Singer, songwriter, musician, producer, child prodigy... Stevie Wonder's storied life and legacy is not easily captured in just a fewadjectives. And, at 71, this musical genius shows no signs of slowing down. Fromhis first chart-topping success at age 13, to his 25 Grammy Award wins (andwhopping 74 nominations), Wonder remains an icon of American music and atestament to creating music for music's sake. The international star was born Stevland Hardaway Judkins in Saginaw, Michigan.Born six weeks premature, Morris lost his sight permanently in anover-oxygenated incubator. However, this hardly slowed the soon-to-be prodigy.Turning to music, Wonder became proficient at piano, harmonica and drums by theage of eight. By eleven, he was signed to Motown, earning the stage name "LittleStevie Wonder." Fame struck soon after. In 1963, Wonder's first hit,"Fingertips," made him the youngest artist to ever top the Billboard Hot 100chart. Photo credit: BS/ullstein bild via Getty Images.Throughout the 1960s, Stevieevolved from the status of child prodigy to music super stardom. While signed toMotown, Wonder produced a string of hits that progressively involved more andmore of his songwriting, musicianship and production skills. By the time the 70srolled around, Wonder was well positioned to create some of the most enduringmusic of the century. Gone were the days of "Little" Stevie Wonder – instead, inhis place stood a fully-realized artist with a point to prove.At 21, Wonder's contract with Motown expired. Before re-signing, the artistnegotiated an agreement that allowed him near complete artistic control over hiswork. From there, it was off to the races. Any anxieties about the prodigy'sdeclaration of independence were quickly calmed by the run of recordings withwhich Wonder obliterated any competition in the mid-1970s. Talking Book (1972)with early hits "Superstition" and "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," Innervisions (1973), Fulfillingness’ First Finale (1974), and Songs in the Keyof Life (1976) were all regarded as masterpieces, and the last three of them wona slew of Grammy Awards, each of them being named album of the year. This periodof magnificence is often referred to as Wonder's "Classic Period," set off byre-signing to Motown on his 21st birthday. Photo credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images.By his mid-20s, Stevie possessedincredible musical dexterity. The artist had mastered the idioms ofAfrican-American music while innovating to incorporate electronic soundsalongside acoustic rhythms. These ventures hugely influenced the face of popularmusic and the development of electronic musical genres for decades to come. Following his groundbreaking success of the 70s, Wonder continued to experimentwith his sound and lyricism. 1980 began with a disco-influenced album titled Hotter Than July, which contained a tribute track to icon Bob Marley alongsideother reggae hits. In 1982, Wonder made waves yet again with the release of"Ebony and Ivory," a collaboration with Paul McCartney promoting racial harmony.The song hit number 1 in both the US and UK, and went on to be one of thehighest selling singles of 1982. In the mid-eighties, Wonder (who was now inquite high demand) released the soundtrack for Gene Wilder's film The Woman inRed. The hit "I Just Called to Say I Love You" became one of the Motown label'smost renowned hits of all time, and won an Academy Award for best original song.Throughout the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s, Wonder continued to release albums,collaborations, and movie soundtracks that are still widely enjoyed today. Suchselections include his 1985 album Square Circle, 1989's Characters and 1991's Conversation Peace. Wonder also composed pieces for Spike Lee's 1991 film JungleFever, from which came three more Top 10 R&B singles. Wonder was inducted into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. Among otheraccolades, Wonder received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014, and holdsa Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Wonder now lives in Los Angeles withhis wife, Tomeeka Robyn Bracy, and continues to do what he does best: pull usall a little closer with music we won't forget. Watch Wonder perform live in 1974 below.