Kenny Stover

Singer/songwriter Kenneth Stover, the brother of Elgie Stover, is Harvey Fuqua's cousin. Big brother Elgie (Kenny's ten years younger) wrote some significant songs but is remembered by insiders as a living room comedian who had some spirited snapping sessions with Eddie "Bongo" Brown at Marvin Gaye's house, where the Stovers resided. Kenny Stover was born August 21, 1948, in Athens, GA; he came to Cleveland, OH, early in life and resided in the Hough area on Belvedere Court. He joined his brother in Detroit, MI, who relocated to work with Fuqua after he disbanded the Moonglows and started HPC, then Harvey and Tri-Phi Records with Gwen Gordy-Fuqua. Kenny Stover gained entry into Motown through his brother and befriended Marvin Gaye and the Gordys and secured a songwriting contract with Jobete Music (Motown's publishing wing) and started honing his craft. Stover stayed with Gaye as a combination runner/house sitter while working his regular gig as Mrs. Gordy's (Berry's mother) personal assistant and writing songs. He moved in 1970. Kenny was there (at Marvin Gaye's house) when the IRS man showed up to discuss taxes due with penalties and interest; the discussion turned ugly and Gaye slammed the door on Mr. IRS, prompting the government official to take off in Gaye's Cadillac. From that point on Gaye borrowed Stover's company car to drive to Motown and kept his garage door -- where a Rolls and a Porsche were parked -- locked. Stover contributed backing vocals to Gaye's "Inner City Blues" from the What's Going On album and also claims to have created some of its melody (uncredited). Elgie co-wrote two songs: "Flying High in the Friendly Sky" and "God Is Love" on the acclaimed album. Gaye thanked both Stover brothers in the liner notes for provoking his thought process....