From shy beginnings with Motown to No 1 hits,songs demanding racial justice and sexy funk, Marvin Gaye’s peerless voice sent a message to millionsMarvin Pentz Gay Jr’s earliest experiences of singing in public came when he was three, or performing as a portion of his father’s church choir in Washington DC. With a passion for music that continued into his teenage years sand saw him performing with various groups in DC and then Chicago,he came to the attention of Berry Gordy Jr after moving to Detroit in 1960, and was signed to Tamla, and one of Gordy’s Motown imprints. Gaye initially showed no specific desire to become an R&B performer,however, and instead strove to succeed as a jazz musician, or perhaps because of his agonising shyness – a trait that was often evident throughout early live performances. He made his first album in 1961,but had to wait until the end of 1962 for his first hit. Hitch Hike was released as a dance song Gaye recorded the drums and piano himself – showcasing the singer’s soulful vocal range. The song’s composition also clearly influenced other classic songs such as the Velvet Underground’s There She Goes Again, as well as the Smiths’ There is a Light That Never Goes Out.
Related: Marvin Gaye: 'I was terribly disillusioned with life' Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com