid the $ 200 salary of the preacher's salary. In 1856,

808-409: A condition that, along with the oxygen-rich atmosphere in the hospital incubator, resulted in retinopathy of prematurity , a disease that aborts eye growth and often causes the retinas to detach, which left him blind. When Wonder was four, his mother divorced his father and moved with her three children to Detroit . Wonder attended Whitestone Baptist Church, where he sang in the choir and became

909-548: A duet with Andrea Bocelli on the latter's album Amore , offering harmonica and additional vocals on "Canzoni Stonate". Wonder also performed at Washington, D.C.'s 2006 A Capitol Fourth celebration. His other key appearances include performing at the opening ceremony of the 2002 Winter Paralympics in Salt Lake City , the 2005 Live 8 concert in Philadelphia , the pre-game show for Super Bowl XL in 2006,

1010-586: A far more pensive mood. Songs in the Key of Life won Album of the Year and two other Grammys. The album ranks 4th on Rolling Stone ' s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Also in 1976, Wonder heard about the demonstration of the Kurzweil Reading Machine, the first multi-font reading machine for the blind, on The Today Show , and later became the user of the first production unit, beginning

1111-511: A guest appearance on Busta Rhymes ' album The Big Bang , on the track "Been through the Storm". He sings the refrain and plays the piano on the Dr. Dre - and Sha Money XL –produced track. He appeared again on the last track of Snoop Dogg 's 2006 album Tha Blue Carpet Treatment , "Conversations". The song is a remake of "Have a Talk with God" from Songs in the Key of Life . In 2006, Wonder staged

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1212-405: A large number of women dressed in the latest fashions." At the end of the 1976 season, the NPS decided to operate the theater on its own and continues to do so today. CBA continues to host a variety of performances. Shows today include reggae, Latin, classical, gospel, musical, pop, R&B, jazz, new age, theater, and dance. Ticket prices are still the best entertainment bargain in town and many of

1313-440: A long-term association between himself and Ray Kurzweil . Until 1979's Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants" , his only further 1970s release was the retrospective three-disc album Looking Back (1977), an anthology of his early Motown period. The mainly instrumental soundtrack album Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants" (1979), was composed using an early music sampler called

1414-510: A retrospective of his 1970s work with Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium , which included four new songs: the ten-minute funk classic " Do I Do " (which featured Dizzy Gillespie ), " That Girl " (one of the year's biggest singles to chart on the R&;B side), " Front Line ", a narrative about a soldier in the Vietnam War that Wonder wrote and sang in the first person, and " Ribbon in

1515-436: A rolling five-year contract in which royalties would be held in trust until Wonder was 21. He and his mother would be paid a weekly stipend to cover their expenses: Wonder received $ 2.50 (equivalent to $ 25.49 in 2023) per week, and a private tutor was provided when Wonder was on tour. Wonder was put in the care of producer and songwriter Clarence Paul, and for a year they worked together on two albums. Tribute to Uncle Ray

1616-455: A slower pace. He recorded a soundtrack album for Spike Lee 's film Jungle Fever in 1991. From this album, singles and videos were released for "Gotta Have You", "Fun Day" (remix only), "These Three Words" and "Jungle Fever". The B-side to the "Gotta Have You" single was "Feeding Off The Love of the Land", which was played during the end credits of the movie Jungle Fever but was not included on

1717-842: A two-hour set at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee , a stop at the Hard Rock Calling festival in Hyde Park , London, and appearances at England's Glastonbury Festival , Rotterdam's North Sea Jazz Festival , a concert in Bergen , Norway, and a concert in Dublin , Ireland, at The O 2 on June 24. Wonder's harmonica playing can be heard on the 2009 Grammy-nominated "Never Give You Up", featuring CJ Hilton and Raphael Saadiq . Wonder sang at

1818-583: Is a neighborhood in the northwestern quadrant of Washington, D.C. Brightwood is part of Ward 4 . The boundaries of Brightwood have varied over the years. In the mid-nineteenth century, the name generally encompassed the region north of Brightwood Park , west of Fort Totten , east of Rock Creek , and south of the Maryland line. Today, the Brightwood Community Association, an association of residents and business owners from

1919-412: Is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. One of the most acclaimed and influential musicians of the 20th century, he is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include R&B , pop , soul , gospel , funk , and jazz . A virtual one-man band , Wonder's use of synthesizers and other electronic musical instruments during the 1970s reshaped

2020-672: Is one of the best-selling music artists of all time , with sales of over 100 million records worldwide. He has won 25 Grammy Awards (the most by a male solo artist) and one Academy Award ( Best Original Song , for the 1984 film The Woman in Red ). Wonder has been inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame , Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame . He is also noted for his political activism, including his 1980 campaign to make Martin Luther King Jr. 's birthday

2121-544: The Battle of Fort Stevens on July 11 and July 12, 1864. The Union soldiers successfully repulsed the Confederate attack. Following petitions from veterans formerly stationed at the fort, Congress established a park at the site and a memorial plaque. Forty soldiers are buried in the nearby historic Battleground National Cemetery . An 1885 police census documented the population of Brightwood as 104. Brightwood

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2222-499: The Brightwood neighborhood of Washington, D.C., began in 1943, when Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. reviewed and commented on the site selection for an amphitheatre. The original plan called for benches to seat about 1,500 and a stage equipped with a movie screen. This plan was expanded upon by Carter T. Barron in 1947, as a way to memorialize the 150th anniversary of Washington, D.C., as the U.S. national capital. As Vice Chairman of

2323-506: The Kurzweil K250 in 1984. In 1983, Wonder performed the song "Stay Gold", the theme to Francis Ford Coppola 's film adaptation of S. E. Hinton 's novel The Outsiders . Wonder wrote the lyrics. In 1983, he scheduled an album to be entitled People Work, Human Play . The album never surfaced and instead 1984 saw the release of Wonder's soundtrack album for The Woman in Red . The lead single, " I Just Called to Say I Love You ",

2424-573: The Michael Jackson memorial service in 2009, at Etta James ' funeral, in 2012, a month later at Whitney Houston 's memorial service, and at the funeral of Aretha Franklin in 2018. Wonder appeared on singer Celine Dion 's studio album Loved Me Back to Life , performing a cover of his 1985 song "Overjoyed". The album was released in October 2013. He was also featured on two tracks on Mark Ronson 's 2015 album Uptown Special , and

2525-615: The Obama Inaugural Celebration in 2009, and the opening ceremony of the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens , Greece. Wonder's first new album in 10 years, A Time to Love , was released in October 2005 to lower sales than previous albums, and lukewarm reviews—most reviewers appearing frustrated at the end of the long delay to get an album that mainly copied the style of Wonder's "classic period" without doing anything new. The first single, " So What

2626-523: The "Kim Jefferson Northeast Jurisdictional Award" for effective urban ministry and designated it one of the 25 Congregational Resource Centers in the "Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century" effort. Brightwood is home to Fort Stevens , a Civil War fortification built by the Union Army as part of the defenses of Washington, D.C. The fort was built on the site of Emory Church, which

2727-560: The "Little" from his name, Moy and Wonder worked together to create the hit " Uptight (Everything's Alright) ", and Wonder went on to have a number of other hits during the mid-1960s, including "With a Child's Heart", and " Blowin' in the Wind ", a Bob Dylan song, co-sung by his mentor, producer Clarence Paul. He also began to work in the Motown songwriting department, composing songs both for himself and his label mates, including " The Tears of

2828-601: The 1994 tribute album Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved ; sang at the 1996 Summer Olympics closing ceremony ; collaborated in 1997 with Babyface on " How Come, How Long ", a song about domestic violence that was nominated for a Grammy award; and played harmonica on Sting 's 1999 " Brand New Day ". In early 1999, Wonder performed in the Super Bowl XXXIII halftime show . In May 1999, Rutgers University presented Wonder with an honorary doctorate degree in fine arts . In December 1999, Wonder announced that he

2929-410: The 72-person congregation replaced the building with a red-brick structure that was torn down in 1861 for Union Army fortifications. A stone church was built in 1870. The present-day building, at 6100 Georgia Avenue NW, was erected in 1921. The churchyard was originally used as a cemetery, customary use of such land in those days. Some of the deceased were later moved to Rock Creek Cemetery . From

3030-515: The Blind in Lansing, Michigan . In 1961, at the age of 11, Wonder sang his own composition, "Lonely Boy", to Ronnie White of the Miracles ; White then took Wonder and his mother to an audition at Motown , where CEO Berry Gordy signed Wonder to Motown's Tamla label. Before signing, producer Clarence Paul gave him the name Little Stevie Wonder . Because of Wonder's age, the label drew up

3131-569: The CBA began to feature a variety of acts and performances. In 1952, CBA hosted military bands and the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo . In 1953, Washington Festival, Inc. operated by local television celebrity Constance Bennett Coulter , won the contract for the summer season which featured "Show Boat," " Annie Get Your Gun ," and " Carousel ." Audiences did not attend in large numbers and Washington Festival lost $ 200,000 in its first and only season. CBA

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3232-717: The Fuss ", was released in April. A second single, " From the Bottom of My Heart ", was a hit on adult-contemporary R&B radio. The album also featured a duet with India Arie on the title track "A Time to Love". Wonder did a 13-date tour of North America in 2007, starting in San Diego on August 23; this was his first U.S. tour in more than 10 years. On September 8, 2008, he started the European leg of his Wonder Summer's Night Tour,

3333-472: The G.O.P. (Get Out and Push) line. The Brightwood Citizens' Association was founded on March 17, 1891, the first neighborhood association founded anywhere in Northwest D.C. James L. Norris was its first president. The organization's initial purpose was to advocate for more reliable transportation to Brightwood. Emory M.E. Church was built in 1832 when A.G. Pierce donated a half-acre of land in to build

3434-477: The Gang, Bruce Springsteen, United States Navy Band , National Symphony Orchestra , Shakespeare Festival, Richard Pryor , Chick Corea , and the D.C. Black Repertory Co. in order to attract a more diverse audience. The Washington Post reporter Jacqueline Trescott wrote "The hordes of teenagers were back, but scattered among the visors and t-shirts were family groups, black and white couples in their 20s and 30s and

3535-677: The German television show Musikladen . On his return to the United States, he played a sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden in March 1974, highlighting both up-tempo material and long, building improvisations on mid-tempo songs such as " Living for the City ". The album Fulfillingness' First Finale appeared in July 1974 and set two hits high on the pop charts: the No. 1 " You Haven't Done Nothin' " and

3636-588: The Key of Life (1976) all won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year , making him the only artist to have won the award with three consecutive album releases. Wonder began his "commercial period" in the 1980s; he achieved his biggest hits and highest level of fame, had increased album sales, charity participation, high-profile collaborations (including with Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson ), political impact, and television appearances. Wonder has continued to remain active in music and political causes. Wonder

3737-424: The No. 1 R&B single of 1980. Hotter than July (1980) became Wonder's first platinum-selling single album, and its single " Happy Birthday " was a successful vehicle for his campaign to establish Martin Luther King Jr. 's birthday as a national holiday . The album also included " Master Blaster (Jammin') ", " I Ain't Gonna Stand for It ", and the sentimental ballad, " Lately ". In 1982, Wonder released

3838-534: The R&;B charts. Popular ballads such as "Golden Lady" and "All in Love Is Fair" were also present, in a mixture of moods that nevertheless held together as a unified whole. Innervisions generated three more Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year . The album is ranked No. 34 on Rolling Stone 's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time . Wonder had become the most influential and acclaimed black musician of

3939-749: The Sesquicentennial Commission, Barron envisioned an amphitheatre where "all persons of every race, color and creed" in Washington could attend musical, ballet, theater and other performing arts productions. The Commission approved the drawings of National Capital Parks (now known as the National Capital Region of the National Park Service (NPS)) Architect William M. Hausman for the new 4,200-seat Sesquicentennial Amphitheatre. Plans called for outfitting

4040-564: The Sky ", one of his many classic compositions. He also gained a No. 1 hit that year in collaboration with Paul McCartney in their paean to racial harmony, " Ebony and Ivory ". Also in 1982, Wonder invited Raymond Kurzweil to his Los Angeles recording studio, Wonderland, and asked if "we could use the extraordinarily flexible computer control methods on the beautiful sounds of acoustic instruments?" In response, and with Wonder as musical advisor, Kurzweil founded Kurzweil Music Systems , which unveiled

4141-666: The Sunshine of My Life ", which also peaked at No. 1. During the same time as the album's release, Wonder began touring with the Rolling Stones to alleviate the negative effects from being pigeonholed as an R&B artist in America. His touring with the Stones was also a factor behind the success of both "Superstition" and "You Are the Sunshine of My Life". Between them, the two songs won three Grammy Awards . On an episode of

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4242-762: The Supremes or the Tempts could have, now didn't he? —Review of Stevie Wonder's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981) At the end of 1962, when Wonder was 12 years old, he joined the Motortown Revue , touring the " Chitlin' Circuit " of theatres across America that accepted black artists. At the Regal Theater , Chicago, his 20-minute performance

4343-513: The Supremes , B.B. King , The O'Jays , Smokey Robinson and the Miracles , and the Four Tops . Due to competition from other centers for performing arts and changes in production values, the Feld's company Super Attractions began to incur heavy losses and asked to be released from its contract and in 1976 Cella-Door-Dimensions, Inc. was hired as new management. They scheduled acts such as Kool and

4444-489: The Top Ten " Boogie on Reggae Woman ". The Album of the Year was again one of three Grammys won. The same year, Wonder took part in a Los Angeles jam session with ex- Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney that would become known as the bootleg album A Toot and a Snore in '74 . He also co-wrote and produced the 1974 Syreeta Wright album Stevie Wonder Presents: Syreeta . On October 4, 1975, Wonder performed at

4545-551: The Year Grammy for his Still Crazy After All These Years , he wryly noted: "I'd like to thank Stevie Wonder, who didn't make an album this year." The double album-with-extra- EP , Songs in the Key of Life , was released in September 1976. Sprawling in style and sometimes lyrically difficult to fathom, the album was hard for some listeners to assimilate, yet is regarded by many as Wonder's crowning achievement and one of

4646-421: The age of 20, Wonder married Syreeta Wright , a songwriter and former Motown secretary. Wright and Wonder worked together on the next album, Where I'm Coming From (1971), Wonder writing the music, and Wright helping with the lyrics. Around this time, Wonder became interested in utilizing synthesizers after hearing albums by electronic group Tonto's Expanding Head Band . Wonder and Wright wanted to "touch on

4747-753: The all-star charity single for African Famine Relief, " We Are the World ", and he was part of another charity single the following year (1986), the AIDS -inspired " That's What Friends Are For ". He played harmonica on the album Dreamland Express by John Denver in the song "If Ever", a song Wonder co-wrote with Stephanie Andrews; wrote the track "I Do Love You" for the Beach Boys ' 1985 self-titled album ; and played harmonica on " Can't Help Lovin' That Man " on The Broadway Album by Barbra Streisand . In 1987, Wonder appeared on Michael Jackson 's Bad album, on

4848-509: The amphitheatre the Carter T. Barron Amphitheater in an official ceremony on May 25, 1951. Many people considered Carter Barron the link between the performing arts and the government. The amphitheatre is a legacy to his dedication. [REDACTED]  This article incorporates public domain material from Carter Barron History . National Park Service . Retrieved December 1, 2019 . Brightwood, Washington, D.C. Brightwood

4949-431: The amphitheatre with state-of-the-art technology including a communication system which allowed the stage manager to speak to any actor or stagehand from his desk and the best lighting and sound equipment available at the time. (The original construction cost estimate was $ 200,000 but the actual cost totaled $ 563,676.90.) The amphitheatre opened on August 4, 1950. Paul Green, Pulitzer Prize winning playwright and author of

5050-617: The arts. He was known as "everyone's friend – the burly, red-headed, blue-eyed, smiling giant." President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and President Harry S. Truman both claimed Barron to be a great friend. Barron organized twelve birthday balls for President Roosevelt and worked on both Roosevelt's and Truman's inaugurations. President Harry S. Truman dedicated the Sesquicentennial Amphitheatre on August 4, 1950, but following Barron's death, he rededicated

5151-494: The charts in a big way before Stevie turned twenty-one [in 1971]. Because he's grown up fast, the love lyrics are less teen-specific than a lot of early Smokey , say, but the music is pure puberty . Stevie's rockers are always one step ahead of themselves—their gawky groove is so disorienting it makes you pay attention, like a voice that's perpetually changing. The ballads conceive coming of age more conventionally, and less felicitously. But he sure covered Tony Bennett better than

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5252-423: The children's television show Sesame Street that aired in April 1973, Wonder and his band performed "Superstition", as well as an original called "Sesame Street Song", which demonstrated his abilities with television. Wonder's studio album Innervisions , released in 1973, featured " Higher Ground " (No. 4 on the pop charts) as well as the trenchant " Living for the City " (No. 8). Both songs reached No. 1 on

5353-574: The commercial area along Georgia Avenue. Condominiums were completed at the corner of Georgia and Missouri Avenues in 2006. A restaurant, Meridian, operated on the first floor from January to June 2008, reopened as Brightwood Bistro in August 2008, and closed in 2012. The corner of Georgia Avenue and Peabody Street was for years the site of the Curtis Chevrolet dealership and a car barn built in 1909. In 2007, Foulger-Pratt Development Inc.,

5454-431: The community. Brightwood is at an elevation of 292 feet (89 m). The land was part of a land patent called White Mill Seat in 1756. The name was changed to Peter's Mill Seat in 1800. Later, the area was called Crystal Springs, named after the pure water that flowed from several nearby springs. One of the springs was located near the modern-day intersection of Fourteenth and Kennedy streets, which still flows in

5555-478: The company that redeveloped much of downtown Silver Spring , filed plans to build a new building with 400 residential units (up to 8 percent of which would be reserved as affordable), restaurants, retail, and underground parking at the site. The D.C. Historical Preservation Society requested that Foulger-Pratt's design incorporate rather than demolish the car barn, for which it planned to seek historical designation. In response, Foulger-Pratt proposed to raze only

5656-441: The conventions of contemporary R&B . He also helped drive such genres into the album era , crafting his LPs as cohesive and consistent, in addition to socially conscious statements with complex compositions. Blind since shortly after his birth, Wonder was a child prodigy who signed with Motown 's Tamla label at the age of 11, where he was given the professional name Little Stevie Wonder . Wonder's single " Fingertips "

5757-414: The duet "Just Good Friends". Jackson also sang a duet with him entitled "Get It" on Wonder's 1987 album Characters . This was a minor hit single, as were "Skeletons" and "You Will Know". Wonder played harmonica on a remake of his own song, "Have a Talk with God" (from Songs in the Key of Life in 1976), on Jon Gibson 's album Body & Soul (1989). Wonder continued to release new material, but at

5858-651: The early 1970s. On August 6, 1973, Wonder was injured in a serious automobile accident while on tour in North Carolina , when a car in which he was riding hit the back of a truck. This left him in a coma for four days and resulted in a partial loss of his sense of smell and a temporary loss of sense of taste. Despite orders from his doctor to refrain from performing, Wonder performed at a homecoming benefit for Shaw University in Raleigh , in November 1973. Shaw

5959-445: The early 1990s, the NPS renovated the public restrooms, repaired the roofs, and did some electrical upgrades in the backstage area. Between the 2003 and 2004 summer performance seasons, all new seats were installed and the drainage in the seating area was improved. Electrical service and wiring was also updated. A major renovation project to the stage area is planned for the future. After the first two seasons of "Faith of Our Fathers,"

6060-428: The episode "A Touch of Wonder", where he demonstrated his ability to sample. The following year's In Square Circle featured the No. 1 pop hit " Part-Time Lover ". The album also has a Top 10 Hit with "Go Home". It also featured the ballad " Overjoyed ", which was originally written for Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants" , but did not make the album. He performed "Overjoyed" on Saturday Night Live when he

6161-838: The first time he had toured Europe in more than a decade. His opening show was at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham , in the English Midlands . During the tour, he played eight UK gigs; four at the O2 Arena in London (filmed in HD and subsequently released as a live-in-concert release on DVD and Blu-Ray, Live At Last ), two in Birmingham and two at the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester . Wonder's other stop in

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6262-544: The hill and it quickly became known as a theater with "not a bad seat in the house." The original design has been changed little. In 1965, a curtain and track were added to the stage. In the 1970s, the Feld Brothers added a three-pole circus tent to cover part of the stage which was changed to a truss and canvas roof system by the Shakespeare Theatre Company in cooperation with NPS in 1991. In

6363-404: The historic " Wonder Dream Concert " in Kingston , Jamaica, a benefit for the Jamaican Institute for the Blind. In 1975, he played harmonica on two tracks on Billy Preston 's album It's My Pleasure . By 1975, at the age of 25, Wonder had won two consecutive Grammy Awards : in 1974 for Innervisions and in 1975 for Fulfillingness' First Finale . In 1976, when Paul Simon won the Album of

6464-426: The hit " It's a Shame " for fellow Motown act the Spinners . His contribution was meant to be a showcase of his talent and thus a weapon in his ongoing negotiations with Gordy about creative autonomy. Reaching his 21st birthday on May 13, 1971, Wonder allowed his Motown contract to expire. During this period, Wonder independently recorded two albums and signed a new contract with Motown Records. The 120-page contract

6565-456: The instrumental parts himself. Music of My Mind marked the beginning of a long collaboration with Tonto's Expanding Head Band ( Robert Margouleff and Malcolm Cecil ), and with lyricist Yvonne Wright . Released in late 1972, Wonder's album Talking Book featured the No. 1 hit " Superstition ", which is one of the most distinctive and famous examples of the sound of the Hohner Clavinet keyboard. Talking Book also featured " You Are

6666-425: The late 1970s to 1992, Emory's membership sharply declined, and the church was sold on almost two occasions. In 1992, Rev. Joseph W. Daniels Jr. came to Emory to serve as its part-time pastor. At the time, Emory's membership was 85 with an average worship size of 55 people. Under Daniels, average weekly attendance has grown from 55 people to more than over 400. The United Methodist Church organization has given Emory

6767-469: The most recognizable and accomplished albums in pop music history. The album became the first by an American artist to debut straight at No. 1 in the Billboard charts, where it stood for 14 non-consecutive weeks. Two tracks became No. 1 Pop/R&B hits: " I Wish " and " Sir Duke ". The baby-celebratory " Isn't She Lovely ?" was written about his newborn daughter Aisha, while songs such as " Love's in Need of Love Today " and "Village Ghetto Land" reflected

6868-435: The name to Brightwood in the 1840s because the postal service frequently confused it with Brighton, Maryland . Archibald White and Louis Brunett are generally given credit for the new name. Before 1889, Brightwood was so far outside the center city that the only transportation to it was a rickety horse-drawn cart driven by an African American man known by the name of Cherry. Most of the land north of Rock Creek Church Road

6969-430: The occasion of his 35th birthday, Stevie Wonder was honored by the United Nations Special Committee Against Apartheid for his stance against racism in South Africa that same year (1985). The album also featured a guest appearance by Dionne Warwick , singing the duet "It's You" with Stevie and a few songs of her own. Following the success of the album and its lead single, Wonder made an appearance on The Cosby Show , in

7070-430: The performances are provided free of charge. The NPS still follows Carter T. Barron's original mission of providing quality performances to all residents in Washington, D.C. Partnerships, such as the Shakespeare Theatre Company "Free for All", the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington Post "Weekend's Weekend Concerts" help fulfill this goal. Carter T. Barron, the vice-chairman for the Sesquicentennial Commission,

7171-549: The population. Brightwood also has the highest percentage of Ethiopians (16%) and Salvadorans (19%) of any neighborhood; Salvadorans and Ethiopians are the two largest immigrant groups in Washington D.C. Brightwood's immigrant communities are mainly from Ethiopia , Eritrea , El Salvador and the rest of Central America , the Caribbean , and the Philippines . Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( / ˈ s t iː v ˌ l ə n d / ; né Judkins ; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder ,

7272-505: The present day, creating a constant stream of water on the sidewalk of the western side of Fourteenth Street, across from the Metrobus building. The area had many chestnut trees, and it was considered a place to enjoy with family. The Passenger Railroad Company ran hourly stagecoaches from Fourteenth Street and Boundary Avenue to the springs, charging 25 cents per ride. The area was later known as Brighton, but residents decided to change

7373-461: The rear of the structure and renovate the front. Groundbreaking was anticipated in summer 2010 but the plans fell through. In November 2010, Walmart announced interest in opening a store at the location by 2012. Some neighborhood residents opposed the plan, but the company razed the entire site, including the car barn, in March 2012 and the store opened in December 2013. The Beacon Center,

7474-682: The social problems of the world", and for the lyrics "to mean something". The album was released at around the same time as Marvin Gaye 's What's Going On . As both albums had similar ambitions and themes, they have been compared; in a contemporaneous review by Vince Aletti in Rolling Stone , Gaye's was seen as successful, while Wonder's was seen as failing due to "self-indulgent and cluttered" production, "undistinguished" and "pretentious" lyrics, and an overall lack of unity and flow. Also in 1970, Wonder co-wrote (and played numerous instruments on)

7575-558: The songs featured on Conversation Peace , and he would describe in a 1995 interview the powerful impact his visit to that country had: "I'd only been there for 18 hours when I decided I'd eventually move there permanently." In 1994, as co-chair of Panafest that year, he headlined a concert at the National Theatre in Accra . Among his other activities, Wonder played harmonica on the track " Deuce " (sung by Lenny Kravitz ) for

7676-515: The soundtrack. A piano and vocal version of "Feeding Off The Love of the Land" was also released on the Nobody's Child: Romanian Angel Appeal compilation. Conversation Peace and the live album Natural Wonder were released in the 1990s. In 1992, Wonder went to perform at Panafest , a new international festival of music held biennially in Ghana ; it was during this trip that he composed many of

7777-567: The south at Missouri Avenue. Nearby neighborhoods include Shepherd Park and Takoma to the north, Manor Park to the east, and Sixteenth Street Heights and Petworth to the south. At the 2010 census, the neighborhood had 11,242 residents. Much of the retail stores in the neighborhood sit along Georgia Avenue . The neighborhood has no Metrorail stations, although the Takoma Metrorail station and Fort Totten Metro Station are within walking distance. Several Metrobus routes serve

7878-400: The symphonic outdoor drama "The Lost Colony", was commissioned to write the opening season production. "Faith of Our Fathers" was a tribute to George Washington . It met with mixed reviews while the press and theater professionals hailed the Sesquicentennial Amphitheatre itself as the best outdoor theater ever seen. The placement of the amphitheatre maximized the natural acoustics of the bowl of

7979-735: The title Eivets Rednow , which is "Stevie Wonder" spelled backward. The album failed to get much attention, and its only single, a cover of Burt Bacharach's and Hal David's " Alfie ", only reached number 66 on the U.S. Pop charts and number 11 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary charts. Nonetheless, he managed to score several hits between 1967 and 1970 such as " I Was Made to Love Her ", " For Once in My Life " and " Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours ". A number of Wonder's early hits, including " My Cherie Amour ", "I Was Made to Love Her", and "Uptight (Everything's Alright)", were co-written with Henry Cosby . The hit single " Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours "

8080-461: The tour's European leg also found him performing in the Netherlands (Rotterdam), Sweden (Stockholm), Germany (Cologne, Mannheim and Munich), Norway (Hamar), France (Paris), Italy (Milan) and Denmark (Aalborg). Wonder also toured Australia (Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane) and New Zealand (Christchurch, Auckland and New Plymouth) in October and November. His 2010 tour included

8181-502: The western part of Brightwood, define the neighborhood's boundaries as Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Aspen Street to the north, 16th Street and Rock Creek Park to the west, Georgia Avenue to the east, and Kennedy Street to the south. Other widely accepted variations bound Brightwood on the east by 5th Street. The DC Government's Citizens Atlas bounds the Brightwood Assessment Neighborhood to

8282-577: Was Sing Me A Love Song. Other historic sites include Engine Company 22 on Georgia Avenue NW, Fort View Apartments , which overlook the site of Fort Stevens and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places , and the Military Road School , which opened in 1864 and was one of the first schools in Washington to open after Congress authorized the education of African Americans. The 21st century brought redevelopment of

8383-644: Was a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963, when he was 13, making him the youngest solo artist ever to top the chart. Wonder's critical success was at its peak in the 1970s. His "classic period" began in 1972 with the releases of Music of My Mind and Talking Book , the latter featuring " Superstition ", which is one of the most distinctive and famous examples of the sound of the Hohner Clavinet keyboard. His works Innervisions (1973), Fulfillingness' First Finale (1974) and Songs in

8484-573: Was a No. 1 pop and R&B hit in both the United States and the United Kingdom, where it was placed 13th in the list of best-selling singles in the UK published in 2002. It went on to win an Academy award for best song in 1985. Wonder accepted the award in the name of Nelson Mandela and was subsequently banned from all South African radio by the Government of South Africa . Incidentally, on

8585-517: Was a precedent at Motown and gave Wonder a much higher royalty rate. He returned to Motown in March 1972 with Music of My Mind . Unlike most previous albums on Motown, which usually consisted of a collection of singles, B-sides and covers, Music of My Mind was a full-length artistic statement with songs flowing together thematically. Wonder's lyrics dealt with social, political, and mystical themes as well as standard romantic ones, while musically he began exploring overdubbing and recording most of

8686-553: Was aged 13, making him the youngest artist ever to top the chart. The single was simultaneously No. 1 on the R&B chart, the first time that had occurred. His next few recordings were not successful; his voice was changing as he got older, and some Motown executives were considering cancelling his recording contract. During 1964, Wonder appeared in two films as himself, Muscle Beach Party and Bikini Beach , but these were not successful either. Sylvia Moy persuaded label owner Berry Gordy to give Wonder another chance. Dropping

8787-402: Was also the location, in 1909, of the first successful flight by a helicopter in the United States, built by Emile Berliner . His Gyro Motor Company building, which has been nominated for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places , still stands at 770-774 Girard Street NW. The Sheridan Theater, a motion-picture theater, opened at 6217 Georgia Avenue NW in 1937. The first feature

8888-563: Was born in Clarkesville, Georgia on January 30, 1905. He attended Georgia Tech where he played football for three years until a knee injury ended his career. He moved to Washington, D.C. in 1932 and remained until his death from cancer on November 16, 1950, just three months after the opening of the amphitheater. Barron was a community activist, and participated on numerous boards. He was manager of Lowe's Eastern Division of Theaters, MGM's point man in Washington, and an active promoter of

8989-775: Was facing financial difficulties, so Wonder, who was a member of the university's board of trustees, rallied other acts including Exuma , LaBelle , and the Chambers Brothers to join the concert, which raised more than $ 10,000 for the school's scholarship fund. Wonder embarked on a European tour in early 1974, performing in France at the Midem convention in Cannes , in England at the Rainbow Theatre in London, and on

9090-569: Was farmland, although there were a few clusters of houses around Brightwood and Takoma Park. In 1899, the Brightwood Railway Company extended a streetcar line along Brightwood Avenue (now called Georgia Avenue) from Rock Creek Church Road to Brightwood. The streetcar was only of some help to residents, as the streetcar line was famously unreliable. The streetcar often came off its tracks, and passengers were asked to help push it back onto its tracks. Some residents called it

9191-510: Was his first-ever self-produced song. In 1969, Wonder participated in the Sanremo Music Festival with the song "Se tu ragazzo mio", in conjunction with Gabriella Ferri . Between 1967 and 1970, he recorded four 45 rpm singles and an Italian LP. Wonder's appearance at the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival opens the 2021 music documentary, Summer of Soul . Wonder plays a drum solo during his set. In September 1970, at

9292-435: Was home to a horse racetrack originally named Crystal Springs Park, then Piney Branch Park, and finally Brightwood Trotting Park. A tavern was nearby, operated by Frederick G. Rohr and later by his widow Annie M. Rohr. It was common for people to watch the races, swim in nearby Rock Creek, and have a picnic lunch. After many years, Brightwood Trotting Park greatly decreased in popularity. During its last year of operation, it

9393-460: Was interested in pursuing an intraocular retinal prosthesis to partially restore his sight. In 2000, Wonder contributed two new songs to the soundtrack for Spike Lee 's Bamboozled album ("Misrepresented People" and "Some Years Ago"). Wonder continues to record and perform; though mainly occasional appearances and guest performances, he did do two tours, and released one album of new material, 2005's A Time to Love . In June 2006, Wonder made

9494-866: Was left in search of a savior. It found two . . . the Feld brothers, Irvin and Israel, won the contract to host the 1954 season. Their company, Super Attractions, hosted performances such as the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), "The Mikado," and numerous musicals. Their 1963 lineup changed performances to include more music and less ballet. Acts included The Kingston Trio , Victor Borge , Nat King Cole , Benny Goodman , Ethel Merman , Henry Mancini , Harry Belafonte , Andy Williams , Louis Armstrong , The Temptations , Ella Fitzgerald , and Peter, Paul and Mary . Israel Feld died in December 1972, and his wife, Shirley, took over management of CBA. The venue began to include soul and rock 'n' roll acts like Stevie Wonder , Ray Charles , Diana Ross &

9595-547: Was primarily used for racing mules. The course was closed in 1909 in order to make way for the extension of Sixteenth Street . Moreland's Tavern sat at the corner of modern-day Georgia and Missouri avenues before the Civil War. The building later became the Brightwood Club House, known for being a nice place to ride a horse and enjoy a drink. It eventually became the site of a Masonic Temple. Brightwood

9696-479: Was recorded and released in May 1963 as the album Recorded Live: The 12 Year Old Genius . A single, " Fingertips ", from the album was also released in May, and became a major hit. The song, featuring a confident and enthusiastic Wonder returning for a spontaneous encore that catches out the replacement bass player, who is heard to call out "What key? What key?", was a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 when Wonder

9797-413: Was recorded first, when Wonder was still 11 years old. Mainly covers of Ray Charles 's songs, the album included a Wonder and Paul composition, "Sunset". The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie was recorded next, an instrumental album consisting mainly of Paul's compositions, two of which, "Wondering" and "Session Number 112", were co-written with Wonder. Feeling Wonder was now ready, a song, "Mother Thank You",

9898-813: Was recorded for release as a single, but then pulled and replaced by the Berry Gordy song "I Call It Pretty Music, But the Old People Call It the Blues" as his début single; released summer 1962, it almost broke into the Billboard 100, spending one week of August at 101. Two follow-up singles, "Little Water Boy" and "Contract on Love", both had no success, and the two albums, released in reverse order of recording— The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie in September 1962 and Tribute to Uncle Ray in October 1962—also met with little success. Most of these songs hit

9999-540: Was signed by Motown in 1961, his surname was legally changed to Morris, which (according to Lula Mae Hardaway's authorized biography) was an old family name. Berry Gordy was responsible for creating the stage name of "Little Stevie Wonder". Wonder attended Fitzgerald Elementary School in Detroit. After his first album was released, The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie (1962), he enrolled in Michigan School for

10100-468: Was the host. He was also featured in Chaka Khan 's cover of Prince 's " I Feel For You ", alongside Melle Mel , playing his signature harmonica. In roughly the same period he was also featured on harmonica on Eurythmics ' single " There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart) " and Elton John 's " I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues ". Wonder was in a featured duet with Bruce Springsteen on

10201-449: Was torn down and its bricks were used for the fort and baking ovens. A nearby log building used by the church was also torn down and its logs used to build a guardhouse for unruly soldiers. After Emory Church's congregation petitioned Congress for compensation for the torn-down church, Congress appropriated $ 412 for rent for use of the grounds. Fort Stevens was attacked by 20,000 Confederate soldiers led by General Jubal Early during

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