Complex sentence: Carlton began his career in the mid 1960's as "Little Carl" Carlton, a marketing ploy to capitalize on some vocal similarities to Stevie Wonder, who recorded under the name "Little Stevie Wonder" in the early 1960's.
Split into simpler sentences: Carlton began his career in the mid- 1960's as "Little Carl" Carlton. This was a marketing ploy to capitalize on some vocal similarities to Stevie Wonder, who recorded under the name "Little Stevie Wonder" in the early 1960's.