On this day in music history: September 29, 1980 - Hotter Than July, the nineteenth album by Stevie Wonder is released. Produced by Stevie Wonder, it is recorded at Wonderland Studios in Los Angeles, CA, I.A.M. Studios in Irvine, CA, and Crystal Sound Studios in Hollywood, CA from Late 1979 - Mid 1980. Following the relative commercial failure of his previous album Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants, Wonder will return eleven months later with the critically acclaimed and highly successful follow up July. Recorded concurrently with Journey, it includes a number of tracks that were not thematically or musically suited to be included on the previous album. It will spin off four hit singles including Master Blaster (Jammin) (#1 R&B, #5 Pop) which is dedicated to Bob Marley. It is with this album that Wonder will officially launch his campaign to make Martin Luther King, Jrs birthday (January 15th) a national holiday, via the song Happy Birthday. Copies of the original vinyl LP will contain an inner sleeve with one side featuring a portrait of Dr. King along with Wonders request for others to join him in honoring the legendary Civil Rights leader. The other side features black & white photos taken during the height of the the Civil Rights movement. The US Government will make Martin Luther King, Jr.s birthday (or the third Monday in January on whatever date that falls) a national holiday in 1986, thanks to the musicians tireless efforts to make it happen. Hotter Than July will spend thirteen weeks at number one on the Billboard R&B album chart, number three on the Top 200, and is certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 23:00:10 +0000
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