Among the songs included on the new album are "A Time To Love," (featuring India.Arie), "Your Love Cannot Be Moved," (featuring gospel star Kim Burrell), "Positivity," (featuring Wonder's daughter Aisha Morris), and a host of other superstar collaborations, including appearances by Prince; Narada Michael Walden; Sir Paul McCartney, who plays acoustic and electric guitar on the title track; Hubert Laws; Mike Philips; and En Vogue.  Wonder's open-arms embrace of the collaborative process and his adherence to the musical philosophy that each project takes on a life of its own placed no artificial deadlines on the long awaited album's completion, with the end result proving to be well worth the wait.     

 

"Stevie always has impeccable timing," stated Sylvia Rhone, President of Motown, Executive Vice President of Universal Motown.  "The world is hungering more than ever right now for the kind of message only he can deliver.  I speak for the entire Universal Music Group when I say nobody can illuminate our greatest hopes, soothe our deepest fears, and put us on the musical high road like Stevie Wonder."

 

Wonder once again affirms such a notion with the uplifting "Shelter In The Rain," an inspiring and timely anthem featuring gospel legend Kirk Franklin directing the angelic chorus on a song cited as a humanitarian ode of healing for victims and survivors of the devastating hurricanes continuing to ravage the gulf coast.  The single will be specially serviced to Gospel and Christian radio stations, with net proceeds from the song going to Stevie's charity organization The Wonder Foundation, which is earmarking the donations for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

 

Wonder already has released a landmark single and video from the new album, "So What The Fuss," which contained a second, descriptive audio track on the video recorded by hip hop star Busta Rhymes, made accessible for people who are blind or have low vision.  The innovative video description process was the first time a music artist enabled visually impaired music fans to experience key elements of a music video.

 

Stevie Wonder has remained one of the world's most profound and influential artists for more than four decades.  Winner of 21 Grammys and the prestigious Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, with more than 70 million records sold, Wonder's received hundreds of honors and awards throughout his career.  

 

A tireless humanitarian and champion for political and social justice, Wonder was the preeminent force behind the Martin Luther King holiday and USA For Africa, as well as helping to raise awareness about the AIDS epidemic and the scourge of Apartheid in South Africa.  A leading voice in the fight against world hunger, Wonder also led a "Charge Against Hunger" in conjunction with American Express, which raised over $150 million dollars to feed nearly six million underprivileged people yearly.  Most recently, Wonder was honored by the United Negro College Fund's Evening Of Stars Tribute to the artist, for his longtime work on behalf of the UNCF.  On October 18th, Stevie Wonder continues the special covenant he has with his fans with the release of the eagerly awaited A Time To Love.