Mary Wells and her two siblings grew up in a poor Detroit neighborhood without a father. Her mother worked tirelessly to support the family. Wells loved singing and was in her high school choir; she also sang in local clubs. In 1960, her mother brought her in to meet Gordy after Wells had written a song for a Motown artist. After singing it for Gordy, he asked her to record it, and signed her as an artist. She was Motown’s first female star, the first artist on the label, and the first Motown Grammy nominee. The Beatles considered her their favorite American singer. My Guy, written by Smokey Robinson, was her biggest hit, reaching #1 on the pop charts in 1964. This track was also Motown’s first British hit. The Funk Brothers provided the instrumentation for this song.
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