When people think of a famous singer-songwriter, they typically don't have a blind person in mind. Which is to be expected since most songwriters are fortunate to have the ability to see, and there are some who are less fortunate. Saying this, there was a certain artist who managed to overcome his inability to see and managed to receive numerous awards such as Grammy Awards, American Music Awards, and an honorary doctorate of humane letters. This artist is Stevie Wonder, the man who overcame his congenital defect of blindness and then managed to achieve things that would seem impossible due to his condition. Although Stevie Wonder's music was a huge success, his early life demonstrated how hard work and dedication can lead to success. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayStevie Wonder was born as Steveland Judkins Hardaway in Saginaw, Michigan on May 13, 1950. He was a premature baby, hence the reason why he was blind. But that didn't stop him from having a “normal” childhood, he still played with the kids in his neighborhood and even rode his bike at times when someone drove for him. His father left him when he was a child, leaving his mother with the responsibility of caring for Wonder and his siblings. So, Wonder grew up without a father figure to look up to, which is hard enough, but he was also blind, and that alone caused a lot of taunts from his peers. He later moved to Detroit with his mother after her divorce from her husband, and it was there that he “was introduced to rhythm and blues by a program called 'Sundown' on a black radio station.” Even before the radio station Wonder played a four-hole harmonica and played toy drums, and by the age of eight he was able to play the piano, a regular harmonica, the bongo and the drums. With the ability to play a wide range of instruments, Wonder will soon have even more opportunities to expand his musical career. When Wonder was eleven, “Ronnie White of the Miracles Having heard about the boy through a younger brother who was a friend of Stevie's cousin, White heard the boy's music, liked what he heard and took him to the local black record company, Hitsville US A. The president of the company, Berry Gordy Jr., impressed by the boy's voice and his ability on various instruments, signed him to a contract...". This was the real beginning for Wonder because now he has the tools needed to use his musical talent and show society what he can do. About two years later, when Wonder was about thirteen years old, he released his first hit single called "Fingertips", it sold 16 million copies and became one of the memorable songs that will make Wonder and his employer best known in years to come. come; this was an important phase of his early life because now, after releasing a hit single, he has the self-confidence to overcome any other problems he might face, like what Wonder said in those years: "I was growing up , you know.” Wonder may have gained the confidence to shut out critics and people who said he couldn't become a musician after releasing his hit single, but before that Wonder describes how every day of his life, he was subject to comments. negatives about how he should just stop what he's doing because it was a waste of time. For example, Wonder says, "People at school told me I couldn't do it, that I would end up making potholders instead." they prevented Wonder from pursuing what he loved, indeed,.