Marvin Gaye

Active - 1964 - 2018  |   Born - Apr 2, 1939 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States  |   Died - Apr 1, 1984   |   Genres - Music, Musical, Drama

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Biography by AllMovie

Best remembered as a key figure in the evolution of Motown soul, smooth-voiced Marvin Gaye -- whose hits include "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," the haunting "What's Going On," and the sexy "Let's Get It On" -- also occasionally played dramatic roles in film. Gaye made his first film appearance as an actor in the made-for-TV movie The Ballad of Andy Crocker (1969).

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Factsheet

  • Started singing at the age of 3 in his father's church.
  • First hit record, "Stubborn Kind of Fellow," came in 1962 when he was with the Motown label.
  • Had numerous duet partners, but his most successful singing partnership was with Tammi Terrell, beginning in 1967.   
  • His groundbreaking 1971 album What's Going On, which featured songs with political and social messages, changed the direction of R&B music.    
  • Wrote the score for the movie Trouble Man in 1972.
  • At the 1983 NBA All-Star Game, rendered a crowd-pleasing, soulful version of "The Star-Spangled Banner."
  • Was shot to death by his father in 1984.