Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr.; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo artist with a string of hits, earning him the nicknames "Prince of Motown" and "Prince of Soul".
Gaye's Motown hits include "Ain't That Peculiar", "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)", and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". Gaye also recorded duets with Mary Wells, Kim Weston, Tammi Terrell, and Diana Ross. During the 1970s, Gaye recorded the albums What's Going On and Let's Get It On and became one of the first artists in Motown to break away from the reins of a production company. His later recordings influenced several contemporary R&B subgenres, such as quiet storm and neo soul. He was a tax exile in Europe in the early 1980s; he released "Sexual Healing" the 1982 hit which won his first two Grammy Awards on the album Midnight Love. Gaye's last televised appearances were at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game, where he sang "The Star-Spangled Banner"; Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever; and Soul Train.
On April 1, 1984, the day before his 45th birthday, Gaye was shot dead by his father, Marvin Gay Sr. at their house in West Adams, Los Angeles, after an argument. Many institutions have posthumously bestowed Gaye with awards and other honors including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and inductions into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Links to Peel[]
Peel was a constant supporter of 60s and 70s soul music, but confessed in a Disc & Music Echo article of January 1968, that he wasn't much of a fan of the Motown label, which Marvin Gaye was a member of: "I'm not terribly jazzed with Tamla Motown material. Four Tops' (Walk Away Renee) is very well done, and danceable, but I prefer the version by the Left Banke." [1]
From the evidence of available playlists from the 60's, there seems to be very little airplay from Marvin Gaye. This seemed to have changed in the early 70's, when Peel played tracks from the singer's material. Over the years, Peel would sporadically play some of Marvin Gaye's material and in 1999, choose his song, Stubborn Kind Of Fellow, as one of the four tracks for the Peelenium 1962.
Shows Played[]
- 17 December 1967 (& Tammi Terrell): If I Could Build My Whole World Around You (7") Tamla T 54161
- 1972
- 18 February 1972: That’s The Way Love Is (LP – That’s The Way Love Is) Tamla Motown
- 30 May 1972: Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) (single) Tamla Motown
- 1980
- 13 October 1980: Hitchhike (album - Early Years 1961-1964) Tamla Motown
- 1981
- 09 December 1981: You’re A Wonderful One (unknown release)
- 1982
- 19 January 1982: Baby Don't You Do It
- 1983
- 25 May 1983 (Mark Ellen sitting in) (& Tammi Terrell): Ain't No Mountain High Enough
- 1987
- 05 May 1987: I'll Be Doggone
- 1988
- 04 July 1988: Can I Get A Witness
- 1994
- 08 January 1994: Pride And Joy
- 1996
- 04 May 1996 (BFBS) (Marquees featuring Bo Diddley): 'Wyatt Earp (3x Compilation CD-The Okeh Rhythm & Blues Story: 1949-1957)' (Epic / Okeh / Legacy)
- 1999
- 25 October 1999: 'Stubborn Kind Of Fellow (7")' (Motown) Peelenium 1962
- 2001
- 12 June 2001: Can I Get A Witness
- 27 November 2001: Stubborn Kind Of Fellow (unknown LP) Tamla
- 2002
- 28 August 2002: Too Busy Thinking About My Baby (7") Tamla Motown (JP: "Tony Blackburn would have gone mad for that when it came out in 1969 and he would have been right to do so too.")
- 13 September 2002 (BBC World Service): Too Busy Thinking About My Baby
- 2004
- 20 October 2004: I Heard It Through The Grapevine (7” single) Tamla Motown
Covered[]
(The list below was compiled only from the Cover Versions page of this site. Please add more information if known.)
Artist | Song | First Known Play
- Aswad: Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) 23 October 1984
- Joe Cocker: I Heard It Through The Grapevine 13 September 1978
- Fanny: Ain't That Peculiar 18 April 1972
- Glass Menagerie: One More Heartache (session) 23 June 1968
- Rolling Stones: Can I Get A Witness 25 August 1972
- Devon Russell: Sexual Healing 30 December 1982
- Slits: I Heard It Through The Grapevine 17 September 1979
- Edwin Starr: Grapevine ('I Heard It through The Grapevine') 18 March 1986
- Phil Upchurch: Inner City Blues 19 December 1972
- Working Week: Inner City Blues 04 March 1985