The tale of Mary Wells is described by some as one of triumph, heartbreak and betrayal. It’s like a dramatic roller coaster ride filled with plot twists the likes of which would make Shakespeare wish he had written it.
Unfortunately her pain was not spawned from the ink of a pen and scribbled upon a page. She was a real life shooting star whose arc was stymied by circumstances and the clandestine activities of those working counter to her best interests.
TV One’s “Unsung” has stepped up to the plate to help tell the tale of Mary Well’s rise from the slums of Detroit to her last days on Earth. See it tonight, Monday, Aug 15 at 10pm Eastern.
Our Lee Bailey was able to talk to Wells’ oldest daughter, Stacey Noel Womack aka Noel Wells, about her mother’s TV One special.
“I don’t know if you know it or not, but my father is Cecil Womack. and my legal name is Stacey Noel Womack,” explained Noel. “But my brothers and I go with Wells when we’re doing entertainment related stuff.”
“I’m very eager to see how things turn out,” said Wells, who explained that she initially couldn’t watch the rough draft due to the emotional significance there in. “I’ll be watching along with everyone else. I think it’s going to be emotional for my family because my mother is no longer here. She had a great life in the industry and she left us way too soon. My mother was 49 years old when she passed away. We were very close to her and she kept us together. Not having her around was like not having your leg. My older brother and I were the guardians for the younger siblings. It was a challenging time when we lost her. This is all very emotional and I’m just glad TV One’s “Unsung” has decided to do a biography on my mother.”
Mary Wells was the very first female act on the Motown label and it seemed as though she was destined for stardom the likes of which no African American woman could fathom at the time. But the record industry is a treacherous creature. Noel says it’s about time someone gave her late mother some props.
