 
Marvin Gaye was born Marvin Pentz Gay (later adding
an 'e' to the end of his name as Sam Cooke
had done) on April 2, 1939. Gaye grew up the son of
an Apostolic preacher, singing in the church choir by
age 3, and learning to play the drums and piano.
Gaye's musical ambition was put on hold after high
school with time in the Air Force. Gaye began his
music career as a member of 'The Rainbows' (who later
became The Moonglows). The impact of
Berry Gordy, Jr. and Motown Records on Gaye became
evident by the early 60s when Gordy gave Gaye a solo
contract and Gaye married Gordy's sister. Gaye also
worked as a session drummer with Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.
Gaye released Soulful
Moods Of Marvin Gaye.
After not hitting the charts with the singles
"Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide,"
"Mister Sandman," and "Soldier's
Plea," Gaye hit the charts with "Stubborn
Kind Of Fellow." The song included backing
vocals by Martha & The Vandellas.
Gaye released That
Stubborn Kinda Fellow.
Gaye hit the Top 10 for the first time with
"Pride And Joy."
Gaye released Live On Stage.
Gaye hit the charts with "Hitch Hike" and
"Can I Get A Witness," and his first Top 10
hit, "Pride And Joy."
Gaye released When
I'm Alone I Cry and Together with Mary Wells.
Gaye released Hello
Broadway.
Gaye hit the charts with "You're A Wonderful
One," "What's The Matter With You
Baby," "Once Upon A Time" (with Mary
Wells), and "Baby Don't You Do
It."
Gaye released How
Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You.
Gaye topped the Billboard R&B Singles chart for a
week with "I'll Be Doggone."
Gaye released Tribute
To The Great Nat King Cole.
Gaye topped the Billboard R&B Singles chart for a
week with "Ain't That Peculiar."
Gaye hit the charts with "How Sweet It Is To Be
Loved By You" and "Pretty Little
Baby."
Gaye released Moods
Of Marvin Gaye.
Gaye released Takes
Two with Kim
Weston.
Gaye hit the charts with "One More
Heartache."
Gaye released United with Tammi Terrell.
Gaye hit the charts with "It Takes Two"
with Kim Weston, "Ain't No
Mountain High Enough" with Tammi Terrell
and "Your Precious Love" with Tammi
Terrell.
Gaye topped the Billboard R&B Singles chart for a
week with "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing
Baby" with Tammi Terrell.
Gaye released You're
All I Need
with Tammi Terrell.
Gaye topped the Billboard R&B Singles chart for 5
weeks with "You're All I Need To Get By"
with Tammi Terrell.
Gaye released In
The Groove
which was retitled I
Heard It Through The Grapevine.
Gaye topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart and R&B
Singles chart for 7 weeks with "I Heard It
Through The Grapevine." The song had been a hit
for Gladys Knight & The
Pips
the previous year.
Gaye released M.P.G. and Marvin
Gaye And His Girls.
Gaye topped the Billboard R&B Singles chart for 6
weeks with "Too Busy Thinking About My
Baby."
Gaye released Easy with Tammi Terrell.
Gaye hit the charts with "That's The Way Love
Is."
Gaye released That's
The Way Love Is.
Marvin
Gaye & Tammi Terrell
Greatest Hits with Tammi Terrell
and Marvin
Gaye Super Hits were released.
Gaye topped the Billboard R&B Singles chart for 5
weeks with "What's Going On."
Gaye released What's
Going On. The release
of the LP was initially refused by Berry Gordy, Jr.
due to the political and social content.
Gaye topped the Billboard R&B Singles chart for 2
weeks with "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)."
Gaye topped the Billboard R&B Singles chart for 2
weeks with "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna
Holler)."
Gaye released the Trouble
Man soundtrack.
Gaye released Let's
Get It On.
Gaye topped the Billboard R&B Singles chart for 8
weeks with "Let's Get It On."
Gaye topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 2 weeks
with "Let's Get It On."
 Diana
& Marvin (with Diana Ross) was released.
Gaye hit the charts with "You're A Special Part
Of Me" with Diana Ross and "Come Get To
This."
Gaye was nominated for an American
Music Award
for Favorite Soul/R&B Album (Let's
Get It On).
Gaye released Marvin
Gaye Live!
 Marvin
Gaye Anthology was released.
Gaye hit the charts with "My Mistake (Was To
Love You)" with Diana Ross.
Gaye was nominated for an American
Music Award
for Favorite Soul/R&B Album (Let's
Get It On).
 Gaye released I Want You.
Gaye topped the Billboard R&B Singles chart for a
week with "I Want You."
Marvin
Gaye's Greatest Hits was released.
Gaye was nominated for an American
Music Award
for Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.
 Marvin
Gaye Live At The London Palladium was released.
Gaye topped the Billboard R&B Singles chart for 5
weeks with "Got To Give It Up (Pt.. 1)."
Gaye topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a week
with "Got To Give It Up (Pt.. 1)."
Gaye hit the charts with a collaboration with Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, and Smokey Robinson called "Pops, We Love
You."
Gaye released Here,
My Dear. The LP was the
result of a court order from his divorce and missed
alimony payments. Gaye was to record an LP and give
royalties to his ex-wife.
Gaye released In
Our Lifetime.
 # 111
Singles Artist of the Year
Gaye released Midnight
Love with
Columbia Records. At the time, Gaye was also battling
an addiction to cocaine.
Gaye topped the Top 40 with "Sexual Healing."
(available for
download at   )
Gaye topped the Billboard R&B Singles chart for
10 weeks with "Sexual Healing."
Gaye topped the Top 10 with "Sexual Healing."
 # 65
Singles Artist of the Year
Gaye won an American Music Award for Favorite
Soul/R&B Single ("Sexual Healing").
Gaye won 2 Grammy Awards for Best R&B Vocal Performance - Male and Best R&B Instrumental
Performance ("Sexual Healing") and was nominated for Best R&B Song (songwriter) ("Sexual Healing" with O. Brown).
Gaye embarked on what would be his last tour.
 Every
Great Motown Hit Of Marvin Gaye was released.
Gaye was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance - Male (Midnight
Love).
On April 1st, Gaye was shot and killed by his father,
Marvin Pentz Gay, Sr., after the 2 had an argument.
 Dream
Of A Lifetime and Romantically
Yours
were released.
Gaye was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of
Fame.
The box set The
Master 1961 - 1984 was released.
Gaye was posthumously honored with the
Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammy Awards.
Vulnerable was released.
Ranked # 14 on VH1: Greatest Artists of Rock
& Roll (and # 39 on Rock On The Net's Poll).
VH1: 100 Greatest Rock
Songs
includes "What's Going On" at # 14,
"I Heard It Through The Grapevine" at # 38,
and "Sexual Healing" at 82.
VH1: 100 Greatest Dance Songs includes "Got To Give It
Up" at # 83.
Rolling Stone & MTV: 100
Greatest Pop Songs includes "What's Going On" at
# 24.
VH1: 100 Greatest Albums includes What's
Going On at # 4.
The
Very Best Of Marvin Gaye was released.
 The
Complete Duets with Tammi Terrell was
released.
VH1: 100 Sexiest Artists included Gaye at # 31.
VH1: 50 Greatest Hip Hop Artists includes "Sexual Healing" at # 53.
 Rolling Stone: The 500
Greatest Albums of All Time includes What's
Going On at # 6,
Let's
Get It On at # 165,
and Here,
My Dear at # 462.
Rolling Stone: The Immortals -
The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time included Gaye at # 18.
The singles "Sexual Healing" and
"Let's Get It On" were certified gold.
|
Soulful
Moods Of Marvin Gaye
Released: June, 1961
Tracks: "The Masquerade Is Over"
- "Funny Valentine" -
"Witchcraft" - "Easy Living"
- "How Deep The Ocean (How High The
Sky)" - "Love For Sale" -
"Always" - "How High The
Moon" - "Let Your Conscience Be Your
Guide" - "Never Let You Go" -
"You Don't Know What Love Is" |
|
That
Stubborn Kinda Fellow
Released: January, 1963
Tracks: "Stubborn Kind Of
Fellow" - "Pride And Joy" -
"Hitch Hike" - "Get My Hands On
Some Lovin'" - "Wherever I Lay My Hat
(That's My Home)" - "Soldier's
Plea" - "It Hurts Me Too" -
"Taking My Time" - "Hello There
Angel" - "I'm Yours, You're Mine" |
 |
Live On Stage
Released: September, 1963 |
 |
When
I'm Alone I Cry
Released: April, 1964
Tracks: "You've Changed" -
"I Was Telling Her About You" - "I
Wonder" - "I'll Be Around" -
"Because Of You" - "I Don't Know
Why" - "I've Grown Accustomed To Her
Face" - "When Your Lover Has Gone"
- "When I'm Alone I Cry" - "If My
Heart Could Sing" |
|
Marvin Gaye & Mary Wells;
Together
Released: April, 1964
Billboard peak: # 42
Tracks: "Once Upon A Time" -
"'Deed I Do" - "Until I Met
You" - "Together" - "(I Love
You) For Sentimental Reasons" - "Late,
Late Show" - "After The Lights Go Down
Low" - "Squeeze Me" - "What's
The Matter With You Baby" - "You Came A
Long Way From St. Louis" |
| |
Marvin
Gaye / Greatest Hits
Released: 1964
Billboard peak: # 72 |
|
How
Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You
Released: January, 1965
Billboard peak: # 128
Tracks: "You're A Wonderful One"
- "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By
You)" - "Try It Baby" - "Baby
Don't You Do It" - "Need Your
Lovin'" - "One Of These Days" -
"Stepping Closer To Your Heart" -
"Need Somebody" - "No Good Without
You" - "Me And My Lonely Room" -
"Now That You've Won Me" -
"Forever" |
 |
Hello
Broadway
Released: November, 1964
Tracks: "Hello Broadway" -
"People" - "The Party's Over"
- "On The Street Where You Live" -
"What Kind Of Fool Am I" - "My
Kind Of Town" - "The Days Of Wine And
Roses" - "This Is The Life" -
"My Way" - "Hello Dolly" -
"Walk On The Wild Side" |
 |
Tribute
To The Great Nat King Cole
Released: November, 1965
Tracks: "Nature Boy" -
"Ramblin' Rose" - "Too Young"
- "Pretend" - "Straighten Up And
Fly Right" - "Mona Lisa" -
"Unforgettable" - "To The Ends Of
The Earth" - "Sweet Lorraine" -
"It's Only A Paper Moon" - "Send
For Me" - "Calypso Blues" |
|
Moods
Of Marvin Gaye
Released: May, 1966
Billboard peak: # 118
Tracks: "I'll Be Doggone" -
"Little | | 
