Marvin Gaye

Real name: Marvin Penz Gay Jr
Date of birth: 2 April 1939
Died: 1 April 1984
Place of birth: Washington DC Highest charting singles: Once Upon A Time, number one, 1964, How Sweet It Is, number one, 1964, Little Darlin’, number one, 1964, Lucky Lucky Me, number one, 1994

Marvin Gaye led a troubled life which was tragically cut short. He was first launched into superstardom with a string of 60s Motown hits, including I Heard It Through The Grapevine and later Let’s Get It On.

Born into a religious family - his father was a Seventh Day Adventist Reverend – Gaye became addicted to drink and drugs, before finally becoming a recluse.

After graduating from high school he began singing in street-corner doo-wop groups, going on to record with Smokey Robinson And The Miracles as a session drummer. Eventually Motown took him on as an artist in his own right.

A string of number one singles and albums on both sides of the Atlantic followed, and in the 70s, he re-invented himself as a Love God with the single You Are Everything (duet with Diana Ross) and the seminal Sexual Healing, recorded in 1982.

Just days before his forty-fifth birthday, Gaye’s father shot and killed him after a family feud. Marvin Sr. was later sentenced to just six years of probation after pleading guilty to manslaughter.