Born Marvin Pentz Gay, he was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a four-octave vocal range. He started his career as a drummer in the late fifties, in the 60s he sang with the Tamla Records, subsidiary of Motown Records. Gaye soon bacame the label's top-selling solo artist with hits such as "Ain't That Peculiar", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", that crowned him "The Prince of Motown" and "The Prince of Soul". His success went on throughout the 70s and culminated with his 1982 Grammy-Award winning hit, "Sexual Healing". Gaye was shot dead by his father on April 1, 1984. He was posthumously inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and he is unanimously considered one of the greatest singers of all time.