With less than 30 days to choose the next president of the United States, 25-time Grammy winner Stevie Wonder committed 10 nights to campaign for the first Black female of the free world.
The musician/composer/singer/Civil Rights activist announced a mini tour he hopes will heighten awareness of the possibility of the historic milestone and consequences he believes Black Americans will be forced to endure if Vice President Kamala Harris loses to Republican former President Donald Trump.
Wonder’s tour will stop in crucial battleground states in the Midwest and South.
“Sing Your Song! As We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart ” is the theme of a series of concerts on the tour, which kicks off Oct. 8 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and arrives at Madison Square Garden two days later.
“Now is the moment to understand where we are and what it will take to win: win the broken hearts, win the disenchanted, win the angry spirits — now is the time,” Wonder reportedly said.
“This is the moment to remember when you tell your children where you were and what you did…we must choose courage over complacency.”
This is not the first time the songwriter has stepped out of his comfort zone to amplify his political opinion on issues of national concern. Throughout the campaign to seat the first Black president, Wonder vociferously endorsed the trailblazing effort of Senator Barack Obama,
Before that historic milestone achievement, Wonder relentlessly campaigned to ensure a national holiday was named for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In addition to making numerous visits to the United Nations and enumerable outspoken opinions about injustices, Wonder has consistently amplified dissent in music and messaging.
Fans of the star were heartened when South African freedom fighter Nelson Mandela visited the United States after his release from imprisonment in his homeland for defying an oppressive regime.
They rallied to his cause when a Republican governor in Florida banned the anti-apartheid African activist from appearing in the southern state.
Wonder took a stance boycotting the state from all appearances and concerts. The NAACP followed with large numbers of conventioneers reneging on planned visits to the Sunshine State.
As recently as last month, Wonder has livened delegates at the Democratic National Convention by imploring them and recording TV viewing audiences to “go vote.”
His appearance impressed Democrats and, admittedly, a Republican fan base committed to supporting the historic presidential bid.
“I know the importance of action,” he said about his momentous political stance.
Since then, the revered wunderkind has released a single titled “Can We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Hearts?”
The song has been getting massive airplay on progressive music radio stations and is now the message of his latest endeavor.
Wonder claims the tour is “a call for joy over anger, kindness over recriminations, peace over war.”
As a thank-you gesture, Wonder plans to donate complimentary tickets to worthy fans in specific communities who he believes are already “working tirelessly to fix our nation’s broken hearts.”
The New York concert will be followed by a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania concert on Oct. 12 at the Wells Fargo Center and a Baltimore, Maryland gig at the MD CFG Bank Arena three days later.
Greensboro, North Carolina, gets a date on Oct. 17 at the Coliseum, and Atlanta, Georgia, will experience southern wonderment on Oct. 19 at Georgia State Farm Arena.
Detroit, Michigan, inks Oct. 22 at Little Caesar’s Arena. And on Oct. 24, Wisconsin’s Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, a booking of the tour, promises a mid-western jam session.
Minneapolis, Minnesota, also claims an Oct. 27 concert at the Target Center in the region.
The final engagement comes six days before decision Tuesday, at Grand Rapids, Michigan to close out the musical campaign at Van Andel Arena on Oct. 30.
To be eligible to vote in NYS, first-time voters must register by Oct. 26.
That is also the date when early voting begins.
The process ends on Nov. 3.
Catch You On The Inside!
