Wonder soon became a fixture at Motown's studio, making recordings that showcased his talent as a multi-instrumentalist. In 1963, an exuberant live recording “Fingertips (Part 2)
” became a U.S. No. 1 hit and Motown began marketing the “12-year-old genius
” as the new Ray charles. For all his talent, the young Wonder had little musical direction to call his own.
As Wonder aged and the novelty of youth wore off, he began to assert himself as...