Stevie Wonder signed with Motown Records in 1961.
He was only 11 when Ronnie White of the Miracles introduced him to Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown. After an audition, Gordy signed the young performer to the label. Wonder was initially marketed as “Little Stevie Wonder,” emphasizing both his youth and his extraordinary musicianship.
His first Motown recordings appeared under that name, and the label helped establish him as a multi-instrumentalist and singer. His early success included the live recording “Fingertips,” which became a major hit in 1963 and made him one of the youngest performers to top the Billboard Hot 100.
The signing date is sometimes confused with the release date of Wonder’s first album or his first chart breakthrough. Those were later milestones. Motown’s 1961 contract began the long recording relationship that shaped his career and connected him with the label’s famous Detroit musical tradition.