Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke (Live @Apollo Theatre 1985)
On May 5th, 1985 the Apollo's renovation is celebrated with a 50th Anniversary grand reopening and television special, "Motown Salutes the Apollo." and was hosted by Bill Cosby.
"Sir Duke" is a song composed and performed by Stevie Wonder, from his 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life. Released as a single in 1977, the track topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and Black Singles charts, and reached #2 in the UK Singles Chart, his joint biggest hit there at the time.
The song was written in tribute to Duke Ellington, the influential jazz legend who had died in 1974. The lyrics also refer to Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.
The artists, apart from Stevie Wonder, who perform on the original version were: Raymond Pounds (drums), Nathan Watts (bass), Mike Sembello (lead guitar), Ben Bridges (rhythm guitar), Hank Redd (alto saxophone), Trevor Laurence (tenor saxophone), Raymond Maldonado (trumpet), and Steve Madaio (trumpet).
Wonder re-recorded the song for the 1995 live album Natural Wonder.
Wonder wrote the song as a tribute to Duke Ellington, a jazz pianist who had an influence on him as a musician. Wonder had already experienced the passing of two of his idols (Dinah Washington and Wes Montgomery) after attempting to collaborate with them.
After Ellington died in 1974, Wonder wanted to write a song acknowledging musicians he felt were important. He later said, "I knew the title from the beginning but wanted it to be about the musicians who did something for us. So soon they are forgotten. I wanted to show my appreciation." Later tributes included "Master Blaster" in 1980 (dedicated to Bob Marley) and "Happy Birthday", which pleaded for commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr. on his birthday.
Wonder pays tribute to "some of music's pioneers" in the song: "There's Basie, Miller, Satchmo, and the king of all, Sir Duke / And with a voice like Ella's ringing out / There's no way the band can lose".
Stevland Hardaway Morris known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist. A child prodigy, he has become one of the most creative and loved musical performers of the late 20th century. Wonder signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age of eleven and continues to perform and record for Motown as of the early 2010s. He has been blind since shortly after birth.
Among Wonder's works are singles such as "Superstition", "Sir Duke", "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" and "I Just Called to Say I Love You"; and albums such as Talking Book, Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life. He has recorded more than thirty U.S. top ten hits and received twenty-two Grammy Awards, the most ever awarded to a male solo artist, and has sold over 100 million albums and singles, making him one of the top 60 best-selling music artists. Wonder is also noted for his work as an activist for political causes, including his 1980 campaign to make Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday a holiday in the United States. In 2009, Wonder was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace. In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists to celebrate the US singles chart's fiftieth anniversary, with Wonder at number five.
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OMG!! Just discovered after all these years that this song is dedicated to Duke Ellington!! Beautiful!! RIHP Sir Duke Ellington!
@anpuarcturus
Ай бұрын
Yes indeed! Had I not been into Jazz when this song was released, I wouldn't have known either. I like the lyrics of this song 🎵 Basie, Miles, Satchmo, And The King Of All Sir Duke 🎶 I remember him performing it live in 1977 (The 1977 Grammy Awards) with men wearing tuxedos and the women in dresses from the Jazz Age. I hope I can find that on KZread one day 😃
Stevie Wonder has always had a way of stealing my heart with his music since I was 5 years old; 32 years later and I can smile and still fall in love with his music everytime. Amazing living legend & musical genius. *pay attention kids*
My goodness you can see stevie is really enjoying this
A giant honoring another giant.
Such beauty is the magic of good clean wholesome music. You can never go wrong with these songs. Makes me believe in God
What an inspiration he is!!! #happyfeels 🥹💗
F**cking goosebumps, period.
The Maestro, the Best!!!
Stevie Wonder does it again
Music is the glue that bring out the best in us
Stevie Wonder was strikingly handsomely.
Happy Heavenly Birthday Daddy!! He loved Stevie Wonder's music! Love & miss you!! Continue RIHP!❤
He is so good!!!!
Gosh I love him so much he gawgus and super gifted😘🎶🎹 stay with us forever and ever
His arrange is wonderfullll
STEVIE REALLY WONDERFUL! UNIQUE! GREAT TALENT! BEAUTIFUL VOICE!❤❤❤❤
He's amazing !
The King was The Duke!
The Best!
Love you Duke.Hate the commercials in between.
@josho2053
6 жыл бұрын
download ad block
What a legend
My fav song by an awes musician
sometimes i feel like he was never blind
2:19 = ridiculous vocals
@pikeboyukuk1477
5 жыл бұрын
James Crisp he can get away with it
@emillies8814
5 жыл бұрын
Pike boy Uk what do u mean, she ment ridiculous as in ridiculously good I’m pretty sure. So dnt know what U mean by saying he can get away with it xxxx
@pikeboyukuk1477
5 жыл бұрын
ridiculous usually means crap And James is usually a boys name
@emillies8814
5 жыл бұрын
Pike boy Uk my bad I ment he, but no he ment ridiculous as in sooo good that it’s rediculous coz I mean listen to the vocals mate, unless u think that was bad coz i mean saying “he can get away with it” is probably pretty rich coming from you.....
@pikeboyukuk1477
5 жыл бұрын
Emillie S grow up 🤣🤣
Nice!!
I like the song
A Legend honoring a Legend ❤🙏
Where are these artist kinds nowadays???
Love love love 💓 💓💓💓💓💓💓💓
this is great !
The genius!
Wow
i think i just died
Sin autotune excelente
❤
Metal drummers want to act like the double kick drum is their idea. Lol.
@cannella617
2 жыл бұрын
Didn’t know Duke was the first to use the double kick lol
@joshy5677
2 жыл бұрын
Guys we are living in the end times rn Jesus can return anytime soon. SO PLEASE TURN TO THE LORD He's waiting and Loves you very much ✝️
@gab2876
Жыл бұрын
Do they actually though?
KILLED THAT SHIT💕💕
Damn, that went by way to fast!! That's ok, I'll watch it a few more times!
Steve Gadd on drums!
@orion681
3 жыл бұрын
If that is Steve, it's the most underwhelming performance I have ever heard from him. This song is supposed to swing and he felt stiff as Ron Jeremy.
@Bomono65
3 жыл бұрын
@@orion681 Well the mix and overall sound quality here certainly doesn't do him any favours. Not a lot of room for nuance there. Still I dig it. Maybe because I've whatched the whole show in which Gadd plays throughout. The show itself is mostly cheesy but watching SG in this kind of setting is interresting. You can find the whole thing here kzread.info/dash/bejne/ia2j3LqCo8a4hqg.html
한국사람 손들어보셈~!
Where's the rest!? 😩
why is his piano sooo low
2 people dont know what music is
@FunkoBoys
6 жыл бұрын
Izzy Tepe now 6 crazy
@theloniouscoltrane3778
5 жыл бұрын
They know MEDIOCRE music. Pity them.
@czedrickreyes1544
4 жыл бұрын
ok boomer
@izzytepe
7 ай бұрын
10 year old me saying this was WILD
This is irrelevant but if your squint his hair looks like a clarinet 😅
Mexican got on boots
@yolandacox1096
4 жыл бұрын
ethan harris lol what does that joke have to do with this song? Did u mention this or something lol
@PeaceMakerS2
4 жыл бұрын
@@yolandacox1096 nothing, just spreading the word
@yolandacox1096
4 жыл бұрын
ethan harris oh okay lol
What a stupid name and a stupid commercial interupting good music. Such Audacity!!!