Biography for
Marvin Gaye More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

2 April 1939, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Date of Death

1 April 1984, Los Angeles, California, USA (homicide)

Birth Name

Marvin Pentz Gay Jr.

Nickname

Prince of Soul

Height

6' 1" (1.85 m)

Spouse

Jan Gaye	(October 1977 - February 1981) (divorced) 2 children
Anna Gordy Gaye	(1961 - 1975) (divorced) 1 child

Trivia

After a dispute, his father shot him twice in the chest, killing him instantly.

He added the "e" to the end of his name because he thought it looked more professional.

Theme song, "Trouble Man" features different vocal takes than the single and album.

Father of Nona Gaye

Brother of Frankie Gaye, cousin of Donnie.

Ex-brother-in-law of Berry Gordy (the founder of Motown Records).

His first wife was 17 years his senior and his second wife was 17 years his junior.

Died the day before his 45th birthday

Elected to the Rock and Roll Hall Fame in 1987.

Mentioned by name in Joseph Lawrence's "Timeless".

Spandau Ballet songwriter Gary Kemp is a fan of Gaye's and mentioned him in the band's massive 1983 hit "True".

Marillion singer Steve Hogarth counts Gaye as one of his favorite vocalists and in 1998 the band covered his classic song "Abraham, Martin & John" for their live album "Unplugged at the Walls".

Ex-brother-in-law of songwriter/actor Robert L. Gordy.

Discovered by Harvey Fuqua of The Moonglows. Fuqua took Gaye into the group in 1959 and about a year later brought him to Motown.

The addition of the "e" to his name was also emulating one of his favorite singers, Sam Cooke, who did the same thing with his last name. Coincidentally, both performers were shot and killed at young ages.

His 1973 hit "Let's Get It On" was originally written as a political song.

He was so devastated by the death of singer Tammi Terrell in 1970 that he didn't record any new material or appear on stage for three years.

The song "I Want You" was said to be an ode to his second wife Janis Hunter. According to legend, he wrote and recorded the song in two hours after first setting eyes on her, when she was accompanying her mother (a huge fan) to the studio to watch him work. They married two months later.

The song "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holla)" ends with a prelude to the song "What's Goin' On." This version of the latter-mentioned song is slightly different from the now popular version, in that Gaye begins it with: "Father, Father" and the new version begins with "Mother, Mother". This was due to his burning hatred for his father and eternal love for his mother.

He was voted the 19th Greatest Rock 'n' Roll artist of all time by Rolling Stone.

Was going to do a duet with Barry White but died a week before they began their rehearsal.

Lobbied Motown Records in 1971 for creative control on albums (as did Stevie Wonder). The first result was "What's Goin' On".

His father, Marvin Pentz Gay, Sr., died in a nursing home at the age of 84 in October, 1998. Marvin Sr. had pleaded no contest and received five years probation for the murder of Marvin Jr.

Was honorably discharged from the US Air Force in 1957.

Was slated to record a duet album with Dionne Warwick, but changed his mind.

Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume One, 1981-1985, pages 311-313. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998.

Ranked #31 on VH1's 100 Sexiest Artists.

Father of Marvin Gaye III.

Voted the sixth greatest singer of the rock era in a Rolling Stone magazine poll in 2008.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 1500 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.

Personal Quotes

Negotiation means getting the best of your opponent.

Who isn't fascinated by evil?

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