Mary Wells
Mary Esther Wells, born on May 13, 1943, in Detroit, Michigan, was an influential American singer known for her role in defining the Motown sound in the early 1960s. Despite a challenging childhood marked by spinal meningitis, partial blindness, and hearing loss, Wells found solace in singing. She began performing in Detroit clubs and talent contests at the age of ten.
Wells initially aspired to be a songwriter and wrote "Bye Bye Baby" with the hope that Jackie Wilson would perform it. However, after auditioning for Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown Records, she was signed to the label, and the song became her first single in 1961. Wells quickly rose to fame with a series of hits written by Smokey Robinson, including "The One Who Really Loves You," "You Beat Me to the Punch," and "Two Lovers." Her most famous song, "My Guy," released in 1964, reached number one on the US pop charts, making her the first Motown artist to achieve this feat.
In 1964, Wells left Motown for 20th Century-Fox Records, but her success waned. She later recorded with several other labels, including Atlantic and Reprise, and continued to tour on the oldies circuit in the 1970s and 1980s. Wells faced personal challenges, including two divorces, and was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx in 1990, which left her unable to sing. Despite financial hardships, she received support from fellow musicians and advocated for cancer research funding.
Mary Wells passed away on July 26, 1992, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 49. Her legacy as "The Queen of Motown" remains significant in the history of American music.
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