Marvin Pentz Gay Sr. was an American Pentecostal minister. The father of the singer Marvin Gaye pleaded no contest today to voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of his son during an argument on April 1.

36 Years Ago Today Marks the Tragic Death of Marvin Gaye. The way his life was going, it's unlikely Marvin Gaye was going to be around for his 75th birthday this week. Eric Greene. Marvin Gay senior, the correct spelling of the family name was without an 'e' at the end of their surname, died in hospital after developing pneumonia at a retirement home in long beach, California. Marvin Gaye, 44, died on April 1, 1984, after being shot by his father. Marvin Gaye was an American music artist and singer-songwriter who won acclaim for a series of recordings with Motown Records.Gaye's personal life, mainly documented in the biography, Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye, included religious faith, child abuse by his father, personal relationships with his two wives, friends and girlfriends, and bouts with depression and drug abuse The death of Marvin Gaye started with a fight like so many others. In the days leading up to his death, Marvin Gaye was under considerable financial stress. Share on Facebook; Share on Twitter; Hard to believe that on April 1, 1984, the beloved soul man Marvin Gaye was shot and killed by his own father, Marvin Gay, Sr.(the "e" was added by the younger Marvin for his stage name). An event which foretold of tragedy in soul music history took place on … He was the father of American recording artists Marvin Gaye and Frankie Gaye and gained notoriety after shooting and killing Marvin on April 1, 1984, following an argument at their home.

On April 1, 1984, Marvin Gaye and Marvin Gay Sr. became engaged in a physical altercation after another one of their verbal battles. Marvin Gaye was a singer and songwriter, known for his prominent role in the Motown record company. Trouble Man Lyrics: I come up hard, baby, but now I'm cool / I didn't make it sugar, playing by the rules / I come up hard, baby, but now I'm fine / I'm checking trouble, sure moving down the line / I He grew up in Washington, D.C, and was raised by his father, Marvin Gay, Sr, a minister, and his mother, Alberta Gay.Marvin first discovered his musical talent and passion by singing in his father’s church. “When people listen to that Marvin Gaye sample — people that know their music, when they hear that, they’ll know exactly what song it’s from and what era it was. On top of that, Gaye's father, a minister, was allegedly a highly abusive alcoholic, a lifestyle which culminated in the singer's death at his old man's hands a day before his 45th birthday. The cause of Marvin Gaye's death demise was a 'Gunshot wound to chest perforating heart, lung and liver’, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner. At 12:38p.m while Marvin was in his bedroom, his father, Marvin Gay Sr., shot him in the heart and then in his left shoulder. The death of Marvin Gaye's father received coverage in the UK press The father of the singer Marvin Gaye has died, some 14 years after he shot and killed his son during a family argument. When Tammi fell on stage and collapsed into Marvin Gaye’s arms on 14 October 1967, it foretold of tragedy.