Mary Wells: Motown’s First Female Star Who Took on the Label
Mary Wells was Motown’s first female superstar, rising to fame in the early ’60s with a string of hits that made her a household name. Her first three singles all charted in the top 10, establishing her as a key figure in the label’s early success. Working closely with the legendary Smokey Robinson and the songwriting trio Holland-Dozier-Holland, she became one of Motown’s leading acts between 1960 and 1964.
In 1962, she even headlined Motown’s revue tours, solidifying her status as the label’s biggest female artist. Her most iconic hit, My Guy, became a massive success, reaching the top of the charts and even crossing over to the U.K., further solidifying her international recognition.
This success caught the attention of The Beatles, who declared Mary Wells their favourite singer. In 1964, she became the first Motown artist to perform overseas, joining the Fab Four on their tour.
However, things began to unravel when Mary demanded more money from Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown, feeling that her success was being overshadowed by the rise of Diana Ross and The Supremes. The dispute led to Mary Wells leaving Motown in 1964, a move that marked the beginning of a decline in her career.
She pursued music with other labels but faced a series of commercial flops over the next decade. After a brief hiatus, she returned to the charts in 1977 with Gigolo, a disco hit that reached #2. However, her career never fully recovered, and in the ’90s, she faced significant health challenges and financial hardship, eventually losing her fortune to medical bills.
In a poignant final chapter, Mary Wells filed a lawsuit against Motown for unpaid royalties, before passing away in 1992. Her old friends, Diana Ross and Smokey Robinson, rallied support through benefit concerts and donations to help her during her final years. Mary was buried in the same cemetery as her mentor, Sam Cooke, leaving behind a legacy as one of Motown’s original stars and a trailblazer for women in music.
Mary Wells Tunes | Related Pages
My Guy | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play My Guy by Mary Wells using chords, lyrics, a chord chart, a backing track, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| Bb Bb6 | Bb Bb6 | Bb Bb6 | Bb Bb6 |
Nothing you could say could tear me away from my guy…
Start learning with the full lesson series: My Guy – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Mary Wells on the web
