Marvin Pentz Gay Jr was born on April 2nd 1939 and died on April 1st 1984. He married twice but got divorced and has three children.
At the age of 4, he started singing in church and showed to be very promising as a singer. He was encouraged to take singing professionally, particularly by his mother and when in high school, Marvin joined the Randall Junior High Glee Club and became a star.
Marvin’s first single ‘Let your conscience be your Guide’ was released in 1961, but was not very successful. The year after, however, success arrived with the song ‘Stubborn kind of Fellow’ and ‘Hitch Hike, followed by the top 10 hit single ‘Pride and Joy’ in 1963. The number 1 hit ‘I heard it through the Grapevine’ was released in 1968. During the next decade, Gaye continued issuing and composing songs as well as doing concert tours which helped him achieve more success. Then, in 1982, the hit ‘Sexual Healing’ was released, and is considered as his best success ever in his singing career. Additionally, with this hit, Marvin won 2 Grammy Awards as well as an American Music Award.
Marvin died on the eve of this 45th birthday, after he was shot in the chest and shoulder by his own father due to a family argument.