In this intimate biography of the Prince of Soul, David Ritz provides a candid look at a star and a friend. Ritz had been working on Gaye's story for several years before the singer's tragic death and had conducted a series of extraordinary interviews in which Gaye discussed his deepest secrets. Drawing from these interviews, Gaye's life is recounted in his own words and the words of those who knew him best: his family, friends and colleagues. Gaye's story is told from his early years as an abused child in the slums of Washington CD through his rise to the top of the Motown industry, his fall from grace and his comeback, to his death at the hands of his own father. It is also the story of four decades of the music of Black America - from gospel to doo-wop, to soul and funk, and includes Diana Ross, Berry Gordy, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder.