Stevie Wonder Age & Height: How Old & Tall is He?

Stevie Wonder, whose real name is Stevland Hardaway Morris, was born on May 13, 1950, making him 69 years old. The iconic soul singer stands at 6’0″ tall and has nine children from five different women – Aisha, Keita, Mumtaz, Sophia, Kwame, Kailand, Mandla, and Nia. The name of his eighth child, Nia’s older brother or sister, is unknown.

Wonder is performing during the One World: Together at Home concert event, to help raise awareness and address the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the globe. Together at Home takes place on April 18 at 8 p.m. ET. Keep reading for details on Wonder’s life ahead of the big event.

Wonder Made His Recording Debut at 11 Years Old

Ebony and Ivory – Paul McCartney and Stevie WonderOne of the greatests songs in history.2007-04-14T03:05:17.000Z

Wonder, who was blind since he was six weeks old, was born in Saginaw, Michigan and was raised in inner-city Detroit. According to Britannica, Wonder made his recording debut at age 11, becoming a 1960s legend via chart hits like “Fingertips, Pt. 2,” “I Was Made to Love Her” and “My Cherie Amour.”

Over the next decade, Wonder quickly rose to fame with songs like “You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” “Boogie on Reggae Woman,” “Superstition,” and “I Wish” snagging No. 1 spots on the R&B and pop charts. His success continued into the 1980s, where he released several hit singles, including a duet with Paul McCartney titled “Ebony and Ivory.”

His albums Talking Book (1972), Innervisions (1973), Fulfillingness’ First Finale (1974), and Songs in the Key of Life (1976) were all considered masterpieces, and the last three of them won a host of Grammy Awards, with each of them being named album of the year, according to Biography. Wonder was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 and has continued to record and tour decades later.

Some Celebrities Don’t Believe Wonder is Actually Blind

Contrary to popular belief, Wonder was not blind from birth. The music legend was born six weeks premature and suffered from Retinopathy of Prematurity after the incubator he was placed in contained too much oxygen. ROP is a condition in which the growth of the eyes is aborted, causing the retinas to detach. (You can read more about Wonder’s blindness here.)

Despite being blind his entire life, there are a plethora of celebrities who question Wonder’s blindness, including Shaquille O’Neal and Lionel Richie; both have jokingly shared why they question his ability to see in recent months.

“We lived in a building on Wilshire,” O’Neal told his TNT co-hosts in December. “I’m already in the building, I’m coming through the lobby, the door opens–there’s Stevie Wonder. He comes in, says ‘What’s up, Shaq?’ presses the button–true story–presses the button, [to the elevator] gets off on his floor by himself, goes to his room,” he recalled.

Richie shared a similar story on The Kelly Clarkson Show, although his was more of a joke while Shaq swore his story was true. “I went to his house,” Richie said. “He says, ‘Wanna hear a new song? I’ve got it in the car. C’mon, go with me.’” So Richie walked with Wonder to his car, where he claimed Wonder climbed in the driver’s seat before starting the car. “He cranks the car up, he puts the tape in, right? And then he does this [turns and looks around] and starts driving back down the driveway. And I screamed, ‘Stevie! What are you doing?’ And he said, ‘Ah, got you, didn’t I?’”

How Did Stevie Wonder Become Blind?