Of the many classic songs that soul, R&B and pop music legend Stevie Wonder has created, the most fitting for this area's music lovers would probably be "I Wish." That's because it's been more than 20 years since Wonder has made a concert appearance in Kansas City and his fans probably wish he'd come back sooner or later.

If you are one of these people, consider your wish granted.

"I'm excited to come back to Kansas City. It has been a long time," Wonder says. "It's going to be fun to revisit some of the people and fans and new fans and all that kind of good stuff. It's a good thing."

Stevie Wonder will bring a catalogue of hits and his infinite spirit to KC when he performs at 8 p.m. tonight at the Starlight Theatre. We were fortunate enough to talk to him about his first-ever live DVD, future projects and collaborations and how he stays so positive.

ON HIS MUSIC IN BARACK OBAMA'S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

If you were one of the millions of people who attended Barack Obama's campaign rallies during his historic run for the White House, you couldn't escape Wonder's songs like "I Was Made To Love Her" and "Signed, Sealed, Delivered." Wonder was a passionate supporter of Obama, and his songs seemed to fit the campaign's slogan for hope and change perfectly, but as he points out, it wasn't exclusive to our current president.

"It's a funny thing with 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered.' I did hear it being played as well with former President Clinton and as well (President) Bush," Wonder says. "It's sort of almost an adaptive song."

ON HIS FIRST LIVE DVD

The two-decades plus since Wonder has made a KC appearance probably would have gone by a lot smoother if fans had a Stevie Wonder live concert DVD to watch every once in a while. Problem is, he's never made one - until now. This year, he released the aptly titled "Live at Last: A Wonder Summer's Night," recorded at the O2 Arena in London, England, in 2008. When asked why now, Wonder chalks it up to fate.

"Things happen when they do," Wonder says. "I think we had some really good performances at the concert in London...

It was a different take on doing a live performance. We were able to do a lot of songs that I've recorded throughout the years as well as putting some other newer stuff in there."

ON POSSIBLE FUTURE COLLABORATIONS

One of many things Wonder has shown throughout his career is that he is all about a good collaboration. He's recorded songs with everyone from Tony Bennett and Paul McCartney to *NSYNC and Snoop Dogg. So who's left? According to Wonder, there's plenty.

"I think I'd like to do something with Kanye (West), with Jay-Z. John Mayer would be great. John Legend. There really aren't any people out there that I wouldn't want to do some stuff with because, you know, I'm a music lover. So, being a music lover, I have an appreciation for just all the various factions of music," Wonder says. "To me, it's a challenge to see how we all connect and if the right connects happens, it'd be a great thing."

ON HIS FAVORITE LOVE SONGS

Stevie Wonder has written so many songs about love over the years, it would be easy enough for the man to say one of his own when asked about his favorites. But Wonder has a few from today's artists that do it for him - one way or another.

"I think my favorite song right now, love song, is 'Chocolate Legs' (by Eric Benet). I like that song." he says, followed by a slight laugh. "It's not for the kiddies necessarily."

A few others that he mentioned are John Legend's "Everybody Knows," John Mayer's "Daughters" and he has tremendous respects for Ne-Yo's songwriting talents in the name of love.

"I think that you have all these various kinds of songs that make the different statements in their own kind of way that make love very exciting."

ON WHO COULD CHANGE MUSIC IN THE FUTURE

While Wonder did do a bit of name dropping in regards to today's artists he feels are really helping to expand R&B, soul and pop music (Justin Timberlake, Robin Thicke), Wonder mainly commented on the promise of many artists starting to realize their true potential.

"The exciting thing about it is that people are understanding that music has no limitations, the limitations happen in your own head," Wonder says. "If you're able to appreciate music, you know, it can go as far as your imagination allows it to go."

ON UPCOMING PROJECTS

For an artist that has done so much throughout his long career, Wonder has no intentions of slowing down.

He contemplates writing a musical, laying down a jazz album and possibly a children's project.

"Particularly, (now) that I have little ones... and older ones ... and older, older ones," Wonder jokes.

He also plans to release a gospel album entitled "The Gospel Inspired by Lula," where Wonder will do his unique take on the genre while singing in English, Hebrew and Arabic, and "Through the Eyes of Wonder," a visual/musical experience he says is like Pink Floyd's "The Wall" and brings his own inner visions to life.

"Basically, I'm working with people that are taking the visuals that I see and making it into a place, a reality, of how I'm visualizing them in my mind," Wonder says.

ON STAYING POSITIVE

Aside from his endless musical talent, Wonder's overwhelming positivity and spirituality is practically a force of nature unto itself. He says that he has remained this way through tough times by being thankful for what he's got and using that energy through his music to inspire others.

"We have to find that place that's self-contained. We all have something that we can do that nothing can take away from us," Wonder says. "There's really no problem that is bigger than life, because if it was bigger than life, it wouldn't be in life... I just thank God for allowing me to be one of those that he chose to do that thing... To do the damn thing."