BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : MAVIN GAYE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN SOUL SINGER : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS "

Gaye was born in Washington, D.C. to minister Marvin Gay, Sr., and domestic worker Alberta Gay. Gaye first grew up at a house located at 1617 First Street SW, only a few blocks from the Anacostia River. The First Street neighborhood was nicknamed "Simple City" due to it being "half-city, half country". When Gaye was in his teens, the family relocated to the Deanwood section of northeastern D.C. Gaye had five siblings, including sisters Jeanne and Zeola and brothers Michael Cooper, Frankie Gaye and Antwaun Gay. Michael Cooper was from his mother's previous relationship while Antwaun was born from one of his father's extramarital affairs.
Gaye began singing in church at four and was accompanied by his father on piano. Growing up, the Gay family were part of a Pentecostal church sect known as the House of God. The House of God took its teachings from Hebrew Pentecostalism, advocated strict conduct and adhered to both the Old and New Testaments. Gaye developed a love of singing at an early age and was encouraged to pursue a professional music career after a performance at a school play. Gaye's home life consisted of "brutal whippings" at the hands of his father, who struck him for any shortcoming. The younger Marvin described living under his father's house was similar to "living with a king, a very peculiar, changeable, cruel and all powerful king." He further stated that had his mother not encouraged his singing, he would've been a child suicide case. His sister later explained that Marvin was beaten often from age seven well into his teenage years.
Marvin attended Cardozo High School and joined several doo-wop vocal groups, including the Dippers and the D.C. Tones. The younger Marvin's relationship with his father worsened during his teenage years as his father would kick him out of the house for what he perceived was misbehavior. Following an argument in which he stood up against his father, the younger Marvin walked out of the house for good and dropped out of high school. With dreams of being a flyer, 17-year-old Marvin enlisted in the United States Air Force as a Basic Airman. Disappointed in having to perform menial tasks, he faked mental illness and was discharged shortly afterwards. Gaye's sergeant stated that Marvin refused to follow orders.

Main article: The Moonglows

A 1959 promotional picture of Harvey and the Moonglows. Gaye is located fourth on the right from a seated Fuqua.

Following his return to D.C., Marvin and a best friend, Reese Palmer, formed the vocal quartet, the Marquees. Shortly after performing in the D.C. area, the group began working with musician Bo Diddley, who assigned the group to Columbia subsidiary OKeh Records after failure to get the group signed to his own label, Chess. The Marquees released two singles with OKeh, including "Wyatt Earp", which failed to chart During this early period, he began composing songs, penning his first song, "Barbara". Gaye briefly worked as a dishwasher, a job Gaye found demeaning. Harvey Fuqua, co-founder of The Moonglows, signed the Marquees on as his employers. Under Fuqua's direction, the group changed their name to Harvey and the Moonglows, relocating them to Chicago.

The group recorded several sides for Chess in 1959 including the song "Mama Loochie", which was Marvin's first lead vocal recording. The group found work as session singers for Chess acts including Chuck Berry, singing on Berry's hits "Back in the U.S.A." and "Almost Grown". After the group disbanded in 1960, Marvin moved with Fuqua to Detroit where Fuqua began working with songwriter Gwen Gordy, doing work for Gordy's label, Anna Records. Gaye worked with Anna Records on a variety of jobs including janitor and record stockpiler, as David Ruffin would later explain in an interview. During the 1960 Christmas holiday season, Marvin performed at Motown CEO Berry Gordy's house. Impressed by the singer, he sought Fuqua on his contract with Gaye. Fuqua agreed to sell part of his interest in his contract with Gaye, giving up 50% interest to Gordy. Shortly afterwards, Gaye signed with the Motown subsidiary, Tamla Records.