Stevie Wonder is receiving the tribute of a lifetime on Monday night (Feb. 16), when CBS will broadcast an all-star lineup of performances by Beyoncé, Pharrell Williams, Lady Gaga, and several others. Billed as Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life -- An All-Star Grammy Salute, the special will air from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET.
The 64-year-old musician spoke with Billboard about the event last week, and focused on the fruits of his longevity.
"I feel thankful to God, first and foremost, allowing me to enjoy this 'smell the roses' kind of thing," Wonder said. "All I ever wanted to do was music, and all I've ever asked, as I've gotten to know and discover the world more, is that God would use me in any way to encourage and inspire love and inspire people to bring and give love to each other. ... I've always asked to be able to speak and write about injustice and to do it in a way that would encourage people to make things better for everyone."
Always keeping politics and social justice in mind, Wonder explained how this past summer's events in Ferguson, Mo., were an opportunity to change America's outlook.
"I've got to want the same thing for your son or daughter I would want for mine," he said. "I've got to make sure that your son is as educated as mine, or vice versa. We've got to make sure we all live in communities that are safe. We've all got to feel there's a non-existence of 'driving while black,' 'driving while brown,' 'walking while black.' ... We want to see equality."
It's been a decade since Wonder's last LP, but he'll be dropping a new album in the next year or two that has been profoundly influenced by current events.
"How long have we been talking about the planet and what we've got to do?" he asked. "The fact that we've had the tragedy (in Newton, Connecticut), that's a wake-up call. ... We've got to have fewer people be silent and do something by their actions, by how they vote."
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