It's No Wonder (The Life and Times of Motown’s Legendary Songwriter Sylvia Moy) - Margena Christian

"More than a biography, Its No Wonder is a long-overdue act of recognition."--Booklist (starred review)The biography of Sylvia Moy, Motown’s first certified female in-house producer and songwriter, and one of the authors behind classic hits like “My Cherie Amour,” “Uptight (Everything’s Alright),” and a slew of other time-honored tunes. Imagine a world without the music of Stevie Wonder. A world without hits like “I Was Made to Love Her” and “Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day.” Thats the world we would live in had it not been for Sylvia Moy, a woman whose legacy has been carefully tucked away within the annals of music history—until now. It’s No Wonder examines the groundbreaking career of the pioneer who battled sexism and broke down barriers to become Motown’s first certified female in-house songwriter and producer. As the lone woman in a room full of men, the odds were stacked against Moy from the start. Amidst racial strife at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, most African American women who were allowed into the music industry could only dream of a career as a singer. Nevertheless, the Detroit native found unprecedented success as both a songwriter and producer. In addition to single-handedly saving Stevie Wonders early career at Motown, Moy solidified herself as one of the labels most prolific composers, penning many of Wonders classic hits as well as songs for other Motown acts like “Honey Chile,” “It Takes Two,” “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak For You),” “My Baby Loves Me,” “(Weve Got) Honey Love,” “Forget Me Not,” “With a Childs Heart,” and countless others. Meticulously researched and fiercely feminist, Its No Wonder is a historical corrective that restores Sylvia Moy to her rightful place at the forefront of music history.