Marvin Gaye’s Unreleased Music Collection Found in Belgium

A collection of Marvin Gaye’s unreleased music, recorded 40 years ago before his death in 1984, has been discovered in Belgium, as reported by The Guardian. Charles Dumolin, who hosted Gaye in Ostend in 1982 to help the singer overcome his drug addiction and rejuvenate his career, had over 66 demo recordings on roughly 30 tapes. These recordings, along with Gaye’s memorabilia, were left to Dumolin’s family after his passing in 2019. The discovery has sparked a potential legal dispute between Gaye’s estate and the Dumolin family over the ownership of the tapes. Alex Trappeniers, a business partner of the Dumolin family, insists the tapes belong to the family, citing that Gaye had left them in Belgium with no conditions. While Belgian law might support the Dumolins’ ownership of the physical tapes after 30 years, it does not extend to the intellectual property rights of the music, which could still belong to Gaye’s estate. Trappeniers expressed hope for a cooperative agreement to release the music, suggesting collaboration with contemporary artists. Marvin Gaye, known for hits like “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and albums like “What’s Going On,” was a pivotal figure in Motown and soul music. He was tragically killed by his father on April 1, 1984, just before his 45th birthday, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

Gaye would have turned 85 on April 2nd of this year.

Source: BET