One of the most gifted and influential singers ever launched into orbit by the Motown hit factory, Marvin Gaye has made a large contribution to soul music and to the Motown sound especially and blazed a trail for the continued evolution of black music.

As one of soul music's Renaissance men, Marvin could do it all from songwriting to producing to session man. Most important, he possessed a classic R&B voice that had a gritty edge yet had sweetness to it.

A musical visionary, he saw albums as much more then just individual songs, whether it be political events, sexual politics or marriage. Moving from a lean R&B sound to stylish soul to finally arrive at an intensely personal of musical self-expression, Marvin's songs from "Can I Get A Witness?" to "Inner City Blues" not only redefined soul music as a creative force but also expanded its impact as a force for social change.

In the early days of Motown, he played drums and piano for the likes of groups such as The Miracles. Marvin also wrote or co-wrote for himself and other artists, including the sixties soul classic, "Dancing In The Street".

Gaye recorded songs in a variety of styles, from adult ballads to gritty soul. At each stage in his career, Marvin produced a soulful authority lead by passionate enthusiasm and heartbroken vulnerability.

He was a long suffering soul who sought peace in his music. David Ritz noted that Gaye's songs were prayers and strategies for survival.

In the early 1970s, Marvin moved beyond his earlier material to become one of Motown’s first autonomous artists. His artistic ability reached it's peak with 1971's "What's Going On", an ambitious concept album that drove deep into on such problems as The Vietnam War, poverty and environmental issues over a free flowing musical backdrop that drew from classical and jazz. Gaye referred to the album as a "gift from God" and the album's spiritual expressions showed themselves in his lyrics.

Besides establishing a new credibility for Motown in a more album oriented style, "What's Going On" produced three influential and potent songs that opened people's ears to the problems plaguing the black community and the U.S.

After this groundbreaking album, Gaye created more love and relationship oriented albums like the erotic "Let's Get It On" and a deconstruction of his failed marriage with "Here, My Dear". On April 1st, 1984, Marvin Gaye was shot by his father and died.

I've always seen Marvin Gaye as a troubled artist. Someone whose personal life was a nightmare but found comfort in his music. He is certainly one of the most political soul artists I've ever heard and his voice and sound can still be felt in the music of artists from Al Green and Daryl Hall & John Oates to Michael Jackson and Aica Keys.

Posted by Andrew on Wednesday, 02/5/2014 @ 00:47am

2016 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee!

Posted by Roy on Wednesday, 03/2/2016 @ 20:55pm