Marvin Gaye

EARLY LIFE & BEGINNINGS

Marvin Gaye was born on April 2, 1939 in Washington DC. As a child, Gaye learned to play the piano and drums at an early age. Most of his singing experience was limited to church revivals through high school, but in the late 1950s, Gaye joined a Musical Group called The New Moonglows. His vocal range spanned three different musical styles, impressing the group’s founder, Harvey Fuqua. Together, they would catch the attention of Berry Gordy and were soon signed to Motown.

Gaye began his work at Motown behind the scenes. He was a session drummer for acts like Stevie Wonder, The Supremes and the Marvellettes before he broke into the Top 40 on his own in 1962 with his solo single “Hitch Hike”

RISE TO FAME AND STYLISTIC SHIFT

Gaye would go on to craft many solo and duet hits with singers like Diana Ross and Mary Wells, but nothing compared to his work with Tammi Terrell. For three years, the duo performed together until Terrell’s death in 1970. From that point on, Gaye vowed to never partner with another female vocalist and almost hung up the microphone for good.

Gaye soon became much more introspective with his work and began to write more politically minded music beginning with 1971’s “What’s Going On.” The single, to the surprise of the label, became a huge success and pushed Gaye to take even more risks with his music, paving the way for other Motown artists like Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson to push boundaries in later years.

THE END OF THE MOTOWN YEARS

Gaye soon became much more introspective with his work and began to write more politically minded music beginning with 1971’s “What’s Going On.” The single, to the surprise of the label, became a huge success and pushed Gaye to take even more risks with his music, paving the way for other Motown artists like Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson to push boundaries in later years.

For the next decade or so, Gaye would continue touring, collaborating or producing music himself or in collaboration with other artists. He released I Want You in 1976 and Here, My Dear in 1978 (an album that dealt with the emotional fallout of his marriage to his first wife, Anna Gordy Gaye).