U.S. Postal Service honors Marvin Gaye
by Luke Taylor
April 03, 2019
On April 2, 2019, the U.S. Postal Service issued the Marvin Gaye stamp as part of its Music Icons series. The release date coincided with the 80th anniversary of Gaye's birth.
Marvin Gaye was one of the most influential musicians of his generation. He began his career as a session performer and later went on to record numerous hits, ranging from libidinous numbers like "Sexual Healing" and "Let's Get It On" to socially conscious songs like "What's Going On," "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" and "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)."
For the stamp design, the U.S. Postal Service commissioned painter, illustrator and author Kadir Nelson to create the portraits of Gaye that appear on the stamps themselves and on the reverse of the block of stamps (which are not sold individually). Nelson, who is based in Los Angeles, is known for his work that focuses on African American culture and history.
Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp pane to accompany the original artwork by Nelson. The stamp pane resembles a vintage, 45-rpm record sleeve. One side of the pane includes the stamps, brief text about Gaye's legacy, and the image of a record visible at the top of the sleeve.
External Links
Marvin Gaye commemorative stamp - U.S. Postal Service
The art of Kadir Nelson - official site
