Frankie Gaye

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2010) Frankie Gaye Born Frankie Gaye, (1941-11-15)November 15, 1941, Washington, D.C. U.S Died December 30, 2001(2001-12-30) (aged 60) Occupation Singer Frankie Gaye (born Frances Gay, November 15, 1941 - December 30, 2001) was a singer and the younger brother of the more famous singer Marvin Gaye. Born the son of minister Marvin Pentz Gay, Sr. and domestic Alberta Cooper in Washington, D.C., Frances watched as Marvin became a superstar. Frankie's horrific accounts of his service during the Vietnam War (which included being a radio DJ) inspired Marvin's classic 1971 concept album What's Going On. Biography edit: Frankie was born more than two years after his brother. Frankie spent his teenage years singing in various groups though he never got a big break compared to his brother, who later found fame with Motown Records while Frankie still lived in D.C. In 1967, Frankie, who like Marvin and their younger sister Zeola, adapted an "e" to his last name, was drafted into the United States Army where he served as a radio deejay. In 1970, Frankie returned to civilian life in Washington, D.C. During visits by his brother, the two discussed the war, prompting Frankie's brother to write a song that detailed Frankie's return from army service, "What's Happening Brother", which would be issued on Marvin's landmark album, What's Going On. Influenced by his brother's success, Frankie again tried to attempt a music career to no avail, settling for background session work with his famous brother. During some of Marvin's tours, he would put Frankie onstage as a doppelganger in an attempt to fool audiences due to the brothers' similar looks. In 1977, Frankie sung background on his brother's hit, "Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1, alongside Marvin's wife, Janis. He later contributed songs to the 1979 film, Penitentiary. In 1972, he moved to Los Angeles where he married his first wife, Judy, having two daughters, Christy and Denise. Following a subsequent divorce, Frankie traveled with Marvin during his worldwide tour in 1976 where he met a woman named Irene, who delivered a lei to him. Two years later, the couple married and would have three children together, daughters April (c. 1983) and Fiona (c. 1993) and son Frankie, Jr. (b. 1992). Frankie and his wife were living in the guest house of his parents' house on April 1, 1984 when Frankie's brother was shot and killed by their father during an argument. Five years later, Frankie signed with Motorcity Records where he recorded and released two singles, "Extraordinary Girl" (1989) and "My Brother" (1990), which was followed by his first and only album, My Brother, in 1990. In 2000, Frankie worked on an autobiography in which he discussed life with his famous older brother, aptly titled Marvin Gaye: My Brother. Before the book could be finished, Gaye died of complications following a heart attack at the age of 60. The book was completed later and released to mixed reviews in 2003. Marvin's youngest child, Frankie Christian Gaye (born in November 1975), was named after Frankie.

Source: Wikipedia

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