Kenneth Stover
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Kenneth Stover (born August 21, 1948 in Athens, Georgia) is a former Motown songwriter, producer and singer most notably known for contributing background vocals on Marvin Gaye's legendary 1971 album, What's Going On, and for writing the first draft of Marvin's popular 1973 single, "Let's Get It On".
Alongside his brother, Elgie Stover, after living in Cleveland, Ohio for the duration of his childhood and teenage years, he and his brother moved to Detroit to work with their cousin, doo-wop and soul legend Harvey Fuqua on his Tri-Phi record label. It was there in Detroit that they befriended Marvin and members of the Motown family.
In the late sixties, the Stover brothers signed on to Motown as staff songwriters. Their friendship with Marvin led the singer to bring the brothers to collaborate on his most acclaimed album. Stover contributed additional background vocals on Marvin's "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" and later co-wrote Marvin's modest political hit, 1972's "You're the Man". In 1973, Stover wrote the original rough draft of "Let's Get It On" and presented the song to Marvin as a political song.
It was said that fellow Gaye confidant Ed Townsend walked in and bellowed to the two of them that the song "should be about a man and a woman gettin' it on!" Marvin understood Ed's message and the two co-wrote the song as it came out. Stover wasn't upset over not getting credit for possibly coming up with the song and was said "to have enjoyed Marvin's company".
Stover also co-wrote the Diana Ross song, "Lovin', Livin' and Givin'" and two songs by Bobby Nunn titled "Sexy Sassy" and "Got to Get Up on It". In the mid-seventies, Stover formed the soul group, Leo's Sunship but canceled the group's upcoming album when one of the members suddenly died. In 1978, Stover was part of a Motown collective called Finished Touch. He left Motown in 1981 and settled in Atlanta for a brief time. A song he co-wrote called "Good Combination" was released by Peabo Bryson as a single and the song went on to be sampled numerous times giving Stover royalty checks especially after the song's instrumental was covered by Will Smith and Faith Evans.
Stover has stayed in his hometown of Cleveland since 1985 taking care of an ailing sister and continues to write and produce music.
