Marvin Gaye

Biography

Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. was born on April 2, 1939, to a troubled home and enlisted in the US Air Force at 17 after dropping out of high school. After returning to the DC area, he formed a vocal quartet called The Marquees and eventually signed with Motown's Tamla subsidiary, achieving stardom with hit singles like "I Heard It Through the Grapevine." He released his critically acclaimed concept album "What's Going On" in 1971 and went on to become a cultural icon, earning numerous accolades posthumously.