Happy Birthday Stevie Wonder: Visiting ‘Sesame Street’ In 1973

Today, acclaimed musician Stevie Wonder celebrates his 75th birthday. Blind since shortly after his birth in 1950 and an accomplished performer since his start at age 11, from his earliest days as “Little Stevie Wonder” through the present Wonder has been an instrument of innovation in the realms of R&B, soul, funk, rock and pop music. He has achieved worldwide success throughout the many phases of his prominent career and for his birthday here’s a look back a special appearance he made on TV back in the early 1970s.

Stevie was the special guest on an episode during the fourth season of the children’s television program Sesame Street, Originally airing on April 12, 1973, Wonder opened the show with a performance of “123 Sesame Street.” Throughout the episode he appeared in clips with Grover, teaching the Muppet how to sing in various styles. Later he returned to deliver a live performance of his successful well-known song “Superstition.”

Here’s a video of Wonder playing “123 Sesame Street” with his backing band to begin the episode:

In this clip Stevie teaches Grover how to scat:

Finally, watch Stevie and his band play “Superstition”:

[Originally Published: May 13, 2016]