Marvin Gay Sr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marvin Gay Sr.
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Gaye Sr. in September 1984
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| Born |
Marvin Pentz Gay
October 1, 1914 |
| Died | October 10, 1998 (aged 84) Culver City, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Minister |
| Spouse(s) |
Alberta Cooper
(m. 1935; div. 1984) |
| Children | 5, including Marvin Gaye and Frankie Gaye |
Marvin Pentz Gay Sr. (born October 1, 1914 – died October 10, 1998) was an American Pentecostal minister. He was the father of famous singers Marvin Gaye and Frankie Gaye. He is known for an incident in 1984 where his son Marvin Gaye Jr. passed away after an argument at their home.
Contents
Early Life and Faith
Marvin Gay Sr. was born on October 1, 1914, in Jessamine County, Kentucky. He was the first of 13 children. He grew up in Lexington. His childhood was not easy. His wife, Alberta, later said that his family life involved a lot of conflict.
When he was a child, Marvin Gay Sr. and his mother joined the Pentecostal church, called the House of God. In his late teenage years, he moved to Washington, D.C.. There, he wanted to become a minister for a House of God church.
Marriage and Family Life
In Washington, D.C., Marvin Gay Sr. met Alberta Cooper. They got married on July 2, 1935. They bought a small house in southeastern Washington, D.C. The street was known as "Simple City" because it felt like half-city and half-country. Alberta already had a son named Michael, but Gay Sr. sent Michael to live with his sister-in-law.
Two years after they married, their first child, a daughter named Jeanne, was born. On April 2, 1939, their first son, Marvin Jr., was born. Later, their son Frankie and daughter Zeola were born. In 1970, Gay Sr. had another son named Antwaun Carey with a different woman.
Ministry Work and Music
Marvin Gay Sr. started his work as a preacher in Norristown, Pennsylvania. He impressed the people there, and his church later made him a Bishop. His son Marvin Jr. said that his father was known as a healer. Gay Sr. eventually became a minister at a local House of God church. When Marvin Jr. was about four or five years old, his father would take him to church meetings to sing for the people.
Relatives said that Marvin Gay Sr. could play the piano well, even though he taught himself. He bought a used piano and helped his son Marvin Jr. learn to play by ear. This was one of the few good times in their relationship. Marvin Sr. encouraged Marvin Jr.'s musical talent, as long as he focused on liturgical music (church music).
In the late 1940s, Gay Sr. left the House of God church to join another group. But he soon returned to the House of God to lead its Board of Apostles in the early 1950s. He left the House of God completely in the mid-1950s because he was not chosen to be the Chief Apostle. His son Marvin Jr. later said that this was when his father "lost his healing powers."
Personal Life and Family Relationships
Most people described Marvin Gay Sr. as a very strict father to his four children. His children said that he made them follow a long Sabbath day every Saturday. Gay Sr. did not agree with the Christian tradition of going to church on Sunday. He believed Christians were breaking God's rule to keep the "Lord's Day" on Saturday.
According to Gay Sr.'s sister, Jeanne, he was very strict and often used harsh discipline. He would also ask his children questions about the Bible. If they answered wrong, he would punish them.
Marvin Gay Sr. was especially strict with Marvin Jr. His sister Jeanne said that from age seven into his teenage years, Marvin Jr. faced "brutal whippings." His father would hit him for small mistakes, like putting his hairbrush in the wrong place. Marvin Jr. later said, "By the time I was twelve, there wasn't an inch on my body that hadn't been bruised and beaten by him." He also said that "living with Father was like living with a king, an all-cruel, changeable, cruel and all-powerful king."
Alberta Gay, Marvin Jr.'s mother, later said that her husband did not like Marvin Jr. She told an author in 1979, "My husband never wanted Marvin, and he never liked him." She also said, "But for some reason, he didn't love Marvin, and what's worse, he didn't want me to love Marvin either."
However, Gay Sr. said this about Marvin Jr.: "It was important that I have a male child. A namesake is what I wanted. The day he was born, I felt he was destined for greatness."
According to Jeanne Gay, her father never kept a job for more than three years. He worked briefly at the post office and at Western Union. But a back injury caused him to stop working early. He told an author that he left the Western Union job because people were working on the "day of the Sabbath." Over time, Gay Sr. became less involved in social life.
His wife, Alberta, earned most of the family's money by working as a domestic worker. As Marvin Jr. grew older, his relationship with his father became worse. Gay Sr. often sent his son out of the house for misbehavior. Neighbors and other students often teased the Gay family because of their name, their father's behavior, and their religion. Marvin Sr.'s sons often had to defend their father and their religion.
As a teenager, Marvin Jr. tried to leave home for good after a big fight. He joined the US Air Force. Marvin Jr. later said this was not a good idea because his military leaders were similar to his father.
After Marvin Jr. started his music career, he avoided being in the same room as his father for many years. Marvin Jr. added an "e" to his last name. This was partly to create more distance from his father.
Marvin Jr.'s Fame and Family Move
When Marvin Jr. became a music star at Motown, he bought a house in Washington, D.C. He moved his parents out of their old neighborhood into this new house. His mother, Alberta, stopped working and enjoyed having a secure home. The new house was large, with big porches. However, Marvin Jr. did not visit often because of his difficult relationship with his father.
In 1968, Marvin Jr. tried to improve things by giving his father a Cadillac as a gift. But he said his father's reaction was not very emotional. Four years later, Marvin Jr. reunited with his parents in Washington, D.C. The city honored Marvin Jr. with a special day called Marvin Gaye Day. Marvin Jr. later said that on this day, he felt he had made his father "proud."
In 1974, Gay Sr. appeared on his son's Midnight Special TV episode. In 1973, Marvin Jr. bought his parents a large house in West Adams, California, after moving them to the state. By this time, Gay Sr. found it too difficult to continue his ministry work. His marriage to Alberta also became more difficult.
By the early 1980s, Gay Sr.'s marriage to Alberta had broken down. His wife said in 1984 that they had not shared the same bed for almost ten years and were sleeping in separate bedrooms.
Tragic Incident and Later Life
In October 1983, Marvin Jr. returned to the family home in Los Angeles. Gay Sr. often told his children, "I brought you into this world, I can take you out." On Christmas Day, 1983, Marvin Jr. gave his father a pistol for protection.
On April 1, 1984, after an argument and fight earlier that day, Gay Sr. went to his son's bedroom with the pistol. He shot Marvin Jr. He then shot him a second time. Marvin Gaye Jr. was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
During his first police interview, Gay Sr. said he did not mean to kill his son. He said he was scared and only shot him in self-defense. When asked if he loved his son, Gay Sr. softly said, "Let's say I didn't dislike him."
After this tragic event, Alberta Gay filed for divorce after 49 years of marriage. Gay Sr. briefly returned to the Los Angeles home. However, health problems made him move to a nursing home. He lived in nursing homes in Inglewood and later in Culver City, California. He passed away from pneumonia on October 10, 1998, nine days after his 84th birthday.
Images for kids
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Gaye Sr. in September 1984
