He heard the Marquees and saw potential. He hired the group, renamed the ensemble Harvey and the New Moonglows, and moved them to Chicago, where Fuqua had connections through Chess Records—the independent label that had helped define the sound of Black popular music in the 1950s.
In 1959, the New Moonglows recorded for Chess. Marvin sang lead on “Mama Loocie”—his first lead vocal on a commercial recording. The group also session-sang on recordings by Chuck Berry, including “Back in the U.S.A.”
It was in Chicago that Marvin began to understand what he could actually do. He was around professionals now—serious musicians, seasoned veterans of the recording industry. He absorbed everything.
When the New Moonglows disbanded in 1960, Harvey Fuqua moved to Detroit. He brought Marvin Gay Jr. with him.
This was the decision that changed everything.
Because Detroit in 1960 meant one thing: Motown.
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PART THREE: HITSVILLE U.S.A.—THE MAKING OF A STAR
Berry Gordy Jr. had founded Motown Records in January 1959 from an $800 loan borrowed from his family. His vision was radical in its clarity: to create a record label that would produce Black music that could cross over to white audiences without compromising its Black artistic soul.
Gordy had an eye for talent, a ruthless ear for commercial potential, and a gift for building systems. By 1960, Motown was operating out of a converted house at 2648 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit that Gordy had dubbed “Hitsville U.S.A.” It was a label, a studio, a grooming school, a management agency, and a family—depending on which day you were there.