We all know the tragic story of Marvin’s Dad fatally shooting him and we know Al Green became a preacher himself, but what about the others and how did being a PK affect them?
Well, let’s start with Johnny Gill. He once said kids teased him about it because he was always in church. Born in 1966 in Washington, D.C, his father was a minister. Johnny had three other brothers as we ll. They were all singing in gospel group at dad’s church called Little Johnny and “Wings Faith”. JG was the lead singer – all of five years old.
Also from D.C., comes Marvin Gay, Jr. (He added the “e” after joining the ARMY). Marvin was really affected by his dad because he didn’t think of him as a real preacher, even though he was. Because of his dad’s infidelities and harsh beatings, he just didn’t click with him. They were all a part of the Pentecostal church known as the House of God. Marvin once described living under his father’s house as similar to “living with a king, a very peculiar, changeable, cruel and all powerful king”. After he became the Prince of Motown, he later revealed that had his mother not consoled him, and encouraged his singing, he would have killed himself, but instead, his preacher father unfortunately did that.
Not too far across the way over in Maryland, comes Ms. Braxton. If you’ve ever watched her family’s reality show, The Braxton Family Values, you probably know that she and her brother and four sisters were raised in a very strict household, not being able to listen to any secular music, watch certain TV programs and the likes. Her father, Michael Conrad Braxton, Sr., was a Methodist preacher. Her mother’s a preacher and so was her grandfather. Toni was heard on a radio show saying she was not allowed boyfriends or any of that kind of stuff due to having strict preacher parents. Now from what we’ve learned on their show, Papa Braxton was “laying it low and spreading it wide” according to his ex-wife Mama Braxton, who checked him about his alleged cheating history when they were married. Mama Braxton is a trip…she’s a classy lady, but don’t ever do her dirty…LOL.
