Multiple generations of artists united to celebrate the iconic music of Stevie Wonder. (Photo property of Chris Pizzello / Invision / Associated Press)
By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
One of my all-time favorite singer-songwriters is music legend Stevie Wonder.
The Motown icon has released over 23 studio albums, 10 number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and won over 25 Grammy Awards in his six decades in the recording industry.
Tonight, several generations of artists came together to celebrate Mr. Wonder’s career!
Which artist correctly covered Mr. Wonder’s classics? Read on to find out…
Beyoncé kicked off the night with an impressive performance that started with “Fingertips.” Her soulful vocals ignited the crowd as she went up in her upper register. This was classic “Crazy In Love” Beyoncé, which put a smile to my face. The audience roared when Ed Sheeran joined Queen B on the stage. He immediately gave a master class performance of “Master Blaster (Jammin’).” The harmonies between Ed and Beyoncé were superb! Finally, Gary Clark, Jr. joined the duo as they ended their set with a lively “Higher Ground.” Mr. Clark, Jr. brilliantly bridged the gap between Wonder’s classic and Eric Clapton’s iconic rock cover. This was the best way to kick off a show! A
After a brief opening monologue from Grammy host LL Cool J, John Legend took to a baby grand piano and tackled “I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever).” I got chills during the first few notes. In all honesty, until tonight I was unfamiliar with this track from 1972’s Talking Book…but the nine-time Grammy winner made the song his own and received a standing ovation for his cover! A
SNL alum Maya Rudolph shared her Stevie Wonder experience and paid homage to her late mother, Minnie Riperton’s musical soul mate! She also introduced Lady Gaga, who also revealed that Songs In the Key of Life was the first album that she ever put in a record player by herself. Then, the “Do What U Want” singer broke out in a funky cover of “I Wish.” Mother Monster gave an impeccable spin to the 1976 hit that made everyone dance. B+
The Grammys showcased Stevie’s countless appearances on the award show. Some highlights included Stevie’s performance with Alicia Keys, joking around with co-presenters Bonnie Raitt and Celine Dion and sharing moments with his family. Once, the film ended, Jason DeRulo introduced Ariana Grande and Babyface, who tackled “Signed, Sealed and Delivered.” On paper, this was an odd couple! However, the “Problem” singer and the iconic producer delivered a superb acoustic first half…before honoring the song’s up-tempo arrangement. B+
Fellow music legend Annie Lennox delivered one of the performances of the night as she beautifully covered “My Cherie Amour.” Her elegant vocals, combined with her impressive showmanship made me smile and made the audience wish that she released her cover of the song on iTunes! A+
Pharrell Williams and Ryan Tedder encouraged the audience to stand up and groove as they performed one of Stevie’s signature songs from Inversions: “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing.” As they continued to raise their respective vocal registers, they brilliantly brought the Calypso-like atmosphere to the Nokia Theatre. B+
Music’s beloved octogenarian, Tony Bennett, first worked with Stevie Wonder when they collaborated on “Everyday (I Have the Blues)” for Mr. Bennett’s 2001 album: Playing with My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues. They reteamed five years later for Duets: An American Classic, where they won a Grammy for their duet of “For Once In My Life.” Tonight, Mr. Bennett brilliantly tackled the track as a solo performer and outsung and out-performed some of the previous performers of the evening! A++
Ed Sheeran returned to the stage and tackled “I Was Made to Love Her.” Like the John Legend performance, the “Sing” singer gave me chills from the first notes. It was awesome to seeing established artists such as Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Lady Gaga bounce their heads to Mr. Sheeran’s music. This performance truly showed why Ed Sheeran is one of the best singer-songwriters of my generation! I hope that he records this song for his third studio album. A+
Tyler Perry gave his best Richard Nixon impression to introduce the Band Perry’s cover of “You Haven’t Done Nothin’.” Stevie originally performed the track with the Jacksons in 1974 and it remains one of my all-time favorite political songs. I am so proud of the Band Perry for reaching outside their wheelhouse and tackling this funky tune. A-
Founding member of the Supremes, Mary Wilson, introduced a trio of soul priestesses (Jill Scott, India.Aire and Janelle Monae) who gave their interpretation of “As.” Multiple artists such as American Idol: Season 11 finalists to George Michael and Mary J. Blige have covered this song. But, these soulful powerhouses had everyone singing along with their beautiful harmonies and deep and personal message to Stevie made their cover probably one of the best Stevie Wonder covers I have ever heard. A+
As the ladies left the stage, tenor Andrea Bocelli took the stage to give an operatic interpretation of “I Just Called To Say I Love You.” As much as I enjoy Mr. Bocelli and his music…this was not a great mix. I wished that Jazz singer Diane Schurr, who performed the song for Stevie Wonder’s Kennedy Center Honors, sang this tune because she would have taken it to another level. D
Oscar and Grammy-winning actress Jennifer Hudson sang her favorite Stevie Wonder song: “All Is Fair in Love.” Here’s a fun fact, six years ago, Jennifer Hudson and Stevie Wonder performed the song on VH1 Divas Live. It was wonderful to hear Jennifer revisit this song; her beautiful cover not only brought me to tears, but also brought the house down A++
Before Mr. Wonder took the stage, Ne-Yo sang “Isn’t She Lovely.” In a special surprise, Wonder’s daughter, Aisha Morris, joined Ne-Yo in the performance that brought the crowd to its feet. B+
Jamie Foxx had the honor of introducing tonight’s honoree! As the audience cheered, Stevie went into a medley of some of his greatest hits that included “Sir Duke,” “You Are The Sunshine of My Life,” “Ribbons in the Sky,” “Overjoyed,” and “Superstition.” He truly showed why he remains not only one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all-time, but one of the important artists in the music industry. A++
