You've seen his work for the past 30 years but never knew his name. He's designed and created clothes for all of the major television networks, and has worked exclusively creating clothing sensations for world entertainer, Stevie Wonder for the past 16 years.

He's been a hot Hollywood item for over three decades, this unassuming gay man whose had his fingers on the pulse of fashion for most of his life. Meet Greg Upshaw, a native of Springfield, OH, the third of six children, and whose father worked as a mechanic and mother as a housewife.

His hometown hovers over 65,000 people in a densely populated 24 square miles. In a city with only two rival high schools, it stands a far cry from the urban hustle and bustle of New York City, Paris, Los Angeles and the constantly changing dynamics of the fashion industry.

So just how did Springfield's native son become a 30 year fashion designing veteran traveling the world many times over?

"I left Springfield after graduating and went to Clark College in Atlanta for 1 year and then came to L.A. the next year to go to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising" Greg explains.

After finishing FIDM, Greg worked his way up the food chain of fashion, starting off as an assistant designer, then as a designer dabbling in various areas of fashion before making a more concentrated move to television.

"It was fun and very demanding I was an apprentice working under various T.V. designers doing a variety of things shopping, fittings etc. to get the look the designers wanted, up until the show was taped" he adds.

Greg actually worked on some of the most popular TV shows of the 1970's and 80's including General Hospital, Barney Miller, The Academy Awards, The Grammy's and eventually made the rounds at numerous nighttime and daytime television show at ABC, NBC, and CBS.

Greg's union affiliations, his continual networking, and the quality of his work kept the doors of opportunity open and the phone call requests for his assistance coming. Then one day it happened, the phone call to go on the Jackson 5 "Victory" tour, then later on the Michael Jackson "Bad" Tour and let's not forget his other stints with artists such as Lionel Ritchie for the' "Dancing on the Ceiling" tour.

Again Greg worked in various capacities from sketching, coordinating, fabric shopping, to wardrobe or all of the above. Upon his return from the MJ's "Bad" tour, Greg got a call from a representative from Stevie Wonder's management.

It was a dream job that most people would have jumped at, to travel with Stevie to Europe for three months. But a resistant Greg was determined to rest for a few months after a grueling "Bad" tour and actually declined to interview for the new position within Stevie's camp.

A few days later a surprise phone call from the music legend himself, Stevie Wonder along with nudging from his mother convinced Greg to take another look at this new opportunity.

Fast forward 16 years later, Greg Upshaw has had a fruitful and productive working relationship with Stevie Wonder whose media and concert schedule has taken Greg around the world many times over. Greg's primary job is to design, create, and to coordinate any and all clothing creations for Stevie Wonder and related background singers.

Whenever Stevie appears publicly to perform, Greg is not too far behind guiding the visual artistry of the musical icon's image. "It has been a lot of fun. I have had more hits than misses with him and it is never dull. I have traveled all over the world Europe, Africa, Asia, etc. Working with Stevie can also be a challenge because, sometime the time factor to produce something can be a little nerve racking."

And the fun is about to begin again "I will be touring in late summer early fall with Stevie and doing shows for his latest CD, A Time to Love, and I'm sure there will be something's thrown in before that."

Greg also has several other artistic interests as well. "I want to get back to drawing and painting and taking some classes in sculpturing I love works done in bronze, terra cotta."

Finally, he encourages youth that they too can have as vibrant career as he. But one thing Greg is clear about is that as an openly gay, black man that he relies on his talent not his race or sexuality to guide him through the door.

He encourages gay youth that "as a gay black male don't wear your sexuality on your sleeve, just be who you are and be the best that you can be, because everyday life things must be taken care of." And after a 30 year prolific career in fashion design, these are indeed words to live by.