Celebrate Motown's 50th; Jacksons' reality show debut to Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin

Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, the Temptations and others will be in Detroit later this month to celebrate Motown's 50th anniversary.
Event the two night will be held Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 20-21, and will benefit the Motown Historical Museum, located in the company's original Hitsville U.S.A. headquarters in Detroit's midtown section, according to Billboard.
Among the planned festivities are tributes to Michael Jackson, the Four Tops' Levi Stubbs, Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr., and the label's "First Five" -- Smokey Robinson, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman, Janie Bradford and Raynoma Singleton.
Members of the Contours and Miracles, among others, will sign autographs, and the Temptations and Franklin will headline a black-tie gala at the GM Renaissance Center hosted by actor-comedian Sinbad.
Also, Fox will air a Motown tribute during halftime of the Detroit Lions-Green Bay Packers game on Thanksgiving Day. It'll feature a medley of classic hits performed by current Motown acts including KEM, Melanie Fiona and Shontelle. The medley will be available for download on the NFL Web site, with proceeds going to the United Way.

Stevie Wonder at The Borgata, Phillyist Playlist

What to write for this preview sitting here thinking, there are a million things to say and all are completely inadequate words to use. Stevie Wonder to say has been a personal influence is one thing, but to know that he has influenced the wonderest modern musicians of our time is so far reaching and amazing that it almost defies superlatives. This danced Phillyist her first dance with her husband to Stevie's "You and I" and with her father to "Isn't She Lovely." Stevie Wonder has been a part of people's lives since the early 1960s and continues to perform with the same enthusiasm and infectious optimism since then. His new DVD, Live At Last showcases perfectly the versatility, both vocally and instrumentally, of this musical genius. You can catch Stevie performing his Wonder Autumn's Night tour when it stops for two days at The Borgata this Friday and Saturday.
Stevie play liveif you've never seen, you owe it to yourself to do so. In the fifty years (FIFTY YEARS!!) that he has been performing, his stage presence, audience interaction and connection with his ensemble musicians gets stronger every time. The alone thing about Stevie's performances is that unlike most musicians, he performs all his songs in the original key. This is downright unheard of when speaking of musicians his age—most will take songs down a few steps to accommodate their aging voices. You'll also hear him play songs from nearly every album of his marvelous career, from "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" to "So What The Fuss." Although we're not sure whether he'll be playing with a live horn section or a synth, it'll be worth your time either way.
The Borgata's Event Center is very acoustically sound and guests will be sure to have a comfortable, enjoyable experience there. The last time Phillyist saw Stevie, it was at the Wachovia Center. The acoustics there made it sound somewhat like Stevie was playing in the bottom of a trash can but here at the Borgata, you can expect a much more pure, true sound. Plus let's face it— the Borgata's a straight up swanky place in general. We actually like it there and always have a fun time when we go. It should also be noted that the Roots are also playing the Borgata that evening, in the Music Box. They're having an afterparty at Mixx later that evening, which sounds like the makings for an absolutely amazing night.
Stevie Wonder

Event Center at The Borgata, Atlantic City

Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31

Tickets: SOLD OUT! See what you can grab on craigslist

Unforgettable concert in Norfolk, Stevie Wonder delivers

Performing arts in the world, there are concerts and then there are once-in-a-lifetime events. There are shows, and then there are life affirming celebrations that reignite the sense of joy and wonder and lightness you had as a child.
At the Ted Constant Convocation Center Sunday night, Stevie Wonder delivered one of those rare, unforgettable performances an attendee can always remember fondly.
There was no jumbo screen, no fireworks and not even an opening act—just Stevie and a crew that included two keyboardists, two conga players, two guitarists and four background singers, one of whom was his daughter Aisha Morris (yes, the one immortalized in the song “Isn’t She Lovely.”)
For nearly three hours, Stevie rolled through cherished songs including “Ribbon in the Sky” and “Sir Duke” with finesse; anyone that tells you Stevie sounds exactly as he does on record as he does in person—or if not better—is telling you the absolute truth. People leapt to their feet and danced in the aisles to “Superstition” and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours,” and screamed, over and over again, “I love you, Stevie!” – and he ended the show with the same refrain.
If there’s such a thing as a perfect concert, this waslikely it.

At MGM Grand at Foxwoods, Stevie Wonder Performs

Stevie Wonder, who began his long career as a kid hanging around Motown studios in Detroit, performs tonight at 8 at MGM Grand at Foxwoods.Wonder has been singing from his lengthy catalog for this tour, including songs from "Innervisions," "Songs in the Key of Life," "Talking Book," "Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium," "Talking Book" and 2005's "A Time To Love."

CHURCH GETS WONDER-FUL VISITOR

If it looks like Stevie Wonder and it sounds like Stevie Wonder, it must be Stevie Wonder.
At least that's what folks who attended Sunday services at Strong Tower Ministries in Stafford County are saying after an impromptu performance there.
"As soon as he opened his mouth, I was like, oh my gosh, that is definitely Stevie Wonder," said Lisa Thomas of Spotsylvania County.
A Stevie Wonder representative in Los Angeles had not confirmed the appearance with The Free Lance-Star as of late yesterday.
However, Ellery Taylor of Spotsylvania posted video he recorded with a BlackBerry on his Facebook page. It shows a man who appears to be Wonder singing on a stage at Strong Tower Ministries.
He sang "Falling in Love with Jesus," played the harmonica and gave testimony. A three-member band from the church off Ferry Road played with him.
Senior Pastor Kevin Mihlfeld said Wonder appeared during an 11 a.m. service and sat two or three rows from the back. He listened to a sermon by a guest pastor from South Africa.
Mihlfeld said Wonder was ushered to a room behind the stage near the end of the service. That's when he volunteered to sing.
People were getting ready to leave when Mihlfeld asked them if they wanted to hear Stevie Wonder. It got their attention.
"It was so incredibly surreal," Mihlfeld said.
He said he "knows for a fact" the man was Wonder, especially after talking with him for about 30 minutes. He said Wonder was visiting a sick friend in Virginia and knows some of the church's members.
"I know it happened but still, to me it's unbelievable," Mihlfeld said.

Stevie Wonder, Cranberries, Morrissey headed to town, Tickets

R&B great Stevie Wonder headlines the MGM Grand Garden arena on Nov. 28. Tickets are $52.50, $105 and $157.50 and go on sale at noon Saturday at Ticketmaster outlets.
Reunited '90s pop rockers The Cranberries play The Pearl at the Palms on Dec. 3. Tickets are $35 and go on sale at noon Saturday at The Pearl box office, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, and Ticketmaster outlets.
Beloved crooner Morrissey hits The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel on Dec. 4, with Doll & The Kicks. Tickets start at $39.50 and go on sale at noon Saturday at The Joint box office, 4455 Paradise Road, and Ticketmaster outlets.
Actor/comedian Robin Williams enlivens the MGM Grand Garden arena on Dec. 5. Tickets are $75, $100, $175 and $225 and go on sale at 10 a.m. today at Ticketmaster outlets.
Classical pop superstar Andrea Bocelli brings his first U.S. holiday concert tour to the MGM Grand Garden arena on Dec. 12. Tickets are $75, $125, $195, $275 and $400 and are already on sale at Ticketmaster outlets.
R&B singer Raphael Saadiq visits the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay on Nov. 21. General admission tickets are $33.50 in advance, $38.50 day of show and reserved seats are $48.50. They go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the House of Blues box office, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South, and Ticketmaster outlets.
Death-metal heavyweights Nile slam into the House of Blues on Feb. 3, with Immolation, Krisiun, Abigail Williams and Dreaming Dead. Tickets are $24 in advance, $28 day of show, and go on sale at 10 a.m. today at the venue box office and Ticketmaster outlets.
Latin alt-rockers Cafe Tacuba perform at the House of Blues on Nov. 19. Tickets are $40.50 in advance, $46 day of show, and are already on sale at the venue box office and Ticketmaster outlets.
Spanish pop-rockers La Quinta Estacion play the House of Blues on Nov. 1. General admission tickets are $40.50 in advance, $45.50 day of show and reserved seats are $50.50 and $57.50. They are already on sale at the venue box office and Ticketmaster outlets.
Country singer Phil Vassar comes to Ovation at Green Valley Ranch on Jan. 1. Tickets are $29.50, $42.50 and $55 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Green Valley Ranch Boarding Pass Rewards Center, 2300 Paseo Verde Parkway.
Rocker Ted Nugent blazes into the Grand Events Center at Green Valley Ranch on Jan. 23. Tickets are $27.50, $37.50, $47.50 and $57.50 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at the venue box office.
Hard rock lifers Y&T perform at Club Madrid at Sunset Station on Dec. 11. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 day of show, and go on sale Saturday at the Sunset Station Boarding Pass Rewards Center, 1301 W. Sunset Road.

Gretchen Everhart, Stevie Wonder's former teacher speaks

Audience members tapped their feet and sang along to the songs of Stevie Wonder, as the musician's one time teacher told stories about his time with the famous songwriter.
Tim Hull, who taught Wonder in the 1960s from fifth grade to high school graduation, spoke Tuesday at Gretchen Everhart School to a room of more than 50 particular education teachers and music lovers.
Hull traveled from his home in Tampa after being asked by student Colleen Morrissey, who is studying exceptional student education at Florida State University.
Morrissey read Hull's book "The Wonder Years: My Life and Times with Stevie Wonder" for a class grant and was inspired to bring the author to Tallahassee to speak about teaching the visually impaired musician.
Hull, who is legally blind, explained that he was asked to privately teach Wonder while Wonder traveled on tour because of his experience in teaching blind children in Detroit. He later became Wonder's tour manager.
"I wanted to learn about the techniques he used with Stevie Wonder," Mickey Damelio, a teacher of the visually impaired, said about attending the event.
Particular education teacher Barbara Donaldson said she wanted to hear Hull tell his story.
"He gave a historical perspective of the '60s and talked about how he was able to overcome all obstacles," she said.
Linda Jones read a Braille excerpt of Hull's book to the pair. She read about two traveling around the world and the prejudices they faced being a white teacher with a black student.
"Tim's book is not only about his time with Stevie, but gives us a personal up-front view of the '60s," Jones said.
Hull spoke fondly about his time with his student and friend, but vividly remembered his favorite times; listening to Wonder sing and record music.

Pre Rock Hall Tour Stevie Wonder Lines Up

Fresh off a celebrated performance at VH1 Divas last week, Stevie Wonder has booked a line up of shows leading up to his anticipated appearance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 25th Anniversary celebration. Set to kick off October 22, Wonder's short tour will make stops in Mashantucket, CT and Verona, NY before wrapping up October 25 in Norfolk, VA.As confirmed earlier this year, Wonder will join Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin and U2 at the two-day 25th Anniversary celebration of Rock and Roll October 29 and 30 in New York.Proceeds from the shows will go toward creating a permanent endowment for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and Museum. According to arrangers, the concerts will be curated by Tom Hanks, Jann Wenner, Robbie Robertson and Cameron Crowe, among others and will include both live and filmed segments to help tell the story of rock and roll.Tour Itinerary:October 22 Mashantucket, CT MGM Grand at FoxwoodsOctober 23 - Verona, NY - Event Center at Turning Stone Resort CasinoOctober 25 - Norfolk, VA - Constant Convocation CenterOctober 29 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden

Tickets to Stevie Wonder's Norfolk show go on sale Friday

Pop and R&B legend Stevie Wonder has not frequented Hampton Roads stages in current years, but he seems to finally be cruising in this direction.Today, officials announce that Wonder will play 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Ted Constant Center in Norfolk, performing a show titled "A Wonder Autumn Night." Tickets go on sale Friday from the Constant Center Box Office, by calling 888-3-COXTIX, and through Coxtix.com. Prices have not been announced.It's to be one of a handful of concerts Wonder has performed in the region over the last 20 years. Wonder played Hampton Coliseum in 1982 and has appeared here infrequently since.The show's title spins off the 59 year old singer's DVD "Live at Last: A Wonder Summer's Night," which was released in March. The concert document was filmed Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 2008, at London's O2 Arena. In April, Wonder performed for a family on ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," where he sang a customized version of his tune "I Just Called To Say I Love You." That's one of Wonder's 46 top 40 hits, which include "Fingertips Pt. 2," "Superstition," "I Wish" and "Sir Duke." Among other Wonder favorites are "Higher Ground" and "My Cherie Amour."

the X Factor's approval to Wonder boy Olly wins

HE may be have caught the nation’s attention on the X Factor, but he’s not too big to remember his mates.
Witham man Olly Murs is all anyone can talk about in the town after his appearance on Saturday night’s TV show.
The 25 year old knocked the socks off Simon Cowell, who has a reputation for viciously honest criticism, as well as fellow judges Louis Walsh, Dannii Minogue and Cheryl Cole.
Cowell, on seeing Olly’s performance of the Stevie Wonder hit Superstition, described him as “very, very, very cool”.
When it came to voting, Cowell said: “This is the easiest ‘yes’ I have ever given.”
Cheryl described him as a “natural born entertainer”.
But Witham friends of Olly say he has kept in close contact, not forgetting his roots.
He visited both his footballing mates and his local pub on Saturday night.
John Fisher, landlord of the George, said Olly is an “easy go lucky guy” who they were all rooting for.
Mr Fisher first noticed Olly two years ago when he was beatboxing in the pub.
He said: “What you saw on Saturday is what you get, he’s such a nice kid.
“I would be surprised if anyone had a bad word to say about him, unless they were jealous.”
Olly plays regularly at the pub with his friend Jonathan Goodey, he said.
Tony Last, chairman of Witham Town Football Club, where Olly used to play as a centre forward, said: “He came up and saw us, he’s not too big for that. We asked him how he got on and he said, ‘you’ve got to watch it’.”
The customer advisor for Climate Energy, on Witham’s Freebournes Road, reportedly tried for X Factor before, but was knocked back by the judges.
He also appeared on the Noel Edmonds show Deal Or No Deal in 2007, where he could have won £250,000, but came away with £10.
Olly, of Carraways, has been barred from speaking to local media until he goes through to the contest’s boot camp weekend, on September 26 and 27.

The new album to Stevie Wonder and Tony Bennett team

Two of music's brightest stars Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder will unite to record a full album together, according to Bennett's record company.
Columbia Records announced today that its biggest running star, the 83 year old Bennett, will team with one of soul's most important figures, 59 year old Wonder.
The company presented no specific information about delivery date, song selection, or a title for the joint work.
The new recording won't be the first time the king of principle has wailed with the master of pop/soul. Wonder arose on two previous all star recordings by the older singer: 2001's "Playin' with My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues," and 2006's "Duets: An American Classic."
The latter disc featured a re-do of Wonder's old song "For Once in My Life," which assumulated a Grammy for Pop Vocal alliance.

Stevie Wonder: VV Brown to set me up with his son

VV Brown has revealed that Stevie Wonder once asked her to date his son. The singer met up with the music caption after they were both signed to Island Records. When they got chatting, the blind musician advised she meet one of his 4 boys. ‘Stevie Wonder stroked my hand and then invited me to go on a date with his son,’ she tells Now Online.‘I don’t care if he is Stevie Wonder’s son, I just didn’t expect him. He wasn’t that good looking.’VV Brown's album Travelling Like The Light is out now.

Stevie Wonder at VH1 Divas 2003 Watch Whitney Houston Belt

As Rolling Stone resulted last month, VH1 will animate their Divas special for the first time since 2004 on September 17th with a live show featuring Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis, Miley Cyrus and Adele program continuous from New York’s Brooklyn Academy of Music Howard Gilman Opera House. Buzz over this year’s event is at present building on the show’s spanking new Website, Divas.VH1.com, where special clips of ultimate Divas instant from years’ past will be posted. And Rolling Stone has an exclusive video right now: click above to see Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder’s powerhouse gig of “I Was Made to Love Her” from VH1 Divas 2003.
Houston conceivable the elemental diva will be making her grand return this fall with her first studio album of fresh material since 2002. Rolling Stone was there when Houston presented I Look to You at a star studded New York gala, where the 46-year old star said, “I had plans to live on this little island and open a fruit stand a call it a day. But I got this call from Clive [Davis], and he said, ‘No, that’s not what you’re gonna do.

Stevie Wonder Bea's mix up

DUMB Bea Hamill has accepted she did not understand that Stevie Wonder was black.
The 24 year old also said she did not know the artist, who has recorded more than thirty US top 10 hits, was careless.
Glamour model Sophie Reade added she was not sure what the multiple Grammy Award winner looked like and asked if he had once sung with Brit pop band Blur.

Siavash Sabbaghpour and Marcus Akin were alarmed when the psychology graduate made the admission on Sunday morning.
They both agreed not knowing what Stevie Wonder looked liked was like not knowing what Michael Jackson looked like.
It's not the first time Bea's general knowledge has let her down.
Earlier in the series she wrongly told royalist Rodrigo Lopes the Queen's husband, Prince Phillip was dead.

DJs playing only Stevie Wonder in salute, It’s no superstition

This is not your everyday pool party.
The schedule starts with a question-and-answer conference with New York-based DJs Spinna and Bobbito. Then, it’s six hours of nonstop music, all of it from Stevie Wonder.
DJ Spinna (Vincent Williams) put together the first accolade a show honoring Wonder’s 1976 album, “Songs in the Key of Life” — on New York City’s Lower East Side in 1999.
“It was the biggest contribution the venue had ever seen,” event co-creator and producer Keita P. Williams recalls.
Its accomplishment spawned the larger tribute, “WONDER-Full,” which mines Wonder’s entire index. This show has be concerned with the past decade traveling the world. It’s played New York and Los Angeles and made stops in Japan, England and Holland.
“He’s major in Japan,” Williams says, laughing. “They speak the language of music, and the lyrics they were singing along.”
Six hours may sound like a long time to hear music from any one artist, but Williams affirm that the subsituting sets from Spinna and Bobbito (born Robert Garcia) are anything but insistent.
“It’s all Stevie Wonder excellent albums, excellent cuts, covers, remixes,” she explains. “You’re being educated about Stevie’s index of music that he’s recorded with other artists, samples, a lot of hip-hop samples. You have to have a great ear to know that it’s Stevie’s music.”
Of course, there’s one man who would likely accredit every track Stevie Wonder. Last year the 59 year old singer songwriter actually showed up at a “WONDER-Full” accident and performed for the devoted crowd and equally surprised DJs.
“It was mayhem,” Williams says. “The oceans parted the seas of people from the back as he was walking in. The DJs were all the way up on stage not knowing what was happening until he got closer. They droped their minds.”
Keeping Wonder fresh in people’s minds is eventually what the aggregate production is about; that and paying applause to an artist who helped shaped R&B and soul into what they are today.
“If your name is not in the lights, no one knows you,” Williams laments. It’s important “to accolade all great artists not only when they’re gone, but when they’re here, too.”

STEVIE WONDER TO JOIN 'DWTS'?

ET's Kevin Frazier talks to Stevie Wonder about whether he'll be showing off his best moves on "Dancing with the Stars!"
The singing legend, who spoke to Kevin in Washington D.C. where he's performing during inauguration activities, says he is seriously thinking about going on the hit ABC show and will be trying to get into shape so he can show his best dance steps if he debuts on the show.
Stevie, 58, also tells ET he is excited and proud to be a part of President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration and says he has something special planned for his performance during a star-studded concert on Washington's National Mall.

ET's Kevin Frazier talks to Stevie Wonder about whether he'll be showing off his best moves on "Dancing with the Stars!"
The singing legend, who spoke to Kevin in Washington D.C. where he's performing during inauguration activities, says he is seriously thinking about going on the hit ABC show and will be trying to get into shape so he can show his best dance steps if he debuts on the show.
Stevie, 58, also tells ET he is excited and proud to be a part of President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration and says he has something special planned for his performance during a star-studded concert on Washington's National Mal

Current career

Wonder's first new album in ten years, A Time to Love, was released on in OCT,2005, after having been pushed back from first a May, and then a June release. The album was released on internet in Sept,2005. Prince on guitar and background vocals from En Vogue.

I Just Called To Say I Love You

No new yearss day
To celebrate
No chocolate covered candy hearts to give away
No first of spring
No song to sing
In fact heres just another ordinary day
No april rain
No flowers bloom
No wedding saturday within the month of june
But what it is
Is something true
Made up of these three words that I must say to you

I just called to say I love you
I just called to say how much I care
I just called to say I love you
And I mean it from the bottom of my heart

No summers high
No warm july
No harvest moon to light one tender august night
No autumn breeze
No falling leaves
No even time for birds to fly to southern skies
No libra sun
No halloween
No giving thanks to all the christmas joy you bring
But what it is
Though old so new
To fill your heart like no three words could ever do.

I just called to say I love you
I just called to say how much I care
I just called to say I love you
And I mean it from the bottom of my heart.

I just called to say I love you
I just called to say how much I care
I just called to say I love you
And I mean it from the bottom of my heart

Of my heart
Of my heart