Recommendations of the Editorial team
Motown is one of the greatest musical stories ever told, and Marvin Gaye was one of its main characters. There had never been anything like it before: all these songwriters, singers and producers working and developing together. Half family, half business – and I very much doubt that something like this will ever happen again.
When he at Motown When I first started out, he played drums on all of my big hits with the Miracles. We became close friends and I often acted as producer and wrote many songs for him: “Ain’t That Peculiar” or “I’ll Be Doggone”. Which means I spent a lot of time waiting for Marvin.
Marvin was always late to the studio. But I knew that when he came, he would sing my song in a way I could never have imagined. I loved that. Marvin could sing anything, from gospel to rough blues, from jazz to pop.
He really had everything: the voice, the soul and also the looks. He had sex appeal. But he was much more than a great singer. He was a great record maker, a gifted songwriter, a clever thinker. “What’s Going On” is the most important musical statement I know.
Not only was I his friend and brother, I’m also a huge Marvin Gaye fan
The song doesn’t age: “Brother, brother, brother/ There’s far too many of you dying” – that sounds even more touching today than it did back then. I remember visiting him at home and he was working on the record. He said: “Smoke, this album is written by God – I’m just the instrument.”
Not only was I his friend and brother, I’m also a huge Marvin Gaye fan. When he was still alive, of all the male voices, his was my favorite. I said earlier that working with Marvin meant waiting for him. But Marvin Gaye was always worth the wait. Somehow I’m still waiting for Marvin.
