Biography of Mary Wells
Motown's first female star, Wells received international acclaim under the wing of Smokey Robinson. Her original recording of "My Guy" in 1964 is one of the most recorded songs from the Motown label. She was ill advised to leave the company in 1964, and future productions planned for her made Diana Ross a superstar. Wells never again scored a hit. Her voice was silenced by throat cancer in 1990. ~ Rick A. Bueche
Biography of Mary Wells
Motown's first female star, Wells received international acclaim under the wing of Smokey Robinson. Her original recording of "My Guy" in 1964 is one of the most recorded songs from the Motown label. She was ill advised to leave the company in 1964, and future productions planned for her made Diana Ross a superstar. Wells never again scored a hit. Her voice was silenced by throat cancer in 1990. ~ Rick A. Bueche
Biography of Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye, the troubled "Prince of Motown," was the first of Berry Gordy's acts to fight for and win his creative independence. After scoring over a dozen major hits with various Motown producers during the '60s, he emerged in 1971 with a lushly packaged, socially conscious album, "What's Going On," which firmly entrenched him as a soul superstar. His personal life was turbulent, and he often conveyed this in his music. In 1984, he was shot dead by his father. Motown celebrated the 10th anniversary of Marvin Gaye's death in grand fashion in 1994. They reissued "What's Going On," "Here My Dear," "I Want You," and several other Gaye LPs, plus a boxed set with rare and unissued items. ~ Rick A. Bueche
Biography of Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye, the troubled "Prince of Motown," was the first of Berry Gordy's acts to fight for and win his creative independence. After scoring over a dozen major hits with various Motown producers during the '60s, he emerged in 1971 with a lushly packaged, socially conscious album, "What's Going On," which firmly entrenched him as a soul superstar. His personal life was turbulent, and he often conveyed this in his music. In 1984, he was shot dead by his father. Motown celebrated the 10th anniversary of Marvin Gaye's death in grand fashion in 1994. They reissued "What's Going On," "Here My Dear," "I Want You," and several other Gaye LPs, plus a boxed set with rare and unissued items. ~ Rick A. Bueche
