April 1, 1. American singer, songwriter and record producer. Gaye helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1. Aint That Peculiar, How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You and I Heard It Through the Grapevine, and duet recordings with Mary Wells, Kim Weston, Diana Ross and Tammi Terrell, later earning the titles Prince of Motown and Prince of Soul. During the 1. 97. Whats Going On and Lets Get It On and became one of the first artists in Motown joint with Stevie Wonder to break away from the reins of a production company. Gayes later recordings influenced several contemporary R Bsubgenres, such as quiet storm and neo soul. Following a period in Europe as a tax exile in the early 1. Gaye released the 1. Grammy Award winning hit Sexual Healing and its parent album Midnight Love. On April 1, 1. 98. Gayes father, Marvin Gay Sr., fatally shot him at their house in the West Adams district of Los Angeles. Since his death, many institutions have posthumously bestowed Gaye with awards and other honorsincluding the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Early lifeedit. Marvin Gaye attended Cardozo High School in Washington, D. C. s Columbia Heights neighborhood. Gaye was born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. April 2, 1. 93. 9, at Freedmans Hospital7 in Washington, D. C., to church minister Marvin Gay Sr., and domestic worker Alberta Gay ne Cooper. His first home was in a public housing project,8 the Fairfax Apartments9 now demolished at 1. Street SW in the Southwest Waterfront neighborhood. Although one of the citys oldest neighborhoods, with many elegant Federal style homes, Southwest was primarily a vast slum. Most buildings were small, in extensive disrepair, and lacked both electricity and running water. The alleys were full of one and two story shacks, and nearly every dwelling was overcrowded. Gaye and his friends nicknamed the area Simple City, owing to its being half city, half country. Gaye was the second eldest of the couples four children. He had two sisters, Jeanne and Zeola, and one brother, Frankie Gaye. He also had two half brothers Michael Cooper, his mothers son from a previous relationship, and Antwaun Carey Gay,1. Gaye started singing in church when he was four years old his father often accompanied him on piano. Gaye and his family were part of a Pentecostal church known as the House of God. The House of God took its teachings from Hebrew. Pentecostalism, advocated strict conduct, and adhered to both the Old and New Testaments. Gaye developed a love of singing at an early age and was encouraged to pursue a professional music career after a performance at a school play at 1. Mario Lanzas Be My Love. His home life consisted of brutal whippings by his father, who struck him for any shortcoming. The young Gaye described living in his fathers house as similar to. He felt that had his mother not consoled him and encouraged his singing, he would have killed himself. His sister later explained that Gaye was beaten often, from age seven well into his teenage years. Gaye attended Syphax Elementary School2. Randall Junior High School. Gaye began to take singing much more seriously in junior high, and he joined and became a singing star with the Randall Junior High Glee Club. In 1. Gays moved into the East Capitol Dwellings public housing project in D. C. s Capitol View neighborhood. Their townhouse apartment Unit 1. Street NE now demolished was Marvins home until 1. Gaye briefly attended Spingarn High School before transferring to Cardozo High School. At Cardozo, Gaye joined several doo wop vocal groups, including the Dippers and the D. C. Tones. Gayes relationship with his father worsened during his teenage years, as his father would kick him out of the house often. In 1. 95. 6, 1. 7 year old Gaye dropped out of high school and enlisted in the United States Air Force as a basic airman. Disappointed in having to perform menial tasks, he faked mental illness and was discharged shortly afterwards. Gayes sergeant stated that he refused to follow orders. Gaye was issued a General Discharge from the service. Early careeredit. A 1. 95. 9 promotional picture of Harvey and the New Moonglows. Gaye is fourth from the left behind a seated Fuqua. Following his return, Gaye and good friend Reese Palmer formed the vocal quartet. The Marquees. 4. 2 The group performed in the D. C. area and soon began working with Bo Diddley, who assigned the group to Columbia subsidiary OKeh Records after failing to get the group signed to his own label, Chess. The groups sole single, Wyatt Earp co written by Bo Diddley, failed to chart and the group was soon dropped from the label. Gaye began composing music during this period. Moonglows co founder Harvey Fuqua later hired The Marquees as employees. Under Fuquas direction, the group changed its name to Harvey and the New Moonglows, and relocated to Chicago. The group recorded several sides for Chess in 1. Mama Loocie, which was Gayes first lead vocal recording. The group found work as session singers for established acts such as Chuck Berry, singing on the hits Back in the U. S. A. and Almost Grown. In 1. Gaye relocated to Detroit with Fuqua where he signed with Tri Phi Records as a session musician, playing drums on several Tri Phi releases. Gaye performed at Motown president Berry Gordys house during the holiday season in 1. Impressed by the singer, Gordy sought Fuqua on his contract with Gaye. Fuqua agreed to sell part of his interest in his contract with Gaye. Shortly afterwards, Gaye signed with Motown subsidiary Tamla. When Gaye signed with Tamla, he pursued a career as a performer of jazz music and standards, having no desire to become an R B performer. Before the release of his first single, Gaye was teased about his surname, with some jokingly asking, Is Marvin Gay Gaye changed the spelling of his surname by adding an e, in the same way as did Sam Cooke. Author David Ritz wrote that Gaye did this to silence rumors of his sexuality, and to put more distance between himself and his father. Gaye released his first single, Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide, in May 1. The Soulful Moods of Marvin Gaye, following a month later. Gayes initial recordings failed commercially and he spent most of 1. The Miracles, The Marvelettes and blues artist Jimmy Reed for 5 US4. While Gaye took some advice on performing with his eyes open having been accused of appearing as though he were sleeping, he refused to attend grooming school courses at the John Roberts Powers School for Social Grace in Detroit because of his unwillingness to comply with its orders, something he later regretted. Initial successeditIn 1. Gaye found success as co writer of the Marvelettes hit, Beechwood 4 5. His first solo hit, Stubborn Kind of Fellow, was later released that September, reaching No. R B chart and No. Billboard Hot 1. 00. Gaye reached the top 4. Hitch Hike,5. 4 peaking at No. Hot 1. 00. Pride and Joy became Gayes first top ten single after its release in 1. The three singles and songs from the 1. Idvd Themes. Gayes second album, That Stubborn Kinda Fellow. Starting in October of the year, Gaye performed as part of the Motortown Revue, a series of concert tours headlined at the north and south eastern coasts of the United States as part of the chitlin circuit. A filmed performance of Gaye at the Apollo Theater took place in June 1. Later that October, Tamla issued the live album, Marvin Gaye Recorded Live on Stage. Can I Get a Witness became one of Gayes early international hits. In 1. 96. 4, Gaye recorded a successful duet album with singer Mary Wells titled Together, which reached No. The albums two sided single, including Once Upon a Time and Whats the Matter With You Baby, each reach the top 2.