Stevie Wonder‘s all-time classic album Songs In The Key Of Life was released 50 years ago today. To celebrate, four unreleased recordings from the album sessions have been freshly mixed by the album’s original recording and mixing engineers, John Fischbach and Gary O Adante, and released together on an EP which you can hear below.
“We’ve lived with Songs In The Key Of Life for fifty years, but there’s still more to hear,” says Wonder. “We didn’t add these songs to the album, but they were part of what I was feeling and discovering as we made it. They bring me back to that time in my life, and now they get to become part of yours.”
All four tracks were recorded during the Songs In The Key Of Life sessions and written and produced by Wonder, with lyrics for “My Life Story of Love” co-written by Susaye Greene, the former Supreme and Motown artist who also co-wrote Michael Jackson’s “I Can’t Help It” with Wonder.
Featured musicians include keyboardist Gregory Phillinganes, at the beginning of his professional career with Wonderlove; guitarists and Wonderlove members Michael Sembello, co-writer of “Saturn,” and Ben Bridges; saxophonist Jim Horn; drummer Raymond Pounds, then taking part in his first major recording sessions; and bassist Nathan Watts, whose first recording sessions with Wonder followed their time on the road and began a partnership that continues today. “I’m Into Livin’” features background vocals by Shirley Brewer, heard on the original album’s “Ordinary Pain”; Thelma Houston, soon to score a No 1 with “Don’t Leave Me This Way”; and longtime Wonderlove vocalist Deniece Williams, on the cusp of her own solo stardom.
Stevie Wonder will continue to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Songs In The Key Of Life on his upcoming tour of Europe and North American, beginning in Birmingham on October 13. See the full list of dates below:
October 13, 2026 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham
October 15, 2026 – Accor Arena, Paris
October 18, 2026 – Royal Arena, Copenhagen
October 20, 2026 – Unity Arena, Oslo
October 22, 2026 – 3Arena, Stockholm
October 24, 2026 – ZAG-Arena, Hannover
October 26, 2026 – Lanxess Arena, Cologne
October 28, 2026 – Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam
November 1, 2026 – 3Arena, Dublin
November 3, 2026 – The O2, London
November 8, 2026 – Co-op Live, Manchester
November 11, 2026 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
November 19, 2026 – Madison Square Garden, New York City
November 21, 2026 – United Center, Chicago
November 23, 2026 – Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
December 8, 2026 – Fox Theater, Detroit
December 9, 2026 – Fox Theater, Detroit
December 19, 2026 – Intuit Dome, Los Angeles
You can read much more about Stevie Wonder and Songs In The Key Of Life via The Making Of “Sir Duke” feature in the current issue of Uncut, in shops now or available to order directly from us by clicking here.