On this day in 1962, a young singer who would go on to become an iconic performer made a key recording. Steve Wonder, at the age of 12, recorded his first single for Motown Records. “Thank You (For Loving Me All The Way)” would not be Wonder’s biggest hit, but it was a marker of a key development in Wonder’s career.
According to This Day in Music, Wonder recorded the song on October 23, 1962, with the Funk Brothers backing him.
MotownMuseum notes that Wonder auditioned at Motown and signed his first contract during the summer of 1961, when he was 11. His real name is Steveland Hardaway Judkins, and even at the very beginning of his music career, he was already a triple threat. He not only sang, but he also played several musical instruments and was a songwriter.
During the early days of his career, he performed as “Little Stevie Wonder,” a name given to him by Motown Records president Berry Gordy, Jr. A few years later, at the age of 15, he dropped the “Little.” His first big hit came in 1963 with “Fingertips, Part 2.”
At the age of 21, Wonder took on full creative control of his music. He started producing some of the hits he is most remembered for today, including “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” and “Superstition.”
Wonder was the opening act for the Rolling Stones during their North American tour in 1972, an unusual move for a Motown artist at that time. The tour introduced him to an entirely new audience and elevated his career.
The iconic musician first embraced music at the age of 4 via a Detroit, Michigan, church choir. By the age of 10, he had taught himself how to play piano, harmonica, and drums.
Some of Wonder’s biggest hits came decades into his career. “Ebony and Ivory” was released in 1982, and “I Just Called to Say I Love You” came out in 1984. 1985 brought “Part-Time Lover.”
In 2016, Wonder recorded “Faith” with Ariana Grande, and the song “Future Sunny Days,” which was used in the 2018 Scandal finale, was Wonder’s as well.
This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 23, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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