Passionate Facts About Marvin Gaye, Prince Of Soul
Some musicians become so big that they help define an entire genre of music. Just like what Bob Marley was to reggae, or David Bowie to glam rock, so too was Marvin Gaye to soul music.
It is difficult to exaggerate Gaye’s influence on American music, and his songs are still within the zeitgeist to this day. But for all his success, Gaye lived far from a happy and peaceful life.
His horrifically tragic murder was just the end of a live plagued with strife, stress, and substance abuse. However, that shouldn’t take away from Gaye’s musical reputation, which remains as strong as ever.
If you wish to learn more about the man behind the music, continue reading.
1. The Beginning
Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. was born on April 2, 1939, in the US capital city of Washington DC. He was the son of domestic worker Alberta Cooper and church minister Marvin Gay Sr.
2. Adding an E
You might be wondering why there is an extra “e” in Gaye’s name in contrast to his birth name. This was done by Gaye himself during his early adult life. One reason he did this was because of the endless homophobic jokes made at his expense, while another reason stated by Gaye’s relatives was that he wanted to distance himself from his father.
3. A Mirrored Trajectory
Surprisingly, Gaye wasn’t the only famous American musician to add an extra “e” onto his surname. He was partly inspired to do so by the example of Sam Cooke, a blues musician whom Gaye greatly admired. In a tragic coincidence, both musicians were cut down in their prime by violent ends.
4. Daddy Issues
The bane of Gaye’s life was undoubtedly his father, who seemed to take a sincere pleasure in terrorizing and abusing his children. Gaye was beaten for any reason that his father could find, to the point where Gaye once remarked that by the time he was 12, there wasn’t a single part of his body that hadn’t been “bruised and beaten” by his father.
For the rest of Gaye’s life, he would often act antagonistically towards others in his life due to his violent upbringing.
