Caleb Hawley

Music is a great substitute for carbs. When applied right, it can give you energy better than just about anything (as long as your not listening to Damien Rice). This morning while desperately lagging on a run through the park, I pumped myself up by blasting Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” album on my iPod. Before I knew it, I was sprinting. I’ve listened to this record many times before, but it especially jumped out at me this time around. So much, that when I got home I decided to do a little Stevie stalking, and went to my trusty friend Wikipedia for some answers. The first thing that caught my attention was Stevie’s real name: Stevland Hardaway Judkins… wow, no wonder why he went with a stage name.

As I scrolled down I came across his birthplace – Saginaw, Michigan. This blew my mind a little bit, because I’ve been there, and it was overly underwhelming – I suppose a lack of things to do could be partially credited to his virtuosity on multiple instruments? Saginaw started to make sense the more I thought about it. It was just over an hour’s drive to Detroit, which is where Stevland moved when he was four, and was where Berry Gordy founded Motown Records just six years later. It only took a year for Gordy to find and sign Stevie, and the rest is history.

Now there is no doubt that Stevie Wonder is a genius, and arguably the most influential songwriter in pop, soul, and R&B music, but it was more than just talent that put him where he is… time and place also played there part. It makes me wonder (no pun intended) how many Stevie Wonder’s are out there, never to be heard. So much talent, so many songs, so little radio stations.

I guess that’s why you just have to live your life and be happy with any outcome, because no matter what you do, time and place will always play their part.