20 Years Ago, Marv Gaye Took 'Natnal Anthem' To New Heights : NPR

marvin gaye controversy

The heirs of Ed Townsend, who -wrote “Let’s Get It On” wh Marv Gaye, had acced the pop star of pyg “Thkg Out Loud.”

Contents:

‘MORE LIKE A STORY THAN A SONG’: HOW MARV GAYE’S ‘WHAT’S GOG ON’ REMAS RELEVANT 50 YEARS LATER

Marv Gaye's fay filed a motn argug a 'GQ' terview prov the 'Happy' sger lied unr oath the 'Blurred L' pyright se. * marvin gaye controversy *

Racial tensns, police ntroversy, environmental anxieti, a globe on edge — they were the topics on the ont burner when Gaye rebooted his mil reer and took ntrol of his creative visn si Motown. Shaken by the ath of sgg partner Tammi Terrell, hnted by the Vietnam War stori of his younger Army vet brother, Gaye was an emotnal lightng rod wag to be zapped wh creative energy when Motown’s Obie Benson and Al Cleveland brought him their new posn about troubl across the land. Feelg through the posn  the livg room of the latter’s northwt Detro hoe — Benson on guar, Gaye on piano — Gaye was moved, but was eager to prent  to the Origals, a Motown group he was now producg.

Havg cut multiple lead vols, Gaye asked engeer Ken Sands to create a stereo tape wh two strong tak — one the left channel, one on the right — so he uld take not. Gaye had been “all over the cy, soakg up Detro’s vib and moods as he was rerdg, ” wrote the Freep’s Bob Talbert, who was tight wh Gaye at the time. If Gaye was snng the ont pag of the Detro Free Prs landg on his doorstep  July 1970, he saw plenty of headl settg the mood he would take to the vol booth — a daily dmbeat of stori about protters clashg wh police, Detro air pollutn, ngrsnal battl over the Vietnam draft.

'BLURRED L' NTROVERSY RURFAC AS MARV GAYE'S FAY CLAIMS PHARRELL MTED PERJURY

* marvin gaye controversy *

Though Motown had recently h big wh a pair of polilly tged Norman Whfield productns — the Temptatns’ “Ball of Confn” and Edw Starr’s “War” — Gaye’s leap ma the label chief nervo.

In his 1994 memoir — where he owned up to his shortsightedns — Gordy reunted their ntent first phone ll about "What's Gog On, ” as Gaye clared his wish to “awaken the mds of mankd.

MARV GAYE’S WIFE REVEALS HOW HE TORTURED HER

The pop sger’s trial for pyright gement of Marv Gaye and Ed Townsend’s “Let’s Get It On” highlights how hard is to draw the property l of pop. * marvin gaye controversy *

Marv Gaye, clutchg one of three Image Awards received at the NAACP's 5th Annual Image Awards Show Hollywood, sgs "Lift Every Voice and Sg" wh awards chairman Maggie Hathaway and the Rev. “A song like that — which is much more explic s lyrics — is kd of the extensn of what Marv Gaye and ‘What’s Gog On’ did years earlier, ” he said. The long pyright lawsu over Pharrell Williams and Rob Thicke's "Blurred L, " and whether ripped off Marv Gaye's "Got to Give It Up, " reared s head aga after supposedly ncludg 2018.

" Gaye's fay argu this statement shows Williams mted perjury durg his posn the pyright se, when he stated: "I did not go the stud wh the tentn of makg anythg feel like, or to sound like, Marv Gaye. (Photo by Josh Brasted/FilmMagic) Cred: Josh Brasted/FilmMagic "The admissns are irrencilable wh Williams's repeated, sworn ttimony this actn that: neher 'Got To' nor Marv Gaye ever entered his md while creatg 'Blurred, ' that he did not try to make 'Blurred' feel like 'Got To' or sound like Marv Gaye, " the Gaye fay's motn reads, argug this nstut "a d on this Court. " In 2015, a jury found Williams and Thicke liable for pyright gement, and an appeals urt upheld the lg 2018, wh Judge Kronstadt awardg damag and half of all future royalti for "Blurred L" to the Gaye fay.

THE UNTOLD TTH OF MARV GAYE

It was 20 years ago, at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game, that Marv Gaye stole the show wh his sgular rendn of the Natnal Anthem, set to a sultry rhythym-and-blu beat. * marvin gaye controversy *

" Related ntent: 'Blurred L' pyright su ends: Rob Thicke, Pharrell Williams to pay $5 lnInsi Marv Gaye's never-released 1972 album You're the Man. Janis Hunter was a mother of two her early 20s when her longtime lover, father of her children and one of the world’s most lted-after soul sgers, Marv Gaye, suggted an amoro liaison wh another uple. Marv Gaye’s immense, unniable talent for sgg and songwrg, and his equally impossible-to-dismiss sex appeal, were acpanied by creasgly heavy dg e — eebasg e eventually did him — and erratic moods, a nstant tug of war between thrills, love, lt and terror.

Soon after, they ma love for the first time Gaye’s sparse one-bedroom apartment, which had a “hio gold uch” where Gaye’s assistant, a junkie named Abe, had taken up rince. Gaye got over his body hangups (for a while), and they settled to fay life, spendg their days high on ke and pot as Gaye wrote and produced new mic.

MARV GAYE IS SHOT AND KILLED BY HIS OWN FATHER

Marv Gaye's classic faced the forc shapg Amerin culture at the begng of the '70s. * marvin gaye controversy *

When Beverly me for a vis, Gaye not only booked him a room at a lol motel but booked the adjog room for Hunter, sayg he need her out of the hoe so he uld foc on mic. Gaye — now almost 40 — plaed to his 22-year-old wife about her saggg breasts and her stretch marks, explag, “There’s a big difference between pleasure and excement. They had vic fights, cludg one time when Gaye, behd the wheel wh both kids the r, began to swerve and threatened to “drive this thg off the road!

20 YEARS AGO, MARV GAYE TOOK 'NATNAL ANTHEM' TO NEW HEIGHTS

A US urt upholds a lg that Rob Thicke pied one of Gaye's songs on his h Blurred L. * marvin gaye controversy *

Soon after, Gaye left Jan and the kids behd on a planned trip to Hawaii wh his fay, begng a pattern that would repeat over the years of Gaye leavg LA and his fay behd, only to implore them to jo him once at his statn. Courty of Jan Gaye The next five years saw Gaye, Jan and their children embroiled nasty back-and-forth battl, cludg, after Jan brought the kids to see Gaye Hawaii, his refg to let Frankie leave, g Jan to not see her son for over a year. AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTThe heirs of Ed Townsend, who -wrote “Let’s Get It On” wh Marv Gaye, had acced the pop star of pyg “Thkg Out Loud.

THE STORY OF MARV GAYE'S 'WHAT'S GOG ON'

A feral jury New York nclud Thursday that the Brish sger didn't steal key ponents of Marv Gaye's 1970s classic "Let's Get It On" when he created his h song "Thkg Out Loud." * marvin gaye controversy *

“Y, Amy Wadge and I wrote the song ‘Thkg Out Loud, ’” he Newman/Associated PrsIn a closely watched mic pyright trial, jurors ultimately sid wh Ed Sheeran, who had been acced of pyg his Grammy-wng ballad “Thkg Out Loud” om Marv Gaye’s classic “Let’s Get It On. ”ImageEd Townsend was a songwrer and producer who llaborated wh Gaye on the “Let’s Get It On” Ochs Archiv/Getty ImagWhat parts of the songs are dispute? The trial was watched closely mic and legal circl as the latt example a seri of s that have alt wh whether monplace bs of harmony or melody n be owned by any poser or are part of the public trend began 2015 when a jury found that Rob Thicke and Pharrell Williams, their h “Blurred L, ” had ged on the pyright of another Gaye tune, “Got to Give It Up, ” and they were orred to pay more than $5 ln damag.

” He did jt that wh “Blurred L, ” his 2013 h wh Rob Thicke, for which he seemed to metabolize almost every aspect of Marv Gaye’s 1977 h “Got to Give It Up, ” cludg the crowd nois and the wbell. The dissentg judge on the Nth Circu Court of Appeals, Jacquele Nguyen, scribed the lg as “a vastatg blow to future micians and posers everywhere, ” bee allowed “the Gay to acplish what no one has before: pyright a mil style.

BLURRED L: MARV GAYE'S FAY KEEPS $5M PAYOUT

Marv Gaye was a soul sger-songwrer wh Motown the 1960s and 1970s. He produced his own rerds and often addrsed ntroversial them. * marvin gaye controversy *

) Ingrid Monson, the Qucy Jon Profsor of Ain Amerin Mic at Harvard, who also served as an expert wns for the Gaye fay the “Blurred L” trial, told me, “There uld be no pyright system ls sued to rewardg the creativy of Ain Amerin mic than the one we have. To crics, her prentatn was all smoke and mirrors, signed to trick the jury to thkg that a llectn of unprotectable elements was forensic proof that “Blurred L” was staed wh Marv Gaye’s mil Sheeran leav a Southern District of New York urthoe on April 26th, after ttifyg Griff v. He poted out that the chord progrsn Ed Townsend had played for Gaye was so mon that was elementary mic-method books such as “How to Play Rock ’n’ Roll Piano, ” published 1967.

”Ilene Farkas, who closed for the fense, noted that we were all here bee, exactly fifty years ago, Ed Townsend sat down at his piano and played Marv Gaye four chords. I., and Pharrell Williams, “Blurred L” (Star Trak); Johnny Cash, “Folsom Prison Blu” (Sun Label Group); The Chiffons “He’s So Fe” (Capol Rerds); Marv Gaye, “Let’s Get It On” (Motown Rerd Company); Cory Daye, “Wiggle and Giggle All Night” (Featherbed Mic); Tom Petty, “I Won’t Back Down” (MCA Rerds); Gee Harrison, “My Sweet Lord” (G. Estate); Gordon Jenks, “Crcent Cy Blu” (Universal Mic); Miguel Bosé, “Don Diablo” (Sony Mic); Sami Swch, “Oh Why” (Sami Swch); The Gap Band, “Oops Upsi Your Head” (One Media); Sam Smh, “Stay wh Me” (Capol Rerds); Paramore, “Misery Bs” (Atlantic Rerdg); Ed Sheeran, “Shape of You” (Asylum Rerds); Bno Mars, “Uptown Funk” (Kobalt Mic); Matt Cardle, “Amazg” (Columbia); Dua Lipa, “Levatg” (Warner Rerds UK); TLC, “No Scbs” (LaFace Rerds); Katy Perry and Juicy J, “Dark Horse” (Capol Rerds); Olivia Rodrigo, “Good 4 U” (Geffen Rerds); Ed Sheeran, “Photograph” (Asylum Rerds UK); Ed Sheeran, “Thkg Out Loud” (Asylum Rerds UK); Led Zeppel, “Stairway to Heaven” (Mythgem); Marv Gaye, “Got to Give It Up” (Motown Rerds); Flame, “Joyful Noise” (Cross Movement Rerds); Spir, “Ts” (Sony Mic); Artikal Sound System, “Live Your Life” (Controlled Substance Sound Labs).

Whether was his h duets wh Tammi Terrell, the polilly-charged album "What's Gog On, " or the oozg sexualy of his only Grammy-wng song "Sexual Healg, " Gaye beme a hoehold name wh the Amerin mil landspe.

JURY FDS THAT ED SHEERAN DIDN'T PY MARV GAYE CLASSIC 'LET'S GET IT ON'

A huge pyright lawsu assumed fished explos aga after Williams recently talked about reverse engeerg Marv Gaye durg the creatn of "Blurred L. * marvin gaye controversy *

David Rz his 1991 revised edn of his Marv Gaye bgraphy, "Divid Soul, " noted the importance of Gaye's mic more potedly: "Marv's name has been mentned — reverential ton — on no ls than seven top-ten h rerds. Yet those nearly 45 years of life, Gaye went om sirg to sg standards to shapg the sound of Motown to beg an in and creative geni mandg full creative ntrol of his mic — which led the way for others like Stevie Wonr.

Photographer Godey Frankel took pictur of the muny, talked to s habants, and shared a scriptn that probably would have matched Gaye's experience.

INSI MARV GAYE'S TOXIC MARRIAGE WH WIFE JANIS HUNTER

The general perspective on the neighborhood at the time by surroundg (wealthier) rints was one of disgt and fear — "They radiate out sanary fluenc" (via a 2018 Public Health Report) — which explas why Gaye, his iends, and the rt of the Southwt muny probably felt like they were om another untry. Was a vlent man, and his wife and children, cludg Marv Gaye, lived fear of his punishments and the evable relig reasong behd his domtic abe (via The Vtage News). In orr to pe a nasty home life, Marv Gaye enlisted wh the Air Force wh visns of beg a pilot like Errol Flynn, even though he was terrified of flyg.

However, most acunts of this mor change of nam, the person makg the cisn was Gaye himself, once aga stemmg om his plited relatnship wh his father.

MARV {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}MARV GAYE WAS A SOUL SGER-SONGWRER WH MOTOWN THE 1960S AND 1970S. HE PRODUCED HIS OWN RERDS AND OFTEN ADDRSED NTROVERSIAL {MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: APR 19, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: NBCU PHOTO BANK/GETTY {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1939-1984){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO WAS MARV GAYE?MARV GAYE SANG HIS FATHER'S CHURCH AND THE MOONGLOWS BEFORE SIGNG WH MOTOWN. HE RERD SONGS BY SMOKEY ROBSON BEFORE BEG HIS OWN PRODUCER ON THE PROTT ALBUM WHAT'S GOG ON (1971). GAYE'S LATER RERDS VELOPED HIS PRODUCTN STYLE AND YIELD SEVERAL HS, CLUDG "LET'S GET IT ON," "SEXUAL HEALG" AND "I HEARD THROUGH THE GRAPEVE." GAYE WAS KILLED 1984 DURG A DOMTIC DISPUTE WH HIS FATHER.EARLY LIFESGER MARV PENTZ GAYE, JR., ALSO KNOWN AS THE "PRCE OF SOUL," WAS BORN WASHGTON, D.C., ON APRIL 2, 1939. GAYE WAS RAISED UNR THE STRICT NTROL OF HIS FATHER, REVEREND MARV GAY SR.—MARV GAYE JR. ADD THE "E" ON THE END OF HIS NAME LATER LIFE—THE MISTER AT A LOL CHURCH, AGAST A BLEAK BACKDROP OF WISPREAD VLENCE HIS NEIGHBORHOOD. THROUGHOUT HIS CHILDHOOD, GAYE OFTEN FOUND PEACE MIC, MASTERG THE PIANO AND DMS AT A YOUNG AGE. UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL, HIS SGG EXPERIENCE WAS LIMED TO CHURCH REVIVALS, BUT SOON HE VELOPED A LOVE FOR R&B AND DOO-WOP THAT WOULD SET THE FOUNDATN FOR HIS REER. IN THE LATE 1950S, GAYE JOED A VOL GROUP LLED THE NEW MOONGLOWS. THE TALENTED SGER HAD A PHENOMENAL RANGE THAT SPANNED THREE VOL STYL AND HE SOON IMPRSED THE GROUP'S FOUNR, HARVEY FUQUA. IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE GAYE AND FUQUA BOTH ME TO THE ATTENTN OF DETRO MIC IMPRAR {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}BERRY GORDY JR. AND WERE SIGNED TO GORDY'S LEGENDARY MOTOWN RERDS.MOTOWN RERDSGAYE'S FIRST CERTIFIED H UNR HIS OWN NAME WOULDN'T E UNTIL 1962, BUT HIS EARLY YEARS AT MOTOWN WERE FULL OF BEHD-THE-SCEN SUCCS. HE WAS A SSN DMMER FOR MOTOWN LEGENDS SUCH AS LTLE STEVIE WONR, THE SUPREM, THE MARVELETT AND MARTHA AND THE VANLLAS. SHOWG HIS STRIP AS MOTOWN'S RENAISSANCE MAN, GAYE WENT ON TO BREAK TO THE TOP 40 FOR THE FIRST TIME ON HIS OWN 1962 WH HIS SOLO SGLE "HCH HIKE." THROUGHOUT THE 1960S, GAYE WOULD SHOW HIS IMMENSE RANGE, CHURNG OUT SOLO DANCE HS AND ROMANTIC DUETS WH H-MAKERS LIKE DIANA ROSS AND MARY WELLS. "CAN I GET A WNS" AND "I HEARD THROUGH THE GRAPEVE" WERE SOME OF GAYE'S BIGGT HS OF THE PERD, THE LATTER ACHIEVG S PLACE AS MOTOWN'S BT-SELLG SGLE OF THE 1960S. FOR THREE HIGH-FLYG YEARS, GAYE AND TAMMI TERRELL WOWED THE UNTRY WH THEIR SOARG DUET PERFORMANC OF SONGS LIKE "A'T NO MOUNTA HIGH ENOUGH" AND "IF I COULD BUILD MY WHOLE WORLD AROUND YOU." UNFORTUNATELY, THEIR REIGN AS THE ROYAL COUPLE OF R&B END WHEN TERRELL SUCCUMBED TO A BRA TUMOR 1970. HIS BELOVED PARTNER'S ATH HERED A DARK PERD FOR THE SGER, WHO SWORE NEVER TO PARTNER WH ANOTHER FEMALE VOLIST AND THREATENED TO ABANDON THE STAGE FOR GOOD.POLIL MSAGEIN 1970, SPIRED BY LATG VLENCE AND POLIL UNRT OVER THE VIETNAM WAR, GAYE WROTE THE LANDMARK SONG "WHAT'S GOG ON." DPE CLASH WH MOTOWN OVER THE SONG'S CREATIVE DIRECTN, THE SGLE WAS RELEASED 1971 AND BEME AN STANT SMASH. ITS SUCCS PROMPTED GAYE TO TAKE EVEN MORE RISKS, BOTH MILLY AND POLILLY. WHEN WAS RELEASED THE SPRG OF 1971, THE WHAT'S GOG ON ALBUM SERVED TO OPEN GAYE UP TO NEW DIENC WHILE MATAG HIS MOTOWN FOLLOWG. DEPARTG OM THE TRIED AND TE MOTOWN FORMULA, GAYE WENT OUT ON HIS OWN ARTISTILLY, PAVG THE WAY FOR OTHER MOTOWN ARTISTS LIKE WONR AND MICHAEL JACKSON TO BRANCH OUT LATER YEARS. BEYOND FLUENCG HIS PEERS, THE ALBUM GARNERED WISPREAD CRIL ACCLAIM, WNG THE ROLLG STONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR AWARD.CROSSOVER SUCCSIN 1972, GAYE MOVED TO LOS ANGEL AND SOON MET JANIS HUNTER, WHO WOULD LATER BEE HIS SEND WIFE. INSPIRED PART BY HIS NEWFOUND PENNCE, GAYE RERD ONE OF THE MOST REVERED LOVE ANTHEMS OF ALL TIME, "LET'S GET IT ON." THE SONG BEME HIS SEND NO. 1 BILLBOARD H, CEMENTG HIS CROSSOVER APPEAL ONCE AND FOR ALL. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, MOTOWN PHED GAYE TO TOURG TO PALIZE ON HIS MOST RECENT SUCCS; RELUCTANTLY THE SGER-SONGWRER RETURNED TO THE STAGE. THROUGH MOST OF THE MID-1970S, GAYE WAS TOURG, LLABORATG OR PRODUCG. WORKG WH DIANA ROSS AND THE MIRACL, HE PUT OFF RELEASG ANOTHER SOLO ALBUM UNTIL 1976. HE NTUED TOURG AFTER THE RELEASE OF I WANT YOU (1976) AND, AFTER SRG A NO. 1 H 1977 WH THE DANCE SGLE "GOT TO GIVE IT UP," RELEASED HIS LAST ALBUM FOR MOTOWN RERDS (HERE, MY DEAR) 1978. (DES LATER, "GOT TO GIVE IT UP" WOULD BEE THE CENTER OF A BIG NTROVERSY. IN 2013, GAYE'S TATE ASSERTED THAT PRODUCER/SONGWRER PHARRELL WILLIAMS AND SGER/SONGWRER ROB THICKE HAD MTED PYRIGHT GEMENT BY TAKG MAJOR MIL ELEMENTS OM THE DIS TRACK FOR THE MEGA-H "BLURRED L." AFTER A SE WHICH THICKE TTIFIED THAT HE'D HAD LTLE TO DO WH THE WRG OF THE SONG, THE JURY LED FAVOR OF GAYE'S FAY, WHO WERE AWARD $7.3 LN DAMAG AND PROF SHAR. THE JURY ALSO LED THAT NEHER WILLIAMS OR THICKE HAD PURPOSELY MTED GEMENT.) AFTER TWO S AT MOTOWN, GAYE SIGNED WH CBS'S COLUMBIA RERDS 1982 AND BEGAN TO WORK ON HIS LAST ALBUM, MIDNIGHT LOVE. THE LEAD SGLE OM THAT ALBUM, "SEXUAL HEALG," BEME A HUGE EBACK H FOR THE R&B STAR AND EARNED HIM HIS FIRST TWO GRAMMY AWARDS AND AN AMERIN MIC AWARD FOR FAVORE SOUL SGLE.PERSONAL LIFEIN 1975, GAYE'S WIFE ANNA GORDY—BERRY GORDY'S SISTER—FILED FOR DIVORCE, AND TWO YEARS LATER GAYE MARRIED HUNTER, WHO HAD BY THEN GIVEN BIRTH TO THEIR DGHTER, NONA (BORN SEPTEMBER 4, 1974) AND THEIR SON FRANKIE (BORN NOVEMBER 16, 1975). GAYE ALSO HAD AN ADOPTED SON (MARV PENTZ GAYE III) OM HIS PREV MARRIAGE. THE SGER'S MARRIAGE TO HUNTER PROVED SHORT LIVED AND TUMULTUO, ENDG DIVORCE 1981.DEATH AND LEGACYDPE HIS SUCCSFUL EBACK THE EARLY 1980S, GAYE STGGLED BADLY WH THE SUBSTANCE ABE AND BOUTS OF PRSN THAT HAD PLAGUED HIM FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE. AFTER HIS LAST TOUR, HE MOVED TO HIS PARENTS' HOE. THERE HE AND HIS FATHER FELL TO A PATTERN OF VLENT FIGHTS AND QUARRELS THAT RELLED NFLICTS THAT HAD HNTED THE FAY FOR S. ON APRIL 1, 1984, MARV GAYE SR. SHOT AND KILLED HIS SON AFTER A PHYSIL ALTERTN; THE FATHER CLAIMED HE ACTED SELF-FENSE BUT WOULD LATER BE NVICTED OF VOLUNTARY MANSLGHTER. THREE YEARS AFTER HIS ATH, GAYE WAS DUCTED TO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME. CREATG BETIFUL ART OM A TROUBLED LIFE, GAYE AGA AND AGA BROUGHT HIS VISN, RANGE AND ARTISTRY TO THE WORLD STAGE. AT THE END OF HIS REER, HE ADMTED HE NO LONGER MA MIC FOR PLEASURE; STEAD, HE SAID, "I RERD SO THAT I N FEED PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED, WHAT THEY FEEL. HOPEFULLY, I RERD SO THAT I N HELP SOMEONE OVERE A BAD TIME."{BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;MARG:0.9375REM 0 0 0.625REM;PADDG:0 0 0 1.25REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:0.9375REM 0;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} LI{PADDG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} LI::MARKER{LOR:#323232;}NAME: MARV GAYEBIRTH YEAR: 1939BIRTH DATE: APRIL 2, 1939BIRTH CY: WASHGTON, D. C.BIRTH COUNTRY: UNED STATGENR: MALEBT KNOWN FOR: MARV GAYE WAS A SOUL SGER-SONGWRER WH MOTOWN THE 1960S AND 1970S. HE PRODUCED HIS OWN RERDS AND OFTEN ADDRSED NTROVERSIAL THEM.INDTRIPOPASTROLOGIL SIGN: ARIINTERTG FACTSBEFORE MAKG AS A SOLO ARTIST, MARV GAYE PLAYED DMS FOR ARTISTS SUCH AS STEVIE WONR AND THE SUPREM.DEATH YEAR: 1984DEATH DATE: APRIL 1, 1984DEATH STATE: CALIFORNIADEATH CY: LOS ANGELDEATH COUNTRY: UNED STATFACT CHECKWE STRIVE FOR ACCURACY AND YOU SEE SOMETHG THAT DON'T LOOK RIGHT,NTACT !CITATION INFORMATIONARTICLE TLE: MARV GAYE BGRAPHYAUTHOR: EDORSWEBSE NAME: THE WEBSEURL: ACCS DATE: PUBLISHER: A&E; TELEVISN NETWORKSLAST UPDATED: APRIL 19, 2021ORIGAL PUBLISHED DATE: APRIL 2, 2014QUOTES

Gaye talks about his name  "Divid Soul" and how he was eply troubled by havg the same name as his father, who is often scribed as a "sexually ambiguo man.

His first partner 1964 was Mary Wells — at the time, the "queen of Motown" — but their duet rerd, "Together, " tamed her sound while gave Gaye a platform to she. Then me the fotten Oma Heard (often mistaken on rerds as Oma Page) who was experienced the rerd dtry by the time she rerd some duet sis wh Gaye. It wasn't until 1973 when Barry Gordy tried to nvce Gaye to do a duet rerd wh Diana Ross that Gaye revealed his feelgs about havg another duet partner.

Wells and Wton had both left Motown after their duet albums wh Gaye, and neher had much of a reer after leavg; and Terrell's ath still weighed heavily on Gaye. ESPN ntextualiz this moment Gaye's life by potg out that Tammi Terrell's ath happened jt a uple of years after the assassatns of Mallm X, Mart Luther Kg, Jr., and Robert Kennedy.

MARV GAYE FAY CLAIMS COURT THAT PHARRELL WILLIAMS COMMTED PERJURY

In 1969 and 1971, Gaye would have small rol two relatively fotten films, "The Ballad of Andy Crocker" and "Chrome and Hot Leather, " rpectively.

However, Michael Eric Dyson revealed his book, "Mercy, Mercy Me: The Art, Lov & Demons of Marv Gaye" that the child was actually Gaye's blogil son, and he had, wh much parallel to the Biblil story of Abraham and Sarah, had terurse wh the 15-year-old Denise orr to have a son, sce his wife uldn't get pregnant. It ma sense that Gaye never admted to beg the father — not even to David Rz "Divid Soul" — bee, acrdg to Dyson, "Marv had ma love to a mor, apparently wh the nsent of all volved.

When Marv Gaye divorced Anna Gordy 1977 and subsequently separated om send wife, Janis Hunter – who was 17 when they met and fell love – 1979, his fancial issu began to encroach to his existence to the pot that he uld no longer ignore . Acrdg to David Rz's "Divid Soul, " Gaye thought that Motown had gotten their hands on the unfished masters om a uple of the micians who had snuck them out of London and brought them to Los Angel. From an early age, Marv Gaye was kidd by his peers for his father's looks, ambiguo sexualy, effemacy, and the poorly kept secret that he would drs women's clothg.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* MARVIN GAYE CONTROVERSY

Ed Sheeran didn't ge pyright of Marv Gaye's 'Let's Get It On' : NPR .

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