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Stevie Wonder marks the 50th anniversary of 'Songs in the Key of Life' with a new EP of four unreleased tracks and an arena tour starting 13 October in Birmingham.
Stevie Wonder has released four previously unheard songs from the recording sessions of his 1976 album 'Songs in the Key of Life' as a new EP of the same name. The release marks the 50th anniversary of the album, which won the Grammy for album of the year and includes landmark tracks such as 'Sir Duke', 'As' and 'Isn't She Lovely'. The new EP arrives as Wonder prepares to perform the album in full on an arena tour beginning 13 October in Birmingham, UK.
Unreleased Tracks from Iconic Sessions
The four tracks—'It's Easier', 'My Life Story of Love', 'I Can See the Sun in Late December' and 'I'm Into Livin'—are all written and produced by Wonder. 'My Life Story of Love' features a co-writing credit for former Supremes member Susaye Greene, who also co-wrote Michael Jackson's 'I Can't Help It' with Wonder.
The original recording and mixing engineers, John Fischbach and Gary O Adante, recently mixed the tracks for release. Backing vocals on 'I'm Into Livin'' include Thelma Houston and Deniece Williams, along with Shirley Brewer, who also appears on 'Ordinary Pain' from the original album.
Musically, the songs continue the style Wonder crafted in the 1970s: a sunlit, spiritually attuned blend of soul and R&B with psychedelic soul arrangements, funk and jazz detailing, and a mix of futuristic keyboards and organic instrumentation. 'It's Easier' is a bossa nova-esque number questioning whether to walk away from love; 'My Life Story of Love' uses bucolic imagery to tell of a blossoming relationship; 'I Can See the Sun in Late December' is a slow jazz ballad about optimism and self-discovery; and 'I'm Into Livin'' is a funk track where Wonder renounces his old partying ways and pledges himself to a single lover.
Wonder said in a statement that after living with the album for 50 years, there is still more to hear. He explained that the songs were not added to the album but were part of what he was feeling and discovering during its creation, and they bring him back to that time in his life. Now, he said, they can become part of listeners' lives.
Album Legacy and Anniversary Tour
'Songs in the Key of Life' was released in 1976 as a 21-track double album and is widely considered Wonder's most epic studio work. It won the Grammy for album of the year and contains some of his most enduring songs. The album's backings are known for their detailed, instantly recognisable psychedelic soul arrangements that blend funk and jazz with the futurist sound of keyboards and synth bass, fleshed out by a huge range of organic instrumentation.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary, Wonder will perform the album in full on an arena tour. The tour begins on 13 October in Birmingham, UK. He then tours across Europe before returning to the UK for three more dates in London, Manchester and Glasgow. After that, he will play five US cities: New York City, Chicago, Washington DC, Detroit and Los Angeles.
Wonder's most recent new material was the single 'Can We Fix Our Nation's Broken Heart', released in 2024. He has not released a new studio album since 2005's 'A Time to Love'. In 2020, he announced a new project entitled 'Through the Eyes of Wonder', though no further news on its status has been released since.
The release of the EP and the upcoming tour offer fans a chance to revisit a landmark album and hear previously unavailable music from those historic sessions. With the 50th anniversary, Wonder's influence on soul, R&B and pop remains as strong as ever, and the new tracks add to the legacy of one of the most celebrated albums in music history.
Stevie Wonder Songs In The Key Of Life EP Release Anniversary Tour Unreleased Tracks Grammy Awards Arena Tour
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