[1] Referred to as the Miracles' "secret weapon",[2] Tarplin began his career accompanying the Supremes, who at the time were still teenagers, and known as the Primettes.

They were seeking an audition with Motown Records, and Tarplin played guitar as they performed for Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson.

His guitar riffs at the beginning of the Miracles' 1965 Grammy Hall of Fame million-seller, "The Tracks of My Tears", are among the most famous in pop music history.

As a songwriter, Tarplin helped co-compose many of the Miracles' hit singles, amongst them the million-selling Grammy Hall of Fame winner "The Tracks of My Tears" for which he received the ASCAP Award of Merit (1965), "My Girl Has Gone" (1965), "I Like It Like That", (1964), "Going to a Go-Go" (1965), "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" (1967), and "Point It Out" (1968).

However, in a decision that has since sparked much scrutiny, debate, and controversy, Tarplin, and the other original members of the Miracles, Bobby Rogers, Ronnie White, Pete Moore and Claudette Robinson, were not.

Tarplin retired from touring in 2008 and is pictured on the cover of the 2009 Motown CD release The Miracles – Depend On Me: The Early Albums.

On February 9, 2012 (just 5 months after his death), it was announced that Marv Tarplin would be posthumously inducted with the rest of the Miracles into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside group lead singer Smokey Robinson.