“Dancing with the Stars” Couples to Perform to Stevie Wonder’s Music
Published at
ABC(NEW YORK) — The Dancing with the Stars’ performance show on Monday night will be simply Wonder-ful.
For the first time in series history, the ABC competition is devoting an entire night to one artist: Stevie Wonder. The eight remaining couples will dance to his hits, and Wonder himself will be on hand to perform “Sir Duke” and other songs.
Kellie Pickler had the good fortune to meet Wonder when she competed on American Idol in 2006.
She recalls to ABC News Radio, “He was one of the guest mentors that came on the show, so I had the honor of meeting him and we all were able to perform one of his songs and just be in his presence. …He lights up the room. You just want to be close to him.”
Comedian D.L. Hughley was eliminated last week, so he won’t be able to dance to Wonder’s music on Monday’s show. It’s just as well, since he once got underneath Wonder’s skin at a charity event presented by the singer.
Hughley remembers, “I told a joke about, remember when he had that don’t drive drunk commercial? And I said how drunk do you have to be with Stevie Wonder as your designated driver? And he didn’t like it.”
Wonder will have to follow strict guidelines while in the Dancing with the Stars ballroom.
The show’s musical director, Harold Wheeler, says he had to explain to Wonder, “If the intro lasts for six seconds, you can’t talk to the audience and decide you’re going to say something and make the intro 26 seconds. It doesn’t work that way. So you really gotta stick to that. You gotta promise me, man, that you’re going to do that.”
Dancing with the Stars airs Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio