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

marvin gaye national anthem 1983

We remember the memorable performance of the Natnal Anthem by sger Marv Gaye at the 1983 NBA All-Star game.

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

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 national anthem 1983 *

20 Years Ago, Marv Gaye Took 'Natnal Anthem' To New Heights. It was 20 years ago, at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game, that Marv Gaye stole the show wh his sgular rendn of "The Star-Spangled Banner.

But for this game, Gaye took the anthem to a new level. He says Gaye's one rehearsal was bumpy.

By this pot his life, Gaye was battlg a ser dg addictn. But then the lights dimmed, and Gaye ma history. One year later, Marv Gaye was ad, shot by his own father.

FEBARY 13, 1983: THE AFTERNOON MARV GAYE REVOLUTNIZED THE SGG OF THE NATNAL ANTHEM

“Marv Gaye was absolutely on the foreont of [artists tacklg societal issu]. He was an important guy, artistilly, at that time. He talked about issu that ronated the black muny a very meangful way.” — Kareem Abdul Jabbar On... * marvin gaye national anthem 1983 *

Marv Gaye was the middle of a pretty remarkable eback when the NBA tapped him to perform the Natnal Anthem at the 1983 All-Star Game. While many of his Motown peers were trapped on the oldi circu, Gaye briefly seemed like he’d be a huge mercial force the MTV-era.

Few people realized that Gaye’s growg e addictn was g his life to spiral pletely out of ntrol. See Where Marv Gaye Ranks Among the 100 Greatt Sgers.

Marv Gaye’s natnal anthem remas the most legendary moment of the game (and pretty much any other All-Star Game of the era).

FLASHBACK: MARV GAYE REIMAG ‘THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER’ 1983

Marv Gaye was the middle of a pretty remarkable eback when the NBA tapped him to perform the Natnal Anthem at the 1983 All-Star Game. After * marvin gaye national anthem 1983 *

Charl Barkley and More Ballers Who Support Gay Marriage. Sadly, was one of Gaye’s fal great moments.

Marv Gaye uld not have looked more qutsentially Marv Gaye if he’d tried. But back then, Gaye was a feel-good eback story. ” Gaye would e the NBA’s center stage to propel him to the Grammys jt 10 days later.

THE PLAYERS’ ANTHEM: WHEN MARV GAYE SANG ‘THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER’ AT THE 1983 ALL-STAR GAME

Marv Gaye gave "The Star-Spangled Banner" the soulful remix served at the 1983 N.B.A. All-Star Game Los Angel. * marvin gaye national anthem 1983 *

Gaye, a lchp of swagger, walked to center urt at The Fom a ep blue su — jacket buttoned — wearg dark shas urty of an NBA gift package that had been distributed to all media and VIP guts.

” Gaye eher didn’t know, didn’t show or didn’t re. The honor guard of nearby Edwards Air Force Base was behd Gaye wh the Amerin and California flags raised.

We knew he was Marv Gaye. Gaye had tertwed his way to the sports world before.

MARV GAYE SPIC UP “THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER” AT NBA ALL-STAR GAME, ON THIS DAY IN 1983 [WATCH]

Four years earlier, 1979, Gaye sang at the send Larry Holm-Earnie Shavers fight at Caars Palace Las Vegas. Gaye was an avid sports fan — he even once tried out for the Detro Lns. Whether or not he knew , though, as much as Gaye found spiratn the athlet who stood behd him on The Fom’s urt, they found as much if not more him.

“I’ve gone on the rerd many tim sayg that Marv Gaye was my favore artist. Readg Divid Soul: The Life of Marv Gaye, ’s kd of gut-wrenchg.

MARV GAYE ANTHEM

Gaye was a tortured spir whose life oftentim played out publicly — spe the sger’s natural shyns. Gaye attempted suici by e overdose Hawaii 1980.

By the time of the 1983 All-Star Game, Gaye had long sce returned om his self-imposed European exile. While there, Gaye -wrote (wh Oll Brown and David Rz) 1982’s sultry “Sexual Healg.

Marv Gaye performs the Netherlands. The two-time NBA champn and Fals MVP lghs at the memory of first meetg Gaye Hollywood — alongsi Johnson — at the famo and famo The Palladium. Thomas was surprised Gaye knew his name.

MARV GAYE’S INIC NBA ALL-STAR GAME NATNAL ANTHEM: ‘HE TURNED THAT THG TO HIS OWN’

Abdul-Jabbar, on a break om the book tour for his Beg Kareem: On and Off the Court, rells nng to Gaye at stud ssns for his iend Stevie Wonr’s 1976 Songs In The Key of Life. “Marv Gaye was absolutely on the foreont of [artists tacklg societal issu].

Que possibly the most exced for Gaye’s performance wasn’t a player but a ach. ” But as for Gaye himself: “What happened the late ’60s was a lot of what’s gog on our society today.

MARV GAYE’S NATNAL ANTHEM

All durg the day, and right before the early afternoon tipoff, Gaye was nowhere to be found. Arrivg only moments before showtime, Gaye ma his way to the floor. It was a simple beat dubbg a dm track done by Gaye’s guarist and mil director Gordon Banks and a keyboard track that Gaye laid down himself.

FLASHBACK: MARV GAYE GROOV UP NATNAL ANTHEM AT 1983 NBA ALL-STAR GAME

There isn’t a blueprt for Gaye’s charisma. ” Gaye’s anthem was patrtic s own soulful way, but was simultaneoly bonair too. Gaye, the archbishop of swagger.

” For a two-mute stretch, the basketball world revolved around Marv Gaye and wh his gravatnal pull were MVPs, world champns, former Rooki of the Year, future Hall of Famers and 17, 505 people the stands.

A roar had risen by the time And the home of the brave pped off Gaye’s rendn.

MARV GAYE'S ALL-STAR GAME NATNAL ANTHEM PERFORMANCE: LOOKG BACK AT THE FG MOMENT OM 1983

Gaye, later 1983, offered a self-diagnosis.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* MARVIN GAYE NATIONAL ANTHEM 1983

Marv Gaye's All-Star Game natnal anthem performance: Lookg back at the fg moment om 1983.

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