Thornton Celebrates 50 Years of Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in the Key of Life”

On September 24, USC Thornton School of Music celebrated the 50th anniversary of Stevie Wonder’s landmark album Songs in the Key of Life with a one-night-only concert at Bovard Auditorium.

Co-curated by Thornton Dean Jason King and longtime Wonder collaborator Greg Phillinganes, Songs in the Key of Life at 50: Reimagined brought together Thornton students, faculty and alumni with acclaimed artists including Cory Henry, Avery Wilson, Tone Stith, LaVance Colley, and Jeffery Lewis. Under Phillinganes’ musical direction, the ensemble performed songs from the landmark 1976 album, including “Contusion,” “Have a Talk with God,” “Isn’t She Lovely,” “Another Star,” “I Wish” and “As.”

Throughout the evening, Stevie Wonder himself watched from the audience as generations of musicians and fans celebrated his music and its enduring impact. Archival footage featuring figures including Questlove and Motown founder Berry Gordy further explored the album’s place in music history.

The evening culminated with Wonder making a surprise appearance on stage and joining Phillinganes and the performers. After thanking the musicians and Thornton for bringing the celebration to life, Wonder led the ensemble in a performance of “Love’s in Need of Love Today.”

The concert was part of Thornton’s 2026–27 Beyond Category initiative, which celebrates artists whose creative vision transcends genre, discipline and convention.

This post is a condensed version of the USC Annenberg Media article “One night, one groove: Inside Thornton’s 50th-Anniversary Tribute to Stevie Wonder“, written by Annenberg graduate student Raven Ashmon.

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Photo features Avery Wilson (far-left), Lavance Colley (middle-left), Stevie Wonder (middle-right), Cory Henry (far-right) (Photos © USC 2026; Courtesy of USC Thornton School of Music / Photo credit by Brian Feinzimer @bri.fei)