Marvin Gaye, My Brother

by Frankie Gaye, Fred E. Basten

Marvin Gaye's life and brilliant career were cut tragically short on April 1, 1984 – one day before his 45th birthday – when he was shot and killed by his own father. Now, for the first time ever, Marvin Gaye's story is told in intimate detail by a member of his own family. Frankie and Marvin Gaye were close from childhood until Marvin's death. Frankie was at Marvin's side when he died, and only Frankie heard his deathbed confession. Full of never-before-told personal anecdotes, this book takes you behind the scenes from Marvin's childhood, through his spectacular success at Motown and then Columbia, his stormy relationships with women, and finally to his descent into drugs and despair. The true story of the man behind the beloved music is now available to fans old and new. Includes great photos throughout, a helpful index, and a timeline of important events in Marvin's life.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction

216 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2003

Reviews

[Ben Coates]

Pretty good. I never learned a lot about Marvin other than the stories surrounding What’s Going On, Here My Dear, and his demise, but this filled in the gaps quite well. Though sometimes it felt like I could just have been reading a Wikipedia entry other than his closest confidant’s tell-all. I expected more emotions, more detail, and less factoids and seemingly fully-remembered conversations that took place decades before the writing of this book. But hey. Not every book is gonna be a zinger. It was nice, though. RIP Marvin and Frankie.

[Adhiambo Ongalo]

I have enjoyed this book and learnt a little bit more about Marvin Gaye, the legend. At the end of it all he was just human, vulnerable to poor judgment & choices; and costly mistakes. I however feel that there are too many gaps in this story. While Frankie Gaye tried to make us understand who Marvin was, he also did his best to sanitize him. To make the public more sympathetic and forgiving of his shortcomings? I guess there might never be a clear answer to that question.

[Jye Whale]

:,(

[Tasha Milteer]

I felt that his brother told the truth about what he experienced. His and Jan Gaye's books were similar and a good read. https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJoXppK3/

[MaryAlice]

Marvin Gaye is among my favorite all-time recording artists. I knew a lot about him before reading "Marvin Gaye, My Brother" by Frankie Gaye with Fred E. Basten, but not that he had a look-alike, sound-alike brother. Nor did I know that Frankie's time served in the Vietnam war was the likely inspiration for Gaye's concept album, "What's Going On".

Although Frankie Gaye helped to write this book, he died of a sudden illness prior to its publication. His memoir takes readers from the boys' childhood, Marvin's rise to fame, continuing until Marvin's death at the hands of their father.

Definitely a good read.

[Doris Raines]

A. True. League. You. Came. And. Went. A. True. Angle. I. Believe. You. Was. Heavenlly. Sent. Who. Said. Life. Was. Going. To. Easy. I. Will. Always. Love. You. As. Marvin. Gaye. You. Will. Forever. Live. In. My. Heart. Now. And. Always. Still. I. Miss. You. Without. Any. Dought. Just. Listening. To. Your. Song's. Thats. What. Its. All. About. Love. You. Marvin. Gaye. Doris.

[Shannan Harper]

This was a nice perspective. Frankie and Marvin were about a year apart and were extremely close. Frankie died before the book was completed, but it was nice hearing from his closest sibling some of the things Marvin went through growing up and during his career at Motown.

[Barbara Washington]

This book provides the reader powerful insight into the private
life of one of the greatest artists of our time

[Erin]

Interesting in terms of his personal decline, but sketchy on the details of his more difficult periods.

[Fishface]

This was a good read. Cleared up many misconceptions for me and filled me in on a lot of things I didn't know. Well worth a read.

[Linda]

I was hoping it would flow more like a novel but unfortunately it read more like a journal.