Marvin Gay(e)

[snopes]

Comment: I hope you can help with something that has been bothering me for
quite awhile, but hasn't prompted me to write you until the subject became
the Final Jeapordy answer on the tv show "Jeapordy" that was shown in
Rochester, NY on 12/6 or 12/7 (forget the exact date).

The answer was: "This singer added a letter to his name to avoid being
teased." I *knew* the question was: Who is Marvin Gaye.

I've heard about this for years. I grew up during the heyday of Motown and
know that Gaye was singing in the 50's and was well established by the
early 60's.

"Gay" was not adopted by the homosexual/lesbian community until the late
1960's. Why would Marvin Gaye change his name a full decade before Gay
became associated with 'an alternative' lifestyle.

I certainly hope you can help research this. "Jeapordy" has a solid
reputation and I hope they didn't screw up.