Stevie Wonder surprises crowd with Obamas appearance: 'Music helps to heal us'

BALTIMORE – “I got friends. I got friends. I g o t friends.”

The voice was unmistakable, that warbling tenor that has tinted dozens of soul/R&B/pop classics for more than 60 years.

The glimpse of him was also familiar: the dark clothing, tight black cap and braids cascading down his back.

But as Stevie Wonder emerged from behind the stage singing the benefits of friendship, it slowly dawned on the crowd packing CFG Bank Arena that his escorts were a jaw-dropping surprise.

Former President Barack Obama and wife Michelle flanked the music icon, slowly walking him center stage toward his bench, where he would be cocooned by a set of keyboards and a baby grand piano.

As the Obamas stood on each side of him, Wonder, 74, broke into Martha & The Vandellas' “Heatwave,” substituting the word “landslide” – as in the upcoming presidential election – for the titular chorus.

After the enraptured audience sang along, President Obama leaned over the seated Wonder to joke, “I’m not singing tonight. I just want to make sure Stevie gets into his chair.” And then, clapping Wonder on the shoulder, offered the reminder, “Get out there and vote.”

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'Don't get hung up on things that are ridiculous'

Wonder’s brief 11-date tour, which began last week and runs through Nov. 2 , is timed for election season and named with care: Sing Your Song! As We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart.

He isn’t outright stumping, though his support is obvious from his appearance and performance at the Democratic National Convention in August. But Wonder is spreading a message of peace and hope, evidenced in the new song “Can We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart,” which he opened his fulfilling 2-hour-40-minute show with on Oct. 15.

The loquacious Wonder squeezed nearly as many stories as classic songs into his set. He talked about his time on a tour bus as an 11-year-old, explained why he loves all genres of music - “Music helps to heal us” – and pointedly remarked in a knowing tone, “For all you men, remember, you came from a woman … Don’t get hung up on things that are ridiculous.”

Former President Obama dedicates a Stevie Wonder song to Michelle

Though the show was speckled with political overtones – “If you get offended by what I’m saying, too bad because I love you anyway,” Wonder said before a string-laden “Village Ghetto Land” – it was also a night of unmitigated joy and respect for the spectacular musicianship onstage.

Wonder has enlisted a small city’s worth of players – at least 30, including string and brass sections – to ensure that every percussion rumble (“Master Blaster (Jammin’)”), squiggly keyboard run (“Higher Ground”) and guitar jangle (“For Once in My Life”) is recreated with both precision and soul.

The funkiness that automatically spills from Wonder was contagious not only to an audience that stood most of the show, but even the musicians. It’s rare to see a string section grooving in their seats, their violin bows waving in the air as Wonder, his voice muscular, led a call-and-response with the crowd during “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours.”

Hearing Wonder break into one of his patented harmonica solos always elevates his songs to the next level of pure elation, as does seeing his unforced smile, such as when he said "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" was "dedicated from President Obama to Michelle."

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Stevie Wonder is joined by a glorious choir

While Wonder has slightly tweaked his setlist thus far in the tour, the Baltimore night offered another special moment.

The Morgan State University Choir arrived on stage to inject instant uplift with their hand-clapping rendition of Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers’ “The Blessing of Abraham.”

The lively singers also joined Wonder on “Love’s In Need of Love Today,” played live for the first time since 2019.

“This song is so true and relevant and we’ve gotta fix that,” Wonder said before he and the choir presented a sumptuous version of the “Songs in the Key of Life” track.

While Wonder so effortlessly rolls from the thumping soul of “Living for the City” to the swaying pop of “Isn’t She Lovely,” he wisely pairs two of his most potent hits for a knockout punch.

The trombone intro of “Sir Duke” is one of the most iconic in music, while the mid-song horn breakdowns are the mightiest sound this side of Tower of Power. The 1977 ode to Duke Ellington erupted onstage as Wonder namechecked Count Basie, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald with the verve of a guy whose love for the song hasn’t diminished in four-plus decades.

By following “Sir Duke” with “I Wish, ” its bass line burrowing into your veins, Wonder guaranteed that the party would be running long.

It’s evident how much he relishes being onstage, as well as sharing his musings and desires for a more settled world. As he stated early in the show, “When you’re blessed, you’re blessed.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stevie Wonder surprises crowd with Obamas appearance: 'Music helps to heal us'