Post by Emerald City on May 10, 2005 17:10:32 GMT -5
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Stevie Wonder is releasing the first video containing an audio track for people who have trouble seeing, according to the blind singer's Web site.
One version of "So What the Fuss," from Wonder's upcoming album, "A Time To Love," will air on music channels. Another version featuring the track narrated by rapper Busta Rhymes will air on channels with SAP technology for the sight-impaired, Universal Motown Records Group said.
SAP-accessible TV channels employ technologies developed by the Science Access Project, formed in 1995 under sponsorship of the National Science Foundation.
"Until now music videos have been very one-dimensional for those who are blind or with low vision," said Wonder in a statement.
Yahoo Inc.s Yahoo! Music will premiere both versions of the video online on Wednesday.
Wonder, 54, unveiled the narrated video along with the traditional version of "So What the Fuss" at a Los Angeles news conference on Monday at which reporters were blindfolded.
"So What the Fuss" is the first studio release from Wonder in nearly 10 years. Universal Motown is a unit of Vivendi Universal .
Wonder was just 12 when he started recording for Motown, and his first hit, "Fingertips, Pt. 2" topped the pop charts in 1963. Other hits include "Superstition," "You are the Sunshine of My life" and "I Just Called to Say I Love You."
