Letter: Briefly

IN HIS article ("Sins of the Father", 1 November), Steve Turner claims that Marvin Gaye broke "through as a major artist in January 1971 with 'What's Going On' ".

But in the USA Gaye had his first top 10 hit as early as 1963 ("Pride and Joy"), notching up a total of 14 Top 40 entries prior to "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" reaching No 1 on 14 December 1968. What's more, the following March it became the UK's chart-topper. He is an artist, therefore, with a longer successful career than your writer seems to think.

TIM MICKLEBURGH

Grimsby, Lincolnshire