Marvin Gaye is best known as soul and R&B singer-songwriter and performer who gained international fame as an artist on the Motown label in the 1960s and 1970s.



However, Marvin Gaye started a session drummer at Motown , playing on all the early hits by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.



Born as Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. (the e was added later) on April 2, 1939 in Washington D.C., Gaye was three years old when he began singing in his father's church choir and was soon playing drums and organ too.



As a session drummer and part-time songwriter, Gaye worked with The Miracles, The Contours, Martha & the Vandellas, and other Motown acts. Most notably, he is the drummer on The Marvelettes' 1961 number one hit "Please Mr. Postman" and Little Stevie Wonder's 1963 number one hit "Fingertips Pt. 2".



He co-wrote Martha & the Vandellas' 1964 hit "Dancing In The Street" and The Marvelettes' 1962 hit "Beechwood 4-5789".



later Marvin Gaye also played drums on his album "What's Going On", alongside Chet Forest.