Emotion—direct and straightforward—is the key to all of Stevie's music. His only real weakness is an occasional lapse into sentimentality that comes precisely from his total emotional sincerity—there's no chic toughness à la Mick Jagger, no metaphysical melancholy à la James Taylor. Stevie writes and sings exactly what he feels—a very rare gift. (p. 65)

Maureen Orth, "Stevie. The Wonder Man," in Newsweek (copyright 1974 by Newsweek, Inc.; all rights reserved; reprinted by permission), October 28, 1974, pp. 59-65.