From the death of Marvin Gaye to a Will Ferrell-Kristen Wiig Lifetime movie, these events were unfortunately timed for April Fools’ Day but were 100 percent real. Happy April Fool’s Day. We hope you don’t fall for any tricks — and that you don’t take any real headline to be fake. Here are some examples of April 1 headlines that turned out to be completely real. Singer Marvin Gaye was fatally shot by his father, Marvin Gaye Sr., on April 1, 1984. The news was so shocking and the timing so unfortunate that even Gaye’s close friend Smokey Robinson thought it.
- 3/31/2017
- by Linda Ge
- The Wrap
Leon Ware, the songwriter behind hits for R&B titans including Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, the Isley Brothers and Quincy Jones died on Thursday at the age of 77. Though the cause of death has yet to be revealed, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in the mid ’00s.
Born on Feb. 16, 1940 in Detroit, Ware began his career in the late ’60s as a songwriter for Berry Gordy’s Motown label, where he first began collaborating with Gaye, one of the imprint’s brightest stars. He would later co-produce the singer’s 1976 offering, I Want You—co-writing every track. The record...
Born on Feb. 16, 1940 in Detroit, Ware began his career in the late ’60s as a songwriter for Berry Gordy’s Motown label, where he first began collaborating with Gaye, one of the imprint’s brightest stars. He would later co-produce the singer’s 1976 offering, I Want You—co-writing every track. The record...
- 2/24/2017
- by Jordan Runtagh
- PEOPLE.com
This article originally appeared on EW.com.
The Songwriters Hall of Fame announced its latest class of inductees on Monday. This year’s batch includes Max Martin; Jay Z; collaborative duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis; Motown records founder Berry Gordy; Chicago members Robert Lamm, James Pankow, and Peter Cetera; and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds. The induction ceremony is set for June 15 at New York City’s Marriott Marquis Hotel.
“With our 2017 roster of inductees, the Songwriters Hall of Fame moves definitively into recognizing music creators of the 21st century while continuing to honor the greats of earlier decades,” the Hall...
The Songwriters Hall of Fame announced its latest class of inductees on Monday. This year’s batch includes Max Martin; Jay Z; collaborative duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis; Motown records founder Berry Gordy; Chicago members Robert Lamm, James Pankow, and Peter Cetera; and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds. The induction ceremony is set for June 15 at New York City’s Marriott Marquis Hotel.
“With our 2017 roster of inductees, the Songwriters Hall of Fame moves definitively into recognizing music creators of the 21st century while continuing to honor the greats of earlier decades,” the Hall...
- 2/22/2017
- by Eric Renner Brown
- PEOPLE.com
[[tmz:video id="0_dg8tcl96"]] Even a legend like Motown founder Berry Gordy screws up sometimes, and he admits the late great Marvin Gaye saved him from a huge misstep that could've changed music history. Berry tried like hell to steer Marvin away from recording "What's Going On" -- too political for the early '70s, he thought -- but he explained how Gaye finally won the argument. Sorry Berry, but we gotta say ... Best. Loss. Ever. Read more...
- 11/18/2016
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Marvin Gaye's son is ready to go to war again in court ... this time to shut down the release of a biopic about his father, which he calls pure trash. Marvin Gaye III tells TMZ ... no one in his family is backing "Sexual Healing" -- the film music mogul Vassal Benford is producing. Gaye III's got a lot of problems with what he's seen of the film. He says it's untrue, exploitative, with a...
- 9/16/2016
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Netflix has announced that they've ordered a new animated TV series that will be based on classic Motown songs. The series doesn't have a title yet but you can read more about the show below. Netflix Announces Untitled Motown Project, New Animated Series For Kids Inspired By Legendary Motown ClassicsWith Smokey Robinson advising as Executive Music Producer, the show will bring 52 Motown songs to life, including those made famous by Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, Lionel Richie, The Supremes, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder and many moreBeverly Hills, CA - July 27, 2016 - Netflix, Grace: A Storytelling Company (Grace) and Beyond International (Beyond) announced today that a new animated original series for kids based on the illustrious Motown catalog of songs is coming to Netflix, and will be available to members worldwide at launch. The untitled Motown...
- 7/28/2016
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
A Motown-inspired animated children's series, curated by soul legend Smokey Robinson as executive music producer, is coming to Netflix.
The as-yet-untitled project takes place in the fictional city of Motown and will center around a shy, artistic boy and his friends, according to the Wall Street Journal. The episodes will revolve around classic songs like the Temptations' "My Girl" and Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," though contemporary artists will also cover the songs for the series.
"Great songs have great stories in them," said the show’s creator Josh Wakely.
The as-yet-untitled project takes place in the fictional city of Motown and will center around a shy, artistic boy and his friends, according to the Wall Street Journal. The episodes will revolve around classic songs like the Temptations' "My Girl" and Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," though contemporary artists will also cover the songs for the series.
"Great songs have great stories in them," said the show’s creator Josh Wakely.
- 7/28/2016
- Rollingstone.com
A new documentary will explore the making of Marvin Gaye's seminal 1971 album, What's Going On, Variety reports.
Marvin, What's Going On? goes into production this year and will include contributions from Gaye's three children and former wife, Janis. The film marks the first time the late singer's family has lent their support to such a project.
Recorded in Detroit and West Hollywood, What's Going On marked a significant turning point for Gaye, who until then had been known for his indelible duets with Tammi Terrell and solo pop hits...
Marvin, What's Going On? goes into production this year and will include contributions from Gaye's three children and former wife, Janis. The film marks the first time the late singer's family has lent their support to such a project.
Recorded in Detroit and West Hollywood, What's Going On marked a significant turning point for Gaye, who until then had been known for his indelible duets with Tammi Terrell and solo pop hits...
- 7/12/2016
- Rollingstone.com
Berry Gordy's "Motown: The Musical," which grossed over $1 million ($1.03 million) after its first week of previews on Broadway, at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York, in 2013, will return to Broadway for a second run starting July 12, 2016 at the Nederlander Theater, for 18 weeks, it was announced today. The production, which first opened on April 14, 2013, will return with an all-new cast comprised of Chester Gregory as Berry Gordy, Allison Semmes as Diana Ross, Jesse Nager as Smokey Robinson, Jarran Muse as Marvin Gaye, and J.J. Batteast and Leon Outlaw, Jr. as Young Berry Gordy/Stevie Wonder/Michael Jackson. The ensemble will also include...
- 4/12/2016
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Michael Jackson made bigger records than Off the Wall, but he arguably never made a better one — the album's masterful fusion of funk, disco, pop and Quiet Storm R&B captures the singer at his most effervescent. A deluxe edition of the record arrives February 26th, accompanied by a new documentary, Michael Jackson's Journey From Motown to Off the Wall, helmed by Spike Lee, who also directed a movie about the 25th anniversary of Bad. From Motown to Off the Wall premiered at Sundance in January, and it airs on Showtime February 5th.
- 2/5/2016
- Rollingstone.com
There's a moment about one-third of the way through Spike Lee's new documentary Michael Jackson's Journey From Motown to Off the Wall in which the Jackson estate's archivist pulls out a yellowed, frayed letter and reads aloud. Written after Michael and his brothers, collectively known as the Jackson 5, had left Motown and were recording under the name the Jacksons, the future King of Pop is jotting down various aspirational goals: He wants to get into the movies, he wants to explore all musical styles and directions, he wants...
- 1/28/2016
- Rollingstone.com
Marvin Gaye III's cut of that $7.4 million judgment from the "Blurred Lines" case might be a little light ... thanks to his baby mama. According to court docs, Gaye III owes Deanna Holly $62,564.44 in back child support ... and L.A. county stepped in to file a lien against that "Blurred Lines" judgment. The move ensures that when Marvin's checks start coming in, he'll have to fork over the owed dough to Holly. Back in March,...
- 12/1/2015
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Contrary to reports, Marvin Gaye's son, Marvin Gaye III, is not suing the creators of Empire. Speaking to Rolling Stone, his lawyer has denied the claims as reported by TMZ on Sunday.
"My client has not filed a lawsuit regarding the Empire series," Paul Philips, Gaye's lawyer, tells Rolling Stone. "Right now, Marvin's interests and our efforts remain focused on the 'Blurred Lines' case and on seeing that through to its conclusion. We will address the TMZ report and the Empire matter at the appropriate time."
The gossip site...
"My client has not filed a lawsuit regarding the Empire series," Paul Philips, Gaye's lawyer, tells Rolling Stone. "Right now, Marvin's interests and our efforts remain focused on the 'Blurred Lines' case and on seeing that through to its conclusion. We will address the TMZ report and the Empire matter at the appropriate time."
The gossip site...
- 8/10/2015
- Rollingstone.com
Marvin Gaye's son is the latest guy to claim "Empire" was his brainchild ... he's about to sue over it, and remember, the guy's got a good track record in court. We've learned Marvin Gaye III claims he registered a treatment on a show called "Diamonds & Ballads" (aka "Those Sons of Riches!") with the Writers Guild of America back in 2010. Gaye says the treatment describes a family in the music business -- "a music based...
- 8/9/2015
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
As the legal battle over the Robin Thicke song “Blurred Lines” ramps up for yet another round of back-and-forth, Marvin Gaye’s family — who earlier this month were awarded $7.4 million in a copyright infringement lawsuit revolving around the song — has issued a statement saying that the whole legal entanglement could have been avoided. In an open letter from Marvin Gaye’s children obtained by TheWrap on Wednesday, Nona, Frankie, and Marvin Gaye III said that they “would have welcomed” a conversation with Thicke and “Blurred Lines” producer Pharrell Williams, if the pair had opted to license Gaye’s 1977 song...
- 3/18/2015
- by Tim Kenneally and Pamela Chelin
- The Wrap
Marvin Gaye's son tells TMZ .. the war with Robin Thicke and Pharrell isn't just about music -- it's personal ... claiming the superstars "Disrespected" the entire Gaye family. We spoke with Marvin Gaye III in L.A. after the family won the $7.4 million judgment over "Blurred Lines" ... and he explained why he feels Robin and Pharrell finally got their comeuppance. But there could be Another battle on the horizon -- with Marvin's daughter Nona and...
- 3/13/2015
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
After winning a major victory in court over the song "Blurred Lines," Marvin Gaye's family sat down with Et's Nischelle Turner to talk about what the court decision means to them.
On Tuesday, a jury ruled in favor of the Gayes following claims that Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams, and T.I.’s 2013 hit song was too similar to Gaye’s “Got to Give it Up.” The family was awarded more than $7 million for using key elements of the original R&B record without permission. (Only Thicke and Williams, the two songwriters, will have to pay damages.)
News: Marvin Gaye's Family Awarded More Than $7 Million in 'Blurred Lines' Trial
"My heart started pounding but I still had faith that the verdict was going to go our way," Janis Gaye, Marvin’s ex-wife, said of the moments just before the verdict was read. And when the jury ruled in their favor, emotion swept over...
On Tuesday, a jury ruled in favor of the Gayes following claims that Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams, and T.I.’s 2013 hit song was too similar to Gaye’s “Got to Give it Up.” The family was awarded more than $7 million for using key elements of the original R&B record without permission. (Only Thicke and Williams, the two songwriters, will have to pay damages.)
News: Marvin Gaye's Family Awarded More Than $7 Million in 'Blurred Lines' Trial
"My heart started pounding but I still had faith that the verdict was going to go our way," Janis Gaye, Marvin’s ex-wife, said of the moments just before the verdict was read. And when the jury ruled in their favor, emotion swept over...
- 3/11/2015
- Entertainment Tonight
The GRAMMYs were awarded last week, but Monday night on CBS, some of music's biggest names paid tribute to one artist who has undoubtedly influenced almost every major musician working today: Stevie Wonder.
Grammys: All of the 2015 Grammy Performances, Ranked
"I've been listening to his music since I was a child and those chord changes would just do something to me," 2015 Grammy winner Pharrell Williams told Et.
"Little Stevie Wonder" was signed by iconic producer Berry Gordy at age eleven and grew up in a Motown family that included the like of Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye. Though blind since birth, Wonder's lack of sight was never a handicap for the talented musician.
"I'm fine," he said in his first Et interview back in 1983. "I've never seen and you don't always have to see to know that someone is pretty."
Even in the early 1980s, Stevie was focused on his legacy, which would ultimately...
Grammys: All of the 2015 Grammy Performances, Ranked
"I've been listening to his music since I was a child and those chord changes would just do something to me," 2015 Grammy winner Pharrell Williams told Et.
"Little Stevie Wonder" was signed by iconic producer Berry Gordy at age eleven and grew up in a Motown family that included the like of Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye. Though blind since birth, Wonder's lack of sight was never a handicap for the talented musician.
"I'm fine," he said in his first Et interview back in 1983. "I've never seen and you don't always have to see to know that someone is pretty."
Even in the early 1980s, Stevie was focused on his legacy, which would ultimately...
- 2/17/2015
- Entertainment Tonight
Paula Patton could have Robin Thicke by the short hairs ... again -- she's being called to testify in the court battle over whether he ripped off "Blurred Lines" from Marvin Gaye.According to court docs ... Robin's estranged wife is listed as a witness for the case which still looks like it's heading to trial. Marvin Gaye III and Robin have been warring over 'Blurred' and a handful of other Thicke tunes. Paula is expected to testify about the 2011 song,...
- 1/21/2015
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
The touring production of Motown the Musical sent a special 'Happy Trails' to the Broadway Production of Motown, closing today, Sunday Jan. 18. With direction and arrangement by Jesse Nager Smokey Robinson the video features Julius Thomas III Berry Gordy, Allison Semmes Diana Ross, Jarran Muse Marvin Gaye, Krisha Mercano Suzanne De Passe, and Rod Harrelson dance captain, all of whom joined the tour from the Broadway company. The video also has appearances from the entire company currently in Philadelphia. Check it out below...
- 1/18/2015
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
On Monday, Marvin Gaye's children delivered a message to a California federal judge: Hearing is believing, so listen up. Nona Gaye, Frankie Gaye and Marvin Gaye III have now filed their summary judgment papers in a lawsuit over "Blurred Lines" and are pointing the judge to recorded depositions and media interviews given by producer Pharrell Williams and singer Robin Thicke. The children have also submitted an audio mash-up that's intended to serve as "concrete musical illustrations of the substantial similarities" between last year's huge hit and Gaye's "Got to Give it Up." Williams and Thicke filed their preemptive
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- 9/8/2014
- by Eriq Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In an unconventional move, Motown The Musical has announced that it will play its final performance at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Jan. 18, 2015, but will return July 2016. In the meantime, the show will continue its successful U.S. tour, which has grossed $20 million over its 16-week run, and kick off a UK production next summer. The hit Broadway musical — penned by Motown founder Berry Gordy and featuring pop standards by Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Mary Wells, Gladys Knight and more — is produced by Gordy, Kevin McCollum and Doug Morris. Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright,
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- 8/22/2014
- by Ashley Lee
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Wimbledon 2014: BBC One, 1pm
Sue Barker presents live coverage of the men's singles final, which sees tennis titans Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer going head-to-head for the title.
Can Djokovic take his second Wimbledon title, or will Federer surpass Pete Sampras and William Renshaw by clocking up a record-breaking eighth men's singles crown at the All England Club?
Common: BBC One, 9pm
Multi-award-winning writer Jimmy McGovern's latest film, based on the UK's joint enterprise law.
17-year-old Johnjo (Nico Mirallegro) gives his friends a lift to a pizza parlour, when things soon get out of hand and an innocent bystander is fatally stabbed. Despite being in the car the whole time, Johnjo finds himself charged with murder, along with everyone else.
The Nation's Favourite Motown Song: ITV, 9pm
Craig Charles counts down Motown's greatest hits, as voted for by the British public.
Featuring music from Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross,...
Sue Barker presents live coverage of the men's singles final, which sees tennis titans Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer going head-to-head for the title.
Can Djokovic take his second Wimbledon title, or will Federer surpass Pete Sampras and William Renshaw by clocking up a record-breaking eighth men's singles crown at the All England Club?
Common: BBC One, 9pm
Multi-award-winning writer Jimmy McGovern's latest film, based on the UK's joint enterprise law.
17-year-old Johnjo (Nico Mirallegro) gives his friends a lift to a pizza parlour, when things soon get out of hand and an innocent bystander is fatally stabbed. Despite being in the car the whole time, Johnjo finds himself charged with murder, along with everyone else.
The Nation's Favourite Motown Song: ITV, 9pm
Craig Charles counts down Motown's greatest hits, as voted for by the British public.
Featuring music from Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross,...
- 7/6/2014
- Digital Spy
As previously announced, Clifton Oliver and Allison Semmes will star in the leading roles of Berry Gordy and Diana Ross. Portraying groundbreaking Motown artists, Nicholas Christopher will play Smokey Robinson and Jarran Muse will play Marvin Gaye. Leon Outlaw, Jr. and Reed L. Shannon will portray Berry Gordy's boyhood counterpart and the roles of young stars Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder.
- 3/17/2014
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
There's a bit of a quirky new twist in Robin Thicke's lawsuit claiming that "Blurred Lines" wasn't stolen from Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up." Marvin Gaye III, the adopted eldest of the singer's children, has hired his own attorney and has filed his own counterclaim in the lawsuit. He follows Frankie Christian Gaye and Nona Gaye, who filed a countersuit in October claiming that Thicke and his producers Pharrell Williams and Clifford Harris Jr. committed copyright infringement on two songs. At the time, the non-participation of Gaye III was noted by several media outlets. Gaye III
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- 11/26/2013
- by Eriq Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Kardashian and West are not happy about some lost moolah. Despite inviting an entire film crew to capture every second of West’s “romantic” proposal the couple have filed a lawsuit against YouTube cofounder Chad Hurley who posted video of the proposal online after the event. E! News reports that that a number of media sites ran a fuzzy two and a half minutes of footage stamped with the name of Hurley’s new website MixBit. The complaint states that while Hurley was at the event he signed a confidentiality agreement. The couple are asking for unspecified damages for alleged breach of contract, fraud and unjust enrichment. Poor things.
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In the world of lawsuits Marvin Gaye’s kids also seem to be feeling a bit hard done by. Two of the late singer’s offspring have filed a lawsuit against Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and fellow producer Clifford Harris Jr,...
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In the world of lawsuits Marvin Gaye’s kids also seem to be feeling a bit hard done by. Two of the late singer’s offspring have filed a lawsuit against Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and fellow producer Clifford Harris Jr,...
- 11/1/2013
- by reelz staff
- Reelzchannel.com
Marvin Gaye's three children are suing Robin Thicke, Paula Patton and record company Emi, whom they claim failed to protect their late father's songs and attempted to intimidate the family from pursuing a lawsuit. Earlier this year, Robin Thicke, T.I. and Pharrell Williams filed a pre-emptive lawsuit against Marvin Gaye's estate to protect their mega hit, "Blurred Lines". They decided to do so after the Gayes claimed that the chart-topping song was a rip-off of the late singer's 1977 track called "Got to Give It Up". Reuters reports that Gaye's children, Nona Marvisa Gaye and his sons Frankie Christian Gaye and Marvin Gaye III, filed their lawsuit on Wednesday, October 30 in United States District Court in Los Angeles.
- 10/31/2013
- by April Neale
- Monsters and Critics
Two of Marvin Gaye's kids are shooting down Robin Thicke's claims that "Blurred Lines" is Not a rip-off of their father's music ... filing a countersuit that accuses Robin of changing his tune about the origin of the song.Nona Gaye and Frankie Christian Gaye filed the docs today ... pointing to Robin's interviews with "Billboard" and "GQ" -- where he admitted Marvin's "Got to Give It Up" was one of his fave songs of all time,...
- 10/30/2013
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Billboard has learned that Robin Thicke's team offered a six-figure sum to members of Marvin Gaye's family in order to preempt a copyright infringement showdown, but the family turned it down. According to knowledgeable sources, the settlement offer came after Frankie Christian Gaye, Marvin Gaye III and Nona Marvisa Gaye accused Thicke of plagiarizing "Got to Give It Up" -- written and composed by Marvin Gaye, who died in 1984 -- to create his "Blurred Lines" hit single. Photos: A Brief History of Nudity in Music Videos Subsequently, Thicke, along with "Blurred Lines" co-writers Pharrell Williams and Clifford Harris Jr., filed
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- 8/23/2013
- by Alex Pham, Billboard
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The tiff between Robin Thicke and Marvin Gaye’s family appears to be intensifying.
One week after Thicke filed a lawsuit to “protect” his summer smash, "Blurred Lines,” Gaye’s son, Marvin Gaye III is blasting the 36-year-old singer and threatening a lawsuit of his own.
"If you listen to the music," Gaye says, “I'm sure anyone will see the similarities clearly between what my father does and what Robin Thicke has been trying to do.” He added, "What would he want to be protected from if he didn't do anything?"
As to whether the Gaye estate will be suing, Gaye III simply says, "My counsel is right now in the process of taking care of business…I'm here to uphold my father's legacy."
Thicke, along with "Blurred Lines" contributors T.I. and Pharrell Williams, says he was forced to file his suit as a result of “multiple adverse claims from alleged successors,...
One week after Thicke filed a lawsuit to “protect” his summer smash, "Blurred Lines,” Gaye’s son, Marvin Gaye III is blasting the 36-year-old singer and threatening a lawsuit of his own.
"If you listen to the music," Gaye says, “I'm sure anyone will see the similarities clearly between what my father does and what Robin Thicke has been trying to do.” He added, "What would he want to be protected from if he didn't do anything?"
As to whether the Gaye estate will be suing, Gaye III simply says, "My counsel is right now in the process of taking care of business…I'm here to uphold my father's legacy."
Thicke, along with "Blurred Lines" contributors T.I. and Pharrell Williams, says he was forced to file his suit as a result of “multiple adverse claims from alleged successors,...
- 8/23/2013
- GossipCenter
Marvin Gaye’s family has already threatened legal action against the “Blurred Lines” dudes, but now Gaye’s son is telling TMZ he’s pretty sure that Robin Thicke has ripped off his dad multiple times. Marvin Gaye III said, “If you listen to the music... anyone will see the similarities clearly between what my father does and what Robin Thicke has been trying to do.” Gaye says Thicke’s style-lifting disrespects the legacy of his father, as well as that of the whole Gaye family. It’s worth noting here that the long-deceased Gaye is listed as a songwriter ...
- 8/22/2013
- avclub.com
News broke last week that Robin Thicke was taking Marvin Gaye's family to court, filing a lawsuit to protect his own smash hit, "Blurred Lines."
The 36-year-old singer was joined by his "Blurred Lines" contributors, T.I. and Pharrell Williams, in filing a suit against the estate of late singer Marvin Gaye and Bridgeport Music. After widespread comparisons were made between "Blurred Lines" and Marvin Gaye's '70s song "Got to Give It Up," the singer reportedly wrote in the claim that he has "the utmost respect for and admiration of Marvin Gaye, Funkadelic and their musical legacies," but has been forced to "reluctantly file this action in the face of multiple adverse claims from alleged successors in interest to those artists."
Marvin Gaye's son, Marvin Gaye III, is now speaking out against Thicke's actions. Gaye's son appeared on TMZ Live with his wife Wendy and D'Extra Wiley,...
The 36-year-old singer was joined by his "Blurred Lines" contributors, T.I. and Pharrell Williams, in filing a suit against the estate of late singer Marvin Gaye and Bridgeport Music. After widespread comparisons were made between "Blurred Lines" and Marvin Gaye's '70s song "Got to Give It Up," the singer reportedly wrote in the claim that he has "the utmost respect for and admiration of Marvin Gaye, Funkadelic and their musical legacies," but has been forced to "reluctantly file this action in the face of multiple adverse claims from alleged successors in interest to those artists."
Marvin Gaye's son, Marvin Gaye III, is now speaking out against Thicke's actions. Gaye's son appeared on TMZ Live with his wife Wendy and D'Extra Wiley,...
- 8/22/2013
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
Marvin Gaye's son is out for blood in his war with Robin Thicke, telling "TMZ Live" he resents Thicke's lawsuit against the Gaye estate over "Blurred Lines" ... and is strongly insinuating he plans to respond with legal action of his own.Marvin Gaye III dropped us a line Wednesday, and he's not happy ... basically saying Thicke has disrespected the Gaye family by shamelessly lifting his father's famous tunes for the hit song (plus many...
- 8/22/2013
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Dr. Phil tweeted a simple question: Is it okay to have sex with a drunk girl? Then all Hell broke loose -- some fans are outraged! But did Dr. Phil really cross the line with this topic? Harv thinks not.Speaking of blurred lines -- Robin Thicke's legal war with Marvin Gaye's family goes way deeper than that hit. Marvin Gaye III joined us with what he considers hard proof that Robin's been...
- 8/21/2013
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
It can be overwhelming to even try and count the many talented and charismatic musicians of Motown. But Tammi Terrell, with a voice that paired perfectly with Marvin Gaye's and the strikingly beautiful looks of an ingenue, stands out as a diamond among the gems.
Terrell would have celebrated her 68th birthday Monday. The young star died tragically at age 24, just several years after she was discovered by Motown Records' Berry Gordy.
See her here in 1966, a year after she signed with his label:
Photo by James Kriegsmann/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images
She would have been around 21 and was already churning out hits.
Terrell had 15 singles peak on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. According to NPR, she was born Thomasina Montgomery and first recorded as Tammy Montgomery, being groomed at a teen by Scepter Records to become a girl-group vocalist. Motown founder Barry Gordy discovered her singing in a...
Terrell would have celebrated her 68th birthday Monday. The young star died tragically at age 24, just several years after she was discovered by Motown Records' Berry Gordy.
See her here in 1966, a year after she signed with his label:
Photo by James Kriegsmann/Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images
She would have been around 21 and was already churning out hits.
Terrell had 15 singles peak on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. According to NPR, she was born Thomasina Montgomery and first recorded as Tammy Montgomery, being groomed at a teen by Scepter Records to become a girl-group vocalist. Motown founder Barry Gordy discovered her singing in a...
- 4/29/2013
- by Kate Abbey-Lambertz
- Huffington Post
New York -- There are 36 songs in the new Broadway show "Motown: The Musical." Actually, that's just in the first act – 36 songs, not including a reprise of "You're Nobody `til Somebody Loves You." It's like a jukebox went completely haywire.
To be sure, the songs are probably the best America has ever produced: "War," "What's Going On?" "My Girl," "You've Really Got a Hold on Me," "Dancing in the Streets" and "Ain't Too Proud to Beg." But, still, 36? In comparison, "The Book of Mormon" has what now seems like a stingy 16 songs in total.
The 2 1/2-hour show, about Motown Records under founder Berry Gordy, opened Sunday at The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre completely unbalanced: The songs are staggering, the book utterly flimsy.
Both are due to one man: Gordy, who clearly knows what makes an indelible hit song, but also has an inability to write objectively about that skill. As the book writer,...
To be sure, the songs are probably the best America has ever produced: "War," "What's Going On?" "My Girl," "You've Really Got a Hold on Me," "Dancing in the Streets" and "Ain't Too Proud to Beg." But, still, 36? In comparison, "The Book of Mormon" has what now seems like a stingy 16 songs in total.
The 2 1/2-hour show, about Motown Records under founder Berry Gordy, opened Sunday at The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre completely unbalanced: The songs are staggering, the book utterly flimsy.
Both are due to one man: Gordy, who clearly knows what makes an indelible hit song, but also has an inability to write objectively about that skill. As the book writer,...
- 4/15/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Detroit — An 1877 Steinway grand piano used by Motown greats during the label's 1960s heyday, and restored thanks to Paul McCartney, is back home in Detroit, officials announced Monday.
Steinway technicians are to deliver the 9-foot, Victorian rosewood to the "Hitsville, U.S.A," building at midday, Motown Historical Museum board chair Robin Terry said in a news release first obtained by The Associated Press.
McCartney told museum officials after a 2011 concert in Detroit that he wanted to help with the piano's refurbishment after learning the historic instrument no longer could be played.
Work on the piano was completed last August, and the ex-Beatle and Motown founder Berry Gordy played it together during a September charitable event at Steinway Hall in New York City.
The piano now will go back on display at the Motown museum's famed Studio A in the "Hitsville, U.S.A.," building. The instrument first made its...
Steinway technicians are to deliver the 9-foot, Victorian rosewood to the "Hitsville, U.S.A," building at midday, Motown Historical Museum board chair Robin Terry said in a news release first obtained by The Associated Press.
McCartney told museum officials after a 2011 concert in Detroit that he wanted to help with the piano's refurbishment after learning the historic instrument no longer could be played.
Work on the piano was completed last August, and the ex-Beatle and Motown founder Berry Gordy played it together during a September charitable event at Steinway Hall in New York City.
The piano now will go back on display at the Motown museum's famed Studio A in the "Hitsville, U.S.A.," building. The instrument first made its...
- 4/1/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Bah! Humbug! It doesn't end... Not to bring you down from the highs many of you were on after it was revealed that Jesse L. Martin had replaced the previously cast Lenny Kravitz, to play Marvin Gaye in Julien Temple's biopic of the man, titled Sexual Healing... After Marvin Gaye's son (Marvin Gaye III), who's also a childhood friend of Kravitz, publicly urged Kravitz to "walk away from the role" when he was initially cast, adding that he was "shocked" that Lenny actually agreed to star in the project, calling it "shameful," Kravitz did even tually step down (to be replaced by Jesse L. Martin), although it's still not public why he walked away from the role, and whether he felt pressure...
- 3/11/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
The Hollywood Reporter says that Jesse L. Martin (Law & Order, Rent) will star as Marvin Gaye in the new Biopic Sexual Healing, replacing Lenny Kravitz.
Martin was originally set to play the singer in 2008, in a version produced by James Gandolfini but the project never happened. Kravitz signed on for the lead role in November but after Gaye’s son Marvin Gaye III voiced objections about the subject matter of the film, which revolved primarily around Gaye’s battle with addiction and depression in the 1980′s, the project shifted. The film will now begin with Gaye’s attempt to get his career back together and a big supporting role seems to be that of music promoter Freddy Cousaert, played by Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges, Harry Potter films).
Martin is an accomplished actor of theatre, musical theatre and film. He has a great voice and he’s a more qualified choice...
Martin was originally set to play the singer in 2008, in a version produced by James Gandolfini but the project never happened. Kravitz signed on for the lead role in November but after Gaye’s son Marvin Gaye III voiced objections about the subject matter of the film, which revolved primarily around Gaye’s battle with addiction and depression in the 1980′s, the project shifted. The film will now begin with Gaye’s attempt to get his career back together and a big supporting role seems to be that of music promoter Freddy Cousaert, played by Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges, Harry Potter films).
Martin is an accomplished actor of theatre, musical theatre and film. He has a great voice and he’s a more qualified choice...
- 3/5/2013
- by Alex Corey
- LRMonline.com
Lenny Kravitz has dropped out of the upcoming Marvin Gaye biopic from Julien Temple.
Law & Order actor Jesse L Martin has now signed up to portray the soul icon in Sexual Healing, reports Deadline.
It has not been confirmed why Kravitz exited the production, which will begin shooting in Europe later this month.
Martin is best known for originating the role of Tom Collins in the Broadway production of Rent, as well as playing Detective Edward Green for nearly 200 episodes of Law & Order.
He most recently signed up for a six-episode arc in NBC musical drama Smash.
The singer and actor was once attached to star as Gaye in the James Gandolfini-produced version of Sexual Healing five years ago.
Sexual Healing centres around Gaye's time in Europe in the early 1980s, while trying to resurrect his career and kick his addictions.
Brendan Gleeson has signed up to play British music promoter Freddy Cousaert.
Law & Order actor Jesse L Martin has now signed up to portray the soul icon in Sexual Healing, reports Deadline.
It has not been confirmed why Kravitz exited the production, which will begin shooting in Europe later this month.
Martin is best known for originating the role of Tom Collins in the Broadway production of Rent, as well as playing Detective Edward Green for nearly 200 episodes of Law & Order.
He most recently signed up for a six-episode arc in NBC musical drama Smash.
The singer and actor was once attached to star as Gaye in the James Gandolfini-produced version of Sexual Healing five years ago.
Sexual Healing centres around Gaye's time in Europe in the early 1980s, while trying to resurrect his career and kick his addictions.
Brendan Gleeson has signed up to play British music promoter Freddy Cousaert.
- 3/5/2013
- Digital Spy
The long-awaited Marvin Gaye biopic "Sexual Healing" has got yet another leading man, with "Law and Order" actor Jesse L. Martin now replacing Lenny Kravitz. "Sexual Healing" has gone through several switch-ups over the years, and it's attracted plenty of controversy from the Gaye estate. Martin, who starred in the original Broadway production of "Rent" and its film adaptation, was slated to star as Gaye at one point, alongside James Gandolfini (the famous HBO mobster was also producing the flick.) Somehow, that iteration of "Healing" fell by the wayside, later to be picked up by director Julien Temple. Lenny Kravitz was cast as the golden-throated singer back in 2012, but then Marvin Gaye III got involved. Gaye's son, a longtime friend of Kravitz, made a personal appeal to the "Hunger Games" actor to ditch the role because the story was about the tragic end years of Gaye's life. His son said,...
- 3/5/2013
- by Jenni Miller
- Moviefone
Jesse L. Martin has replaced Lenny Kravitz in the Marvin Gaye biopic Sexual Healing. Martin originally had been attached to play the late singer in a version produced by James Gandolfini -- who also had plans to co-star as music promoter Freddy Cousaert -- in 2008.
After the project stalled, Kravitz signed on for the lead role in the Julien Temple-directed movie in November, but Gaye's son Marvin Gaye III voiced his objections to the project, which was said to focus on Gaye's life in the '80s when he
read more...
After the project stalled, Kravitz signed on for the lead role in the Julien Temple-directed movie in November, but Gaye's son Marvin Gaye III voiced his objections to the project, which was said to focus on Gaye's life in the '80s when he
read more...
- 3/5/2013
- by Kimberly Nordyke
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
• Harrison Ford is set to play another seasoned, Tom Brokaw-esque newscaster, according to a THR report. Thankfully he’ll bring his curmudgeonly charm to Anchorman: The Legend Continues, and not a Morning Glory sequel. Things had been somewhat quiet for Ford since 2011′s Cowboys and Aliens, but he’s been ramping up his on-screen presence lately with roles in the upcoming Jackie Robinson biopic 42 and the highly anticipated Ender’s Game adaptation. [THR]
• EW reported in December that Lenny Kravitz had signed on to star in the Julien Temple-directed Marvin Gaye biopic Sexual Healing, but it seems the tides have changed.
• EW reported in December that Lenny Kravitz had signed on to star in the Julien Temple-directed Marvin Gaye biopic Sexual Healing, but it seems the tides have changed.
- 3/5/2013
- by Lindsey Bahr
- EW - Inside Movies
Lenny Kravitz will not play Marvin Gaye in "Sexual Healing," an upcoming biopic. Deadline.com reports Jesse L. Martin will fill in for Kravitz, a surprising development given that Martin was actually originally cast in the film when it was to be produced by James Gandolfini.
Marvin Gaye III (the singer's son) had previously expressed grave reservations about Kravitz portraying the Motown legend, going so far as to slam the entire project as "shameful."
Kravitz was first cast in Julien Temple's take on a portion of Gaye's life in November. Temple remains on the project.
"Sexual Healing" is slated to start production later this month, so it seems Gaye III has come to terms with the plans. All's not lost for Kravitz: He'll reprise his role as Cinna in "Catching Fire," the upcoming "Hunger Games" sequel.
For more, head over to Deadline.
Marvin Gaye III (the singer's son) had previously expressed grave reservations about Kravitz portraying the Motown legend, going so far as to slam the entire project as "shameful."
Kravitz was first cast in Julien Temple's take on a portion of Gaye's life in November. Temple remains on the project.
"Sexual Healing" is slated to start production later this month, so it seems Gaye III has come to terms with the plans. All's not lost for Kravitz: He'll reprise his role as Cinna in "Catching Fire," the upcoming "Hunger Games" sequel.
For more, head over to Deadline.
- 3/4/2013
- by Kia Makarechi
- Huffington Post
What an interesting turn of events! Fans who've been calling for a Jesse L. Martin/Marvin Gaye biopic just might be getting their wish! It's been a long journey for the various Marvin Gaye projects that we've been following since this site was created almost 4 years ago. Our last Marvin Gaye biopic entry was in December when it was reported that Marvin Gaye's son (Marvin Gaye III), who's also a childhood friend of the man who had been cast to play his father, Lenny Kravitz, in Julien Temple's Sexual Healing, had asked Kravitz to "walk away from the role," adding that he was "shocked" that Lenny actually agreed to star in the project, calling it "shameful." What exactly was...
- 3/4/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Those Motown crooners still really have a hold on us.
From a little house on Detroit's Grand Boulevard, Berry Gordy Jr. made Motown Records one of the most influential record labels of all time. His influence helped propel racial integration in the 1960s and pioneered the "Motown Sound" -- soul music with high-powered pop beats and classical accoutrements.
Most importantly, he found and nurtured stars like Stevie Wonder, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson ... the list goes on and on. And year after year, until Motown Records decamped for Los Angeles in 1972, "Hitsville U.S.A," as it was called," churned out over 100 Top 100 hits.
Motown songs had their own language of love, a unique pace and a sound all their own. They were dramatic, joyous, heartbreaking and ecstatic -- sometimes all in the same track. With Detroit's legendary Funk Brothers playing backup and crackerjack songwriting teams like Holland-Dozier-Holland, these...
From a little house on Detroit's Grand Boulevard, Berry Gordy Jr. made Motown Records one of the most influential record labels of all time. His influence helped propel racial integration in the 1960s and pioneered the "Motown Sound" -- soul music with high-powered pop beats and classical accoutrements.
Most importantly, he found and nurtured stars like Stevie Wonder, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson ... the list goes on and on. And year after year, until Motown Records decamped for Los Angeles in 1972, "Hitsville U.S.A," as it was called," churned out over 100 Top 100 hits.
Motown songs had their own language of love, a unique pace and a sound all their own. They were dramatic, joyous, heartbreaking and ecstatic -- sometimes all in the same track. With Detroit's legendary Funk Brothers playing backup and crackerjack songwriting teams like Holland-Dozier-Holland, these...
- 2/14/2013
- by Ashley Woods
- Huffington Post
A new play about legendary singer Marvin Gaye sets out to tell the unknown story of a revered musician from the point of view of one of the people closest to him.
"My Brother Marvin" opened Tuesday at the Fisher Theatre in Detroit. Directed by Clifton Powell and written by Detroit playwright Angela Barrow-Dunlap, the story was conceived by Gaye's sister Zeola Gaye. The story delves into his childhood, drawing on her personal recollections.
"I've always been a storyteller …. My inspiration came from the fact that I felt it was time Marvin’s fans and the world know the.. true story of Marvin," Zeola told The Huffington Post. "We all know Marvin's music. My story builds with my brother's personality, what made him the man he was."
(Scroll Down For Photos)
Gaye died in 1984 when he was shot and killed by his father Marvin Gaye, Sr. Previously, he struggled with drug addiction.
"My Brother Marvin" opened Tuesday at the Fisher Theatre in Detroit. Directed by Clifton Powell and written by Detroit playwright Angela Barrow-Dunlap, the story was conceived by Gaye's sister Zeola Gaye. The story delves into his childhood, drawing on her personal recollections.
"I've always been a storyteller …. My inspiration came from the fact that I felt it was time Marvin’s fans and the world know the.. true story of Marvin," Zeola told The Huffington Post. "We all know Marvin's music. My story builds with my brother's personality, what made him the man he was."
(Scroll Down For Photos)
Gaye died in 1984 when he was shot and killed by his father Marvin Gaye, Sr. Previously, he struggled with drug addiction.
- 2/13/2013
- by Kate Abbey-Lambertz
- Huffington Post
By Noreen O'Donnell
New York, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. watched with approval on Thursday as the cast of upcoming Broadway show "Motown: The Musical" tore through the storied record label's hits at a 42nd Street rehearsal studio.
The show traces Gordy's rise from a struggling boxer and autoworker to a music mogul who made stars of Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5 and others.
"So many other people were telling the story in different ways who were never there and never understood it, just for the sake of exploitation," Gordy, 83, a producer of the show, told Reuters.
The media preview featured hits ranging from The Contours' "Do You Love Me" - sung as a segregated audience in Birmingham, Alabama, breaks through a rope to hear the group - to "Dancing in the Street" by Martha and the Vandellas.
Director Charles Randolph-Wright,...
New York, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. watched with approval on Thursday as the cast of upcoming Broadway show "Motown: The Musical" tore through the storied record label's hits at a 42nd Street rehearsal studio.
The show traces Gordy's rise from a struggling boxer and autoworker to a music mogul who made stars of Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5 and others.
"So many other people were telling the story in different ways who were never there and never understood it, just for the sake of exploitation," Gordy, 83, a producer of the show, told Reuters.
The media preview featured hits ranging from The Contours' "Do You Love Me" - sung as a segregated audience in Birmingham, Alabama, breaks through a rope to hear the group - to "Dancing in the Street" by Martha and the Vandellas.
Director Charles Randolph-Wright,...
- 2/8/2013
- by Reuters
- Huffington Post
As a quick recap... Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. is producing a Broadway musical based on his life "to set the record straight on the inception of the iconic label." The musical will feature music hits by the likes of Diana Ross and the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson, among others, and will open on Broadway this spring (previews begin March 11), at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, produced by Kevin McCollum (producer of such shows as Rent, Avenue Q and In the Heights - all 3 Tony Award-winning musicals by the way, so we could say...
- 2/6/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
In an exclusive video clip to promote the Broadway-bound Motown: The Musical, actor Brandon Victor Dixon (The Color Purple) sits face to face with the big man himself: Berry Gordy, the founder of the legendary R&B record label that made stars of artists like Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, Michael Jackson, and the Jackson Five. And Gordy is not above ribbing his much younger on-stage alter ego. ”The first thing I thought about was, ‘I look so much better than this guy. Why would you take this guy to play me?’” Gordy tells Dixon in the clip,...
- 2/1/2013
- by Thom Geier
- EW.com - PopWatch
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