10 Intriguing Facts

Did you know....

1. Marvin Gaye started his career as a member of in the doo-wop group, The Moonglows.

2. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

3. The first two Grammies he won were in 1983 with his song "Sexual Healing".

4. When his recording partner, Tammi Terrel collapsed in his arms on stage during a performance, Gaye was in shock. After she died of a brain tumor, he went into seclusion for nearly two years. When he finally reemerged, he came out with the album, What's Going On.

5. The album What's Going On was a concept album based on the Vietnam War.

6. The main song of the album, also titled "What's Going On", was written from the point of view of his brother, who, at the time, was a returned soldier from combat.

7. He married twice and wrote "Anna's Song" for his first wife. When he began seeing Janis Hunter, who was 17 years younger, Anna filed for divorce.

8. He quit high school and went into the air force but was discharged.

9. After moving back in with his parents, Gaye threatened to commit suicide on multiple occasions.

10. A day before his birthday, Marvin was shot by his father, who had been a minister. Ironically, the gun he was killed with was the gun he had given his father a couple weeks before.