The 2023 Grammys were truly a sight to behold. While artists like Beyonce? broke records, legends like Stevie Wonder performed with country star Chris Stapleton for a rousing rendition of Wonder's hit "Higher Ground."
The Motown hitmaker joined Stapleton on the Grammys stage for a one-of-a-kind collaboration that had jaws dropping and tongues wagging at how fantastic the duo sounded together. With Wonder stationed at the keyboard and Stapleton with his trusty guitar, the pair tackled the song with finesse, as though they'd been playing together for years.
They traded verses and Wonder's crisp treble and Stapleton's trademark deep rasp blended together like a fine cocktail. They joined each other during the uplifting chorus as the audience of their peers from the music industry got up off their feet and danced along to the song.
At the Grammys on Sunday night, J.Lo, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, and Jay-Z all grooved to Stevie Wonder and Chris Stapleton's joint rendition of 'Higher Ground'... Ben Affleck not so much pic.twitter.com/UA727QRo0N
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) February 6, 2023
As the camera panned out across the crowd, celebrities like Jennifer Lopez were seen swaying to the beat — though partner Ben Affleck seemed anything but into the music, which carried into the rest of the night, natch. Others like rapper Jay-Z and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson clapped their hands and danced at their tables, getting into the music with their entire bodies.
"Higher Ground" debuted on Wonder's 1973 album Innervisions. He reportedly wrote and recorded the song in just three hours, and it has since been covered by all manner of artists, from Red Hot Chili Peppers to Ike and Tina Turner. Disneyland in Anaheim, California even used the song as the soundtrack for its Space Mountain roller coaster for 16 weeks from January to April 2007.
Wonder and Stapleton performed the song as part of a medley that icon Smokey Robinson later hit the stage for. Robinson wowed the crowd with "The Way You Do The Things You Do" and "The Tears of a Clown".
Stapleton and Wonder made such a great duo together that it's hard not to want to see them join forces again. Perhaps they could be persuaded to record an album together.
