Stevie Wonder: "We All Can Be Inspired"

Singer Talks To Katie Couric About Memorial for Friend Michael Jackson

(CBS)  CBS News anchor Katie Couric sat down with singer Stevie Wonder, who took part in Tuesday's memorial service for Michael Jackson.

Q: Stevie, this must have been a very difficult day for you.

A: It's been a very difficult 12 days, really. But last the last two days I had more peace. Just knowing that Michael gave so much of himself, gave so much of himself to the world as a musician, singer, song writer, dancer. His commitment to making this world better with his songs, with his expressions of not just talking about it but being about it, made a difference in the world in the time that he lived and obviously he died too soon.

Q: I know you first met the Jackson 5 when they sang backup vocals for one of your songs. This is what I was told. I guess it was "You Haven't Done Nothing Yet." And that was a long time ago, Stevie, wasn't it?

A: It was '74 when we did that. And it was '74 the latter part, the late summer is when I wrote the song and they were kind enough to come and sing the background. And Michael was very curious, you about how I worked. But actually I had met Michael a little after, shortly after he came to Motown when he was, like 9 years old, 9 or 10.

Q: Were you amazed by his talent? I mean, you were a child star yourself, little Stevie Wonder. But were you amazed by his voice?

A: Very similarly to Smokey [Robinson]. You know, the way he sang the song "Who's Loving You," I said "What?" He's got to be older than 9. But he was 9 - 9 or 10. He was 9, yeah. And he has got to be looking at history as one of the greatest readers of the song. A song writer wants to always have a singer that is able to take the lyrics and give it the complete meaning that it was meant to be when the song was written. So he took the lyrics of "Who's Loving You" and other songs that he did and made it completely believable. In your opinion that experience and he was great with that.

Q: And he did it time and time again. Stevie, thank you so much for coming and sharing your thoughts with us on what I know is a difficult day for you.

A: Yeah. It's a very painful moment. It's sort of surreal, I guess. As much as I know it's true, I can't believe it. But I just encourage everyone to take the book of Michael's life and the positive things that he did and the music that he made and the songs that he sang and the commitment that he made to humanity, take that book and read it and we all can be inspired to do more for our humanity as he did.


Watch the full interview below.




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[John_Merritt]

I have said my piece on MJ and the career he had, but if I may would like to nominate Mr. Stevie Wonder as one the great 'King of Pops' for all these generations. I would just hope that he receives the same, if not more, recognition because he certainly deserves it. A good man who has contributed mightily just like all those before him. Churck Berry, Sam Cooke, James Brown, Sammy Davis Jr., Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Little Richard and the list goes on. MJ was good and had great dance moves, but he was no better than the above listed.

[BJSP]

The Michael Jackson Memorial was a most extraordinary ceremony that appeared to be well thought out, and extremely tasteful. I cried so hard I had a head ache. I literally became physically ill, and my heart hurt because I knew that this was it. I recall sitting there anticipating each moment, and noy wanting it to end. I just wanted the ceremony to continue because it was very up lifting, and it was feeding my soul. Some might argue this, but MJ's service was a home going service. The whole service touched me very deeply from beginning to end for so many different reasons, but there was three moments that just took the whole thing into orbit for me. They had been hit by and run over by a maccl truck and didn't realize it. The statements, the stories shared by his friends, the music that was played, and sung by his close friends like I was initially moved by Stevie Wonder,perfopming "I never dreamed you'd leave in Summer", and "They Won't Go When I Go". If people truly knew what that particular song was about they'd understand they'd just been hit hard. "No More Lying Friends Wanting tragic Ends and Though They do Pretend They Won't Go When I Go" No one commented on this, however it was one of the most powerful if not the most performances of the service. I'm sure Mike was pleased to know that finally get accross to people something he had not been able to. Look up the words to that Stevie Wonder song it's on his "Fullfillingness First Finale" album. The Next highlght for me was my man the good Rev. Al Sharpton, who gave that magnificently, truthful speech while addressing Michael's Children, "Wasn't Nothing Strange About Your Daddy, It was strange what your Daddy had to deal with, but He dealt with it Any way." If there's any such thing as the dead knows what the living are doing. I know that made Michael extremely happy as it did theose of us who did hear it , and who are and always were believers of Michael Joseph Jackson. John:8 says let he who is without sin cast the first stone. R.I.P. Michael JaCKson a light has went out in the world. You Will surely sorely be missed We Love You!