Frankie Gaye - Marvin Gaye, My Brother

S everal years after Marvins death, Irene and I returned to England. I was playing some shows in London, and we were in a taxi driving to our hotel when I Heard It Through the Grapevine came on over the cabbies radio. It was Marvins version.

The driver started singing along with it, and when the song ended, he told us how much he adored Marvin. Irene and I agreed, then she leaned forward and said, Thats his brother sitting next to me.

The cab driver glanced into his rearview mirror, looked away, then glanced again. Man, it is you! he gasped. He remained our personal cabbie for the remainder of our stay.

It wasnt until after Marvins death that I finally came to realize just how much he meant to so many people, and just how deeply he has influenced American music. Barely a day goes by that I do not hear another young soul singer and think, Theres another one, another young Marvin. Ill read an interview in which the singer credits Marvin as one of his greatest influences. Ill discover Marvins recordings and performances listed in various Best Of polls.

Like Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and John Lennon, Marvin is still with us. The entertainment industry continues to celebrate his life and music through television tributes in America and abroad. His entire back catalog has been remastered and reissued. Radio plays his records as often today as when they were soaring up the charts.

Since the release of The Big Chill (1983), Marvins voice has been heard on numerous film soundtracks, including Mermaids (1990), The Walking Dead (1995), How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998), Summer of Sam (1999), and High Fidelity (2000). He has been the subject of several TV biographies, and his voice has been prominently featured in network promotions as well as on the soundtrack for the TV miniseries The 70s (2000); Im sure there is more to come. [ In 2002, R&B singer Usher portrayed Marvin on an episode of the television show American Dreams that had Marvin appearing on a 60s segment of Dick Clarks American Bandstand.]

Over the years Marvin has received so many posthumous awards and honors that they deserve to be noted in a special section of this book that lists the milestone events in his life. Besides his star on Hollywoods Walk of Fame, one of my favorite honors of Marvins is one that came to him as we entered the new millennium: the Los Angeles Times listed Marvins singing of the national anthem at the 1983 NBA All-Star game as one of Southern Californias most remarkable vocal performances of the century. Said the Times: Marvin Gaye transformed The Star-Spangled Banner into a purifying anthem of sexuality. Added Earvin Magic Johnson: My feelings were pride at being an American. It was something that ... I guess you had to be there ... that chill went through your body. You almost cried, it was so devastating. Everyone wanted to go over and give him five for what he did. Just shake his hand. Hug him because it was so inspirational. It was unbelievable.

Other tributes have come from fellow singers and musicians, including Rod Stewart, Carlos Santana, Barry White, Brian McKnight, and Michael Bolton, who have all praised Marvin and dedicated songs to him during various appearances. But the most unusual tribute came from Nelson Mandela, who revealed in a speech following his release from prison that listening to Marvins Whats Going On album while he was incarcerated helped him keep his sanity.

Marvins friends and contemporaries too have spoken of just how profoundly he has touched their lives and has sparked their own creativity with his music. And though years have passed since we lost him, I feel he is still here, still making music that will live forever.

Frankie Gaye