FLAC tracks | Soul, RnB, Pop | 00:58:51 | 280 MbMary Wells occupies a unique niche in pop music in that she was the first female artist on any of Motowns labels to have a hit record, and she remained as the vanguard in that regard until leaving the label in 1964, her hits during those years helping to define the Motown sound and style.

Starting out as a budding songwriter and singer in Detroit, when she was 17 years old, she approached label founder Berry Gordy Jr.

with a song she had written for Jackie Wilson hearing her voice, he signed her on the spot.

In 1960 he made the R&B Top 10 and pop Top 50 with her first release, her own song Bye Bye Baby, and over the next two years had four more hits from her five releases, most notably the R&B No.

1s, which also made the pop Top 10, You Beat Me To The Punch and Two Lovers, both written and produced by Smokey Robinson.

This collection comprises the A and B sides of all he singles from these formative years, plus all the tracks from her two albums during this era, Bye Bye Baby – I Don’t Want To Take A Chance and The One Who Really Loves You, not otherwise released as singles.

It naturally features the hits already mentioned plus the other chart entries from these releases I Don’t Want To Take A Chance and the R&B No.

2 The One Who Really Loves You.

Its a fascinating insight into the creative world of the early years of Motown, and a great showcase for one of the most distinctive voices of the era.

Tracklist:1. Mary Wells – Bye Bye Baby2. Mary Wells – Please Forgive Me3. Mary Wells – I Don’t Want To Take A Chance4. Mary Wells – I’m So Sorry5. Mary Wells – Strange Love6. Mary Wells – Come To Me7. Mary Wells – The One Who Really Loves You8. Mary Wells – I’m Gonna Stay9. Mary Wells – You Beat Me To The Punch10. Mary Wells – Old Love (Let’s Try It Again)11. Mary Wells – Two Lovers12. Mary Wells – Operator13. Mary Wells – Shop Around14. Mary Wells – I Love The Way You Love15. Mary Wells – Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide16. Mary Wells – Bad Boy17. Mary Wells – Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right18. Mary Wells – I’ve Got A Notion19. Mary Wells – The Day Will Come20. Mary Wells – You’re My Desire21. Mary Wells – I’ll Still Be Around22. Mary Wells – She Don’t Love You23. Mary Wells – Drifting Love