Marvin Gaye murdered 25 years ago

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Marvin Gaye murdered 25 years ago

Photos of Marvin Gaye's life and career, marking 25 years after his murder.

Twenty-five years ago, R&B legend Marvin Gaye was shot dead by his own father, thus silencing one of pop music's greatest voices and social critics.

Gaye began his career in the 1950s with the doo-wop group The Moonglows, but left the group in 1961 to become a session musician for the Motown label. By 1964, he had become one of Motown's most successful singers and songwriters, often working with female vocalists such as Tammi Terrell.

In 1971, Gaye recorded his most influential album, "What's Going On," which walked a tightrope between the smooth Motown sound and the pointed social commentary of the time.

Gaye had a tumultuous personal life, and once confessed to biographer David Ritz that he felt divided between good, represented by his Christian upbringing, and evil, represented by his troubles with drugs. Here, he is seen with his parents in Washington, D.C. in 1972, during a day honoring him.

The year 1983 was a big one for Gaye. He won a Grammy Award for Best Male Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance for "Sexual Healing," saying "I've waited a long time, twenty some years, to win an award." He also won Best R&B Instrumental Performance for the same song, capping a comeback from his troubled years in the 1970s.

Gaye's career was back on track, but his problems with drugs continued to dog him. After some time living outside the U.S. in order to escape pressure from the I.R.S., Gaye moved back to his parents' house in Los Angeles to put his life back together.

On April 1, 1984, Marvin Gaye Sr. shot and killed his son at close range after an argument at home. Gaye Sr. later claimed he acted in self-defense, and received a six-year suspended prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter. The father and son had fought many times over the years, often arguing over Marvin's lifestyle.

Marvin Gaye's legacy continues to grow. His daughter Nona has become a singer in her own right, and performed a video duet with her father during the 2004 NBA All-Star Game festivities in Los Angeles.

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Twenty-five years ago, R&B legend Marvin Gaye was shot dead by his own father, thus silencing one of pop music's greatest voices and social critics.

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