I read the post recently concerning Prince's influences. I was wondering though if anybody else can hear alot of similarities between Prince and Stevie Wonder. I've been listening to Stevie's album "talking book" alot lately and although I've had it for a few years it seems that the more I listen the more similarities I hear. Sometimes the similarities aren't right on the surface. I'm talking about things like Religious overtones and the way Stevie layers tons of vocal lines under the main lyrics. Other times they are right in your face. Does anyone agree with me on this one? I'm not totally in love with everything Stevie has done, but he can really kick ass at times and I think Prince definitely took some influence there.

definetley
more so (imo) if u listen to Songs in the Key of Life.

7lovesymbol7 said:

I've always said that the sped up vocal on Stevie's "Maybe Your Baby" is Camille's ancestor. And yes there are a lot of similarities between prince and stevie. They both are proficient multi-instrumentalist/one man bands and self-producers who mix rock, funk, soul and jazz. Both can deliver a killer groove or a touching ballad with equal ease and both have produced and written songs extensively for other artists. Sometimes I think stevie may even be above sly and hendrix in the list of prince's inspirations (those are definitely the top 3 in my mind)

"money don't matter tonight" sounds like a Stevie song I reckon.

Perhaps in the early years a bit, but Stevie has been a great influence to a lot of artists, especially back then.

yup. he said it himself in the larry king interview... that he fashioned himself after Stevie Wonder at the beginning of his career.

jacktheimprovident said:

It sounds like the vocals on Baby Knows as well.

I would have to say that as musicians they are very similar. Without even comparing their songs or styles specifically, just their approaches seem to be very alike. Stevie seems to be more like Prince than anyone else I know of.