Product Description

Hardship, sacrifice, determination, and ultimate triumph are the elements that make up Blind Faith, the frank and compelling biography of Lula Hardaway, mother of superstar musician and singer Stevie Wonder. Written with her full cooperation and participation, this is the first ever authorized look into the life of the woman who gave birth to and nurtured one of America's greatest musicians/songwriters -- and the struggles that preceded his rise to fame and fortune.

To say that Lula Hardaway did not have an easy life is an understatement. It was a constant struggle for self-esteem and emotional survival. Yet survive she did -- a motherless child born in a sharecropper's shack in Alabama, she was passed from relative to relative, unwanted and, for the most part, unloved. As a teenager she was sent to Chicago, where she met a much older man whom she eventually married. Unfortunately, her life then took an even darker turn as he abused her and forced her to work as a prostitute. Determined to build a better life for her children, she started hiding money away, and one day successfully made her escape to Detroit.

One of her sons, Stevland Judkins, was blind from infancy. Although he presented special challenges, Lula noticed from the outset that this little boy impressed everyone he met with his outgoing personality, his intelligence, charm, and resourcefulness -- and his incredible musical talent. By age ten, he was playing and singing gospel tunes in church, and then joining adults singing rhythm and blues on the street corners of Detroit.

Eventually, word of this young phenomenon reached Berry Gordy, who was just beginning to establish himself as a creative force in Detroit's thriving music scene. Gordy dubbed the boy Little Stevie Wonder, and launched him into musical history when he signed him to his Motown label.

Stardom didn't come that easily -- there was the question of what material was best for Stevie, and then the question of what would happen to the twelve-year-old boy's voice when he reached puberty. Fortunately, the voice that emerged was even more musical and more captivating than it had been. Great care was taken in choosing his next projects and the result was a succession of top 10 -- and several number 1 -- hits.

By age twenty-one, Stevie had attained greater control of his career and finances by negotiating a new contract with Motown, which gave him complete control over the songs he recorded. What followed was a string of chart-topping albums and some of the most memorable popular music to come from the second half of the last century.

Through it all, Stevie Wonder never failed to credit his mother. When Innervisions won a Grammy award for Album of the Year in 1973, he refused to accept the award unless Lula would walk with him to the podium. He clutched his mother in front of the auditorium and in front of the millions of people watching on television, proclaiming, "Her strength has led us to this place."

Indeed, it was her strength and her belief in herself and in her sons that brought them to that place, to the very heights of success. It was her drive and her willingness to sacrifice the now for the future -- plus her abiding belief in God -- that saw them through. Blind Faith is not only the story of the birth of a superstar but also a stirring testament to a mother's love and determination and a frank and uncompromising look at how one woman's attempt to better her children's lives led to a lasting gift to the world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1223748 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-20
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

From Amazon.com
For those interested in the hardscrabble story behind Stevie Wonder, this authorized biography fleshes out some of the facts available elsewhere. This often entertaining book takes the sporadically successful tack of telling Wonder's story largely from the point of view of Lulu Hardaway, Wonder's mother. Beginning with her migration from the backwoods of Alabama to prostitution and poverty in the Northeast, the book then shifts gears to Wonder's struggle from 11-year-old prodigy and dutiful Motown employee to the creator of influential classics such as Music of My Mind, Innervisions, and Songs in the Key of Life.

In Blind Faith Wonder comes off as an inexhaustible worker undaunted by his blindness--as well as a loving son, a prankster, and a womanizer. Although he has never surpassed his artistic peak of the '70s, this book glosses over the past 20 years, offering a paean to his philanthropy and perfectionism instead. More input from the reticent Wonder would have made Blind Faith a more compelling read; instead, Hardaway's story dominates. Although well-written, fans would be better served by a biography that tells Wonder's story in a less digressive fashion. --Valerie Gregory

From Publishers Weekly
Love and Brown, two freelance journalists, based this rambling account of the rock 'n' roll legend on interviews they conducted with Wonder and Hardaway, both of whom cooperated with this bio. Blind since birth, Steveland Judkins (born in 1952) was a musical prodigy who, as a child, played for coins on the street. By the time he was 10, he had mastered the harmonica, piano, organ and drums without taking a lesson. After moving with his family to Detroit, he was introduced to Berry Gordy of Motown Records, who signed him to a record contract and nicknamed him "Little Stevie Wonder." After his first big hit, "Fingertips Part Two," Wonder continued to produce hits for Motown until he was 21, when he negotiated a contract that gave him artistic freedom. The authors accurately portray Wonder's amazing musical ability, but they offer little insight into their subject's character other than stressing his good nature and commitment to social causes. More engrossing is their treatment of Hardaway, who was deserted by her parents and endured a childhood marked by poverty and abuse. Calvin Judkins, her husband and father of their children (including Stevie), drank, beat his wife, and forced her into prostitution in order to feed her family. She finally was able to extricate herself from this relationship and support her three children by finding a job that was low paying, but above the board. Love and Brown describe how Wonder greatly improved his mother's life after he became successful, but, unfortunately, they essentially end their account with Wonder's recovery from a 1973 automobile accident.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Based on interviews with Stevie Wonder and his mother, Lula Hardaway, this "virtually autobiographical" account of a single mother and her blind son's struggles in Detroit's 1960s ghettos will leave a bad taste in readers' mouths. As the world over knows, Motown Records founder Berry Gordy signed the preteen Wonder in 1961, propelling him into fame and fortune. At first the label's leading teen star, he went on to become an electrofunk pioneer and political activist. Journalists Love and Brown recognize the poignancy of Wonder's story and milk it for all it's worth, using conjecture rather than quotes from their subjects and hence giving the book a sensational feel. It is difficult to imagine that the authors could have effectively surmised what was spoken between Hardaway and Wonder 40 years ago. Unfortunately, in their hands the power of Wonder's story is lost. John Swenson did a more thorough job with the same material in Stevie Wonder. Not recommended. Caroline Dadas, Hickory Hills, IL
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Interesting Story
Lula's story was truly heartbreaking. She endured so much adversity in her life. Stevie's success was really a "blessing" for the entire family to come out of proverty and for her to accept the fact that his visual impairment was not a hindrance to his happiness.

Stevie's story is remarkable as well. He began an extremely talented young boy that just wanted to play his music and enjoy his life the best he could. I am truly proud of his accomplishments. One thing that could have been better for the story overall is a better ending!

It ended somewhere in the eighties for Stevie and did not mention what ever came of his siblings. A good read though, and gives a pretty good overview of how Stevie came to be the great artistic genius that he is

amazing,courageous,determined...AWE STRUCK
Belinda Sampson,

This has got to be one of the best books I have read about a child that grows into a woman with so much courage and determination in her character no matter what was put upon her shoulders. Mother to the famous Stevie Wonder or not, this woman is an inspiration within herself for all of the pain she has went through. The book speaks of a hard life, a hard childhood like that of Nightmares Echo-a memoir. It also reminds me of a couple of other books such as A Child Called It and Running With Scissors. I am just in utter amazement with this book. Pride shines in my eyes along ith the tears I shed while reading this wonderful book.

Amazing story of Stevie Wonder AND his mother
Loved  the taped version of BLIND FAITH: THE MIRACULOUS
JOURNEY OF LULA HARDAWAY, STEVIE WONDER'S MOTHER
by Dennis Love and Stacy Brown . . . it is an authorized biography
of Wonder and his mother, based on interviews with the both
of them.

I had listened to Wonder's music over the years, but did not know
too much about his background . . . how he achieved the
success that he did is nothing short of amazing, especially
given his blindness.

He comes across as a talented worker not fazed by his blindness,
along with being a loving son, a prankster and a womanizer . . . his
mother's tale of devotion was particularly moving, though I would
have liked to have heard more about what happened to her
after her son's success . . . I'm also curious as to what
happened to his brothers since very little information is given
about them.

The narration by Viola Davis was excellent; so much so, in fact,
that I want to find more about her . . . I'll be curious to find out if

she has read other books and/or appeared on screen.