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Mary Wells - (Artist Of The Week)

one of Motown's first singing superstars

By 45cellar in Soul Music Articles
Published 02 Jun 2019

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Artist of the Week revisits the career of Mary Wells

Mary Wells Biography (Wikipedia)
Mary Esther Wells (May 13, 1943 – July 26, 1992) was an American singer who helped to define the emerging sound of Motown in the early 1960s. Along with the Supremes, the Miracles, the Temptations, and the Four Tops, Wells was said to have been part of the charge in black music onto radio stations and record shelves of mainstream America, "bridging the color lines in music at the time."

With a string of hit singles composed mainly by Smokey Robinson, including "The One Who Really Loves You"", "Two Lovers" (1962), the Grammy-nominated "You Beat Me to the Punch" (1962) and her signature hit, "My Guy" (1964), she became recognized as "The Queen of Motown" until her departure from the company in 1964, at the height of her popularity. She was one of Motown's first singing superstars...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Wells

Mary Wells Discography (Soulful Kinda Music Link)

>>> MARY WELLS <<<



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Guest

Superb and overlooked double-sider that won't break the bank...already posted is the East Coast stock copy...here is the West Coast Monarch press...possibly a demo?

:thumbsup:

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Reforee

One if not thee best female vocalists to having graced the Motown label. In my humble opinion up there with Gladys Knight as the best Detroit could over. Faultless and can do no wrong. I know I'm a sucker for female vocalist but god she can sing.

TMIB

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Soulman

As far as soul artists go, I just dot think she cuts it for me. Great voice made for a different market which could have been big. . . But not that gritty soul that we love IMHO

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Mal C

Mal C 3,612

Posted (edited)

Some nice Aussie 45's to add... 'My Guy' is common in every country I guess, would like it on a demo though.. the 'Aint it the Truth' 45 is the sellers scan not mine, Ive not got it in the post yet..

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Edited by Mal C
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Guest Dave Turner

Guest Dave Turner

Posted (edited)

A couple of her Jubilee sides

 

Flip to "The Doctor", love it but not quite so much as the Valentinos

 

Two Lovers History ........ not to be confused with her "Two Lovers"

 

https://youtu.be/dAtAUXXpNh4

 

Sweet Love

 

Edited by Dave Turner
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45cellar
On 02/09/2012 at 01:28, Steve Edgar said:

A current double sider fav at the mo, with Bobby Womack at the helm is, "If You Can't Give Her Up (Give Her Love)" coupled with "Cancel My Subscription" [believe this side was withdrawn on later issues of this Reprise 45??]

 

If You Can't Give Her Love (Give Her Up)

https://youtu.be/czrlaOaGw4Q

 

Cancel My Subscription

https://youtu.be/D8_CY7zowd0

 

steve

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REPRISE_RPS-1308-A-1.jpgREPRISE_RPS-1308-B-1.jpg

 

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Bruv

 Big favourite of mine from Mary Wells - What's Easy For Two Is So Hard For One.  Still a very popular song with the dancers to this day...

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Mal C

allot of Mary's 20th Century classic here on Aussie labels, very nice on white test demo as well 🙂 also one of her earlier Jubilee recordings that came out on the London Label, dist with a Decca sleeve...  I have all her Motown 45's but will try to scan later, its interesting to see how much Motown re issues things like 'My Guy' etc later in the sixties...

Mal

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Guest Polyvelts

Guest Polyvelts

Posted

The Greg Perry produced comeback album of 1981 ‘In and out of love’ is quite brilliant

 

The legendary Larry and Fonze  Mizell produced one track on the LP , the disco hit ‘Gigolo’ 

 

 

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Mal C

Mal C 3,612

Posted (edited)

2 hours ago, polyvelts said:

The Greg Perry produced comeback album of 1981 ‘In and out of love’ is quite brilliant

I’m buying that, immediately! 🙂 

Edited by Mal C
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Joesoap

Got, 'Stop Taking Me for Granted' / 'Ain't it the Truth' on New Zealand 20th Century. Beautiful looking object (but I am not messing about taking pics at this time of night)!

https://www.45cat.com/record/tk787

Had bad luck with the Bobby Womack one on Reprise (....pressing faults? Did a thread on here not long ago).

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Dukeofburgundy

A lovely artist. Not a soul shouter but a lovely timbre to her voice. There was much sadness in her life but she left some lovely records.  Here are two Smokey Robinson penned delights.

 

 

Edited by Firecrest
Vids didn't load first time.
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Tam La Motown

I often wonder what might have been had Mary renewed her contract with Motown in 1964. What tracks would she have recorded? Would the Supremes have still have become the No1 act at the label? The "alternative history" is an interesting topic for discussion. Mary might have recorded "Where Did Our Love Go" or "Baby Love" although Smokey had just provided her with the biggest hit of her career with "My Guy" it's more likely he would've been first choice for any future songs/production duties. There is no doubt that Mary's limited success after leaving Motown must've played in Gordy's favour as he could point to her "failure" as leverage against any of his young acts who might attempt to "push back" against the complete control of the company over their careers.

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The Yank
9 hours ago, Tam La Motown said:

I often wonder what might have been had Mary renewed her contract with Motown in 1964. What tracks would she have recorded?

      Mary's scheduled followup to "My Guy" was Brenda Holloway's "When I'm Gone" which was withdrawn from release.

     There are a couple of other tracks (circa 1964)  that Smokey wrote that sound like they were written with Mary in mind. Kim 

     Weston's "Looking For The Right Guy" and Carolyn Crawford's "Until You Came Along"  would have worked perfectly with Mary. 

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