This brief but classy appearance by Stevie Wonder at the One To One Benefit headlined by John Lennon at Madison Square Garden was yet another step in the campaign by Berry Gordy to break the enormously talented Wonder to a more mainstream audience. He had spent most of 1972 opening for the Rolling Stones on their Exile On Main Street Tour, and the experience gave Wonder the impetus to bring his music to a huge, diverse fan base.
Although there are only three tracks from this show represented here, the affable Wonder and his band, Wonderlove, give a worthy performance despite…entire summary
Stevie Wonder - vocals, piano, keyboards
Shirley Brewer - backing vocals
Scott Edwards - bass
Jim Gilstrap - backing vocals
Lani Groves - backing vocals
Loris Harvin - backing vocals
Terry Hendricks - backing vocals
Trevor Laurence - saxophone
Ricky Lawson - drums
Steve Madaio - trumpet
Buzzy Feiten - lead guitar
Ray Parker, Jr. - rhythm guitar
Greg Phillinganes - keyboards
Denver Ross - saxophone
This brief but classy appearance by Stevie Wonder at the One To One Benefit headlined by John Lennon at Madison Square Garden was yet another step in the campaign by Berry Gordy to break the enormously talented Wonder to a more mainstream audience. He had spent most of 1972 opening for the Rolling Stones on their Exile On Main Street Tour, and the experience gave Wonder the impetus to bring his music to a huge, diverse fan base.
Although there are only three tracks from this show represented here, the affable Wonder and his band, Wonderlove, give a worthy performance despite the fact that he was one of a handful of opening acts. Years of touring and numerous media appearances had made Stevie Wonder comfortable performing in front of either intimate soul music fans, or large, raucous rock audiences.
Two of the three tracks performed here would be massive hits for Wonder—“Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)” and the brilliant “Superstition,” which he had just introduced with his multi-platinum Talking Book album. He closes his short set with “Keep On Runnin.'”
Shortly after this appearance with John Lennon at Madison Square Garden, Wonder’s own career would explode, mainly on the fact that he simply could do no wrong musically in the minds and hearts of both critics and fans. He has essentially been able to maintain that iconic status ever since.
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