There was never any shortage of star power at Motown Records.

While other labels might have one or two ‘flagship’ artists bringing in the royalty cheques, an unparalleled wealth of talent passed through the doors of Hitsville USA back in its 1960s golden age, from the distinctive tones of Diana Ross to the profound political commentary of Marvin Gaye.

One constant throughout the heyday of Berry Gordy’s label was Stevie Wonder, whose time at Motown saw him develop from a kid singing Ray Charles covers to one of the greatest songwriters in American music history.

It was in 1961, at the age of only 11, when ‘Little’ Stevie Wonder was first signed to Motown Records.

Inevitably, spending his formative years recording alongside some of the greatest soul and R&B artists to ever grace the airwaves had a profound impact on the young musician.

His first album releases for Tamla Motown, including 1962’s Tribute to Uncle Ray, which saw him performing Ray Charles covers, were commendable if a little unimaginative.

It didn’t take very long, however, for Wonder to carve out his own distinctive sound and songwriting style.

By the late 1960s, as Wonder was reaching the end of his teenage years, he truly hit his stride, beginning to write and record his own material, and earning an impressive run of hit singles including the likes of ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)’, ‘Uptight (Everything’s Alright)’ and the Miller-Murden composition ‘For Once In My Life’.

There is no doubt that this was the era that elevated Stevie Wonder from childhood novelty act to a groundbreaking artist in his own right.

It should come as no surprise, therefore, that Wonder has always maintained an appreciation for that period in his career.

The 1967 track ‘I Was Made to Love Her’, in particular, was a favourite of Wonder’s. During an interview around that time, the performer was asked to highlight his favourite work, to which he promptly responded, “‘I Was Made to Love Her’ because it’s a true song.”

Telling the tale of a young man who has lovingly adored one girl since his childhood, the song is an archetypal Motown romance.

Although it is not known exactly who the song was written about, the ‘truth’ that Wonder spoke of might have been related to his relationship with fellow artist Syreeta Wright, whom he later married in 1970.

Like much of his output during that period, Wonder wrote the song with the aid of a team of people, this time involving regular collaborator Sylvia Moy, Motown producer Henry Cosby, and Wonder’s mother, Lula Mae Hardaway.

Still, some of the song’s most memorable moments were actually ad-libbed by Wonder during the recording process, hinting at his unique songwriting ability even before he fully embraced his profound independence on later albums like Talking Book or Innervisions during the early 1970s.

Given that Wonder cited ‘I Was Made to Love Her’ as a favourite track around the time of its release, there is no certainty that he has maintained that opinion throughout his career.

After all, the groundbreaking nature of his later output, as he moved towards a jazz-centric style of progressive soul, appeared to be much more artistically rewarding for the songwriter, particularly as it was largely composed independently.

Even if Wonder changed his view on his own stand-out single over time, ‘I Was Made to Love Her’ still represents an utterly essential moment in the career of the soul star.

Arguably, it was that song which marked his elevation from the Little Stevie Wonder image of his early days at Motown Records, setting him on a path to greatness which has since seen him become one of the most renowned and beloved artists on the planet.