Radio Free Elsewhere BulletinExtra
Mary Wells
American singer (1943–1992)
Mary Esther Wells was an American singer who helped to define the emerging sound of Motown in the early 1960s.
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photo and its licence on Wikimedia Commons
Admit one
Mary Wells
- what
- one person
- from
- Detroit
- born
- 1943
- until
- 1992
- on the air here
- 1 song
File card: Mary Wells
real name: Mary Esther Wells
labels: Motown, Atlantic Records, Epic Records, 20th Century Fox Records, Atco Records, Jubilee Records, Reprise Records, Motorcity Records
genres: soul, rhythm and blues, pop music, disco
plays: voice
Facts from Wikidata and Discogs, free to use.
soulmotownpop soulr&brock and indie
The Elsewhere GazetteExtra
1943–1961: Early life and career
Mary Esther Wells was born near Detroit's Wayne State University on May 13, 1943, to Geneva Campbell Wells, a mother who worked as a domestic, and Arthur Wells, an absentee father. One of three children, she contracted spinal meningitis at the age of two and struggled with partial blindness, deafness in one ear and temporary paralysis. At age 10, Wells contracted tuberculosis. During her early years, Wells lived in Black Bottom and struggled with poverty. By age 12, she was helping her mother with house cleaning work.
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The Broken RecordExtra
1964–1990: Motown departure and later career
Despite reaching the pinnacle of her career, Wells complained of not receiving monetary royalties from Motown. On her 21st birthday on May 13, 1964, Motown held a birthday party for the singer. The following day, Wells called Gordy and asked him to come to her apartment where she told him that she wanted to leave Motown as her contract expired on her birthday. Gordy reportedly attempted to renegotiate with a new contract but the singer refused. Later, it was claimed Wells was motivated to leave Motown by her ex-husband Herman Griffin.
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The Broken RecordExtra
Legacy and accolades
Wells is often referred to as the "First Lady of Motown" as well as "the Queen of Motown" due to becoming the first female star artist to emerge from the label.
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American singer who helped to define the emerging sound of Motown in the early 1960s.
One of Motown's first superstars, she became recognized as "The Queen of Motown" until her departure from the company in 1964.
born May 13, 1943 in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
died July 28, 1992 Kenneth Norris Jr. Cancer Hospital, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
Also known as: M. Wells, Marry Wells, Mary Wells & Group, Mary Wells Womack, Mery Wells
From Discogs (free to use). Their entry
Liner notes
Mary Wells, the records, oldest first
- Bye, Bye Baby, I Don’t Want to Take a Chance1961 album
- The One Who Really Loves You1962 album
- Two Lovers1963 album
- Mary Wells Sings My Guy1964 album
- Together1964 album
- Mary Wells1965 album
- Love Songs to The Beatles1965 album
- The Two Sides of Mary Wells1966 album
- Servin’ Up Some Soul1968 album
- In and Out of Love1981 album
- The Old, The New & The Best of Mary Wells1983 album
Records from MusicBrainz; covers from the Cover Art Archive.
Mary Wells on the air
The Elsewhere Gazette1966
Dear Lover
1965 single by Mary Wells
"Dear Lover" is a song produced by respected Chicago producer Carl Davis, and written by Davis, along with Gerald Sims It was released as a single by R&B singer Mary Wells, released off her album, The Two Sides of Mary Wells, on the Atco label. Davis was working for the OKeh imprint of Columbia Records at the time, and was moonlighting to record Mary Wells, whom he was dating.
The upshot, was he was fired from OKeh.
Background
"Dear Lover" returned Wells to the R&B top ten two years after her two Marvin Gaye singles entered the Cashbox R&B top five and three years after her Motown single, "You Lost the Sweetest Boy", peaked at number ten.
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