Talking Book

(This article is about the Stevie Wonder album. For a more general article about "talking books" see: Audio book).

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Talking Book is an album by Stevie Wonder. Some fans claim that it is one of the best crossover records of all time. On its release it helped to destroy the myth that R&B artists were incapable of creating music that could be appreciated by rock audiences.

Related Topics:
Stevie Wonder - Crossover - R&B

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Talking Book was released after Wonder toured with the Rolling Stones in 1972, and became an immediate hit. The album marked a unique period for R&B artists and especially Motown artists. Its cover depicts Wonder with manicured corn rows, Indian jewelry and a velvet afghan.

Related Topics:
Rolling Stones - 1972 - Motown - Jewelry - Afghan

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Sandwiched between the release of Music of My Mind and Innervisions, Talking Book saw Wonder enjoying more artistic freedom from Motown, taking over the production reins and playing most of the instruments. The album is sharply defined by Wonder's keyboard work, especially with the synthesizers he incorporated, giving a funky edge to tracks like "Maybe Your Baby". His swinging acoustic guitar and harmonica embellishments on "Big Brother", though, defy categorization.

Related Topics:
Music of My Mind - Innervisions - Instruments - Keyboard - Synthesizer - Funky - Guitar - Harmonica

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The album features appearances from guitar heroes Jeff Beck, Ray Parker, Jr. and Buzzy Feton (Howard "Buzz" Feiten).

Related Topics:
Jeff Beck - Ray Parker, Jr.

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Wonder won three awards for Talking Book at the Grammy Awards of 1974: Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", and both Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for "Superstition". Incidentally, in the same ceremony, Wonder's next album, Innervisions, won Album of the Year and Talking Book's producers Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff won the Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical award for their work on that album. Cecil and Margouleff produced four classic Wonder Albums in all: Music of My Mind, Talking Book, Innervisions and Fulfillingness' First Finale.

Related Topics:
Grammy Awards of 1974 - Best Male Pop Vocal Performance - Best Male R&B Vocal Performance - Best R&B Song - Innervisions - Album of the Year - Malcolm Cecil - Robert Margouleff - Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical - Music of My Mind - Fulfillingness' First Finale

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