Marvin Pontiac

(b. 1932, d.  June 1977)

Marvin Pontiac was hit and killed by a bus in June 1977 ending the life of one of the most enigmatic geniuses of modern music. He was born in 1932, the son of an African father from Mali and a white Jewish mother from New Rochelle, New York…When his mother was institutionalized in 1936, the father returned and brought the young boy to Bamako, Mali where Marvin was raised until he was fifteen…At fifteen Marvin moved by himself to Chicago where he became versed in playing blues harmonica… In 1952, he had a minor hit for Acorn Records with the then controversial song “I’m a Doggy.”… Although, approached by other labels, Marvin refused to record for anyone unless the owner of the label came to his home in Slidell, La and mowed his lawn…In 1970 Marvin believed that he was abducted by aliens. He felt his mother had had a similar unsettling experience, which had led to her breakdown. He stopped playing music and dedicated all of his time and energy to amicably contacting these creatures who had previously probed his body so brutally.  When he was arrested for riding a bicycle naked down the side streets of Slidell, La, it provided a sad but clear view of Marvin’s coming years.  In 1971 he moved back to Detroit where he drifted forever and permanently into insanity. ~Strange and Beautiful
Just kidding!