Pittsburgh audience members really got their money’s worth when singer, songwriter, producer Stevie Wonder graced the Consol Energy Center stage for a performance of his “Songs in the Key of Life” tour.
For three and a half hours Wonder, dressed in a black suit jacket with a beaded neru collar and black pants, sang every song on the double LP that many call the best of his career.
“The reason that I wanted to extend this tour that we started a couple of years ago, Songs in the Key of Life Performance Tour, was because we’ve never done it here in Pittsburgh and I want to do it as many places that I can because this is the last time we’re going to do it in the states. I wanted to do it because you know it and we all know that more than ever in the world, love is in such need of love,” Wonder said to the adoring fans that were in attendance.
The original tour began in November of 2014 with a series of dates in the United States and Canada around the 38th anniversary of the record’s release.
“Songs in the Key of Life” was Wonder’s 18th album. Released in 1976 on Motown Records, it is the culmination of his classic period albums and contains songs in every music genre including Pop, Jazz, Funk and R&B. It was recorded at the Record Plant’s Hollywood and Sausalito, Ca., locations and at the Hit Factory in New York City. The final mixing was done at Crystal Sound.
The album and its bonus four-song EP won Wonder a bevy of awards in 1977 including Album of the Year, Best Male R & B Vocal Performance, Producer of the Year and the Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. “Songs in the Key of Life” became among the highest selling and critically-acclaimed albums of Wonder’s career and of all time.
In 2005, 29 years after its release, “Songs in the Key of Life” was ranked number 57 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the Top 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Also that same year, the album was preserved into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress, which called it aesthetically, culturally and historically significant.
Wonder was honored to return to Pittsburgh where his first wife, singer/songriter Syreeta Wright, was born. The two were married from 1970-1972.
“She’s on a lot of songs that I‘ve written. You hear here voice on “If You Really Love Me” and all that kind of stuff,” Wonder said during the concert. “I give all honor to God for being here with you tonight.”
Accompanied by members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Wonder performed to perfection such hits as “You Can Feel It All Over,” “Have a Talk With God,” “I Wish,” and “Knocks Me Off My Feet.”
“It’s great performing with your local orchestra and musicians,” Wonder said. “We have less and less of that happening now because there’s no art in the schools,” he said to thunderous applause.
Not only was Wonder amazing, his background singers held their own. Wonder gave each member of his team a chance to shine by performing solos. One highlight during that portion of the concert was when his three background singers performed a remake of En Vogue’s “Hold On (To Your Love).” The girls just need to branch off and form their own group. They would take the music world by storm.
During “It is Magic” Wonder used the harp originally recorded by Jazz Harpist Dorothy Ashby.
When he got to the final song on “Songs in the Key of Life,” the audience thought the concert was over. Because it was nearing 11 p.m. and it was a Wednesday night.
That wasn’t the case.
After he drank some water, he was no longer Stevie Wonder. He turned into his alter ego DJ Tick Tick Boom
“Here’s the deal here’s how it works. If I stay you’ve got to pay attention. You’ve got to focus and be a part of the celebration. Are you feeling me? Anything can happen do you feel me?” Wonder said before bringing Pittsburgh’s legendary Skyliners on the stage to perform “Since I don’t Have You” along with him.
Following that, Wonder ended the night with the classic songs “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” and “Just Enough for the City” and “Superstitious.”
It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see the genius of Stevie Wonder unfold on stage.
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