I've heard some of you Motown/Northern soul fans in the UK mention Mary Love and I might have a track of two by her somewhere. But I'm afraid her passing will not get coverage outside soul music circles in the US. I don't think she was that well known outside of Los Angeles. May she rest in peace.
Thanks for posting, xtown.
Mary Love cut a lot of good tracks in the 60's. Here's another gem by Mary that I loved:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az6fAd-Fi6A
May she rest in eternal peace
No Place....
I have never heard this until you posted the link. Great track too.
Wasn't "You Turned My Bitter Into Sweet" a Jobete song?
It is very similar to "Come See About me" and I've occasionally wondered if there is a Motown version hidden in the vaults, perhaps by one of the Holloway sisters?
Certainly that recording was one of the first soul 45s to be bootlegged in Britain on the "Soul Sounds" label ..
http://martinsbox.tripod.com/id60.htm
R.I.P. Mary ...
Roger
...according to DFTMC ...the Motown/Jobete 'bible'...
You Turned My Bitter Into Sweet [[Marc Gordon-Chester Pipkin-GaryPipkin) publ. Jobete - Mary Love
recording details unknown Jun-65; 45 [[M): Modern 1006 A
Sad, sad news.
Ady Croasdell of Ace/Kent has written a beautiful obituary: http://acerecords.co.uk/news/2013/mary-love
If you're not particularly into the neo Motown sound of some Northern Soul try the beautiful Ashford Simpson ballad Baby I'll Come, the crossover inspirational soul of Sandbox or the inspirational killer ballad The Price> I don't know how to cross post from You Tube so have a listen there.
For students of black history The Hurt Is Just Beginning was adopted by the Panthers followers outside the L A courthouse where Huey Newton was being tried and they sang "Don't Let It Happen" one of the refrains in the song.
I'm guessing from the way she told the story Mary was there with them. Also check out he Born To Live With Heartache
Baby I'll Come
Sandbox
The Price
Listened to Baby I'll Come which was a nice song. Never heard of her though.
Mary Love Comer could do all styles......... her gospel album Sin No More is outstanding.....I'll dig it out and post some tracks.... [[none are on youtube).....
Is Ace going to do a comprehensive release on Mary Love? After she passed, I suddenly acquired more tracks by her. They just came into my hands. That tells me she wants to be remembered.
According to Joel Whitburn's Billboard Chart books "The Hurt Is Just Beginning" charted #46 R&B in 1968.
Her other Billboard R&B chart entry was "Move A Little Closer" in 1966, which is a very bluesy number .. reached #48 R&B.
The other side of "Move A Little Closer" was "Let Me Know" and is very "Motown" sounding, pure "Brenda Holloway" IMHO ..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de7w1c-rXZI
Roger
Last edited by roger; 07-05-2013 at 04:16 AM.
I really like Move a Little Closer. Great song.
She had a very versatile voice and could sing in a number of styles. I wish she had tried jazz but
that's just me. She certainly deserved a bigger career....
Mary Love as she appeared [[& sang) in the movie 'Dolomite' ..........
... [[she starts to perform 2 mins into the clip) ..........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6dwHMD9Hfs
It really is sad that she had national chart hits in the US, wrote songs, appeared in films, produced other artists AND YET she is still unknown to music fans in her own country.
If my memory ain't playing tricks on me, she also contributed the music to the movie 'Petey Wheatstraw' ..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxzOf6EBlUQ
She was well known in LA music circles back in the day and was the featured singer on many shows for the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band for a period of time.
Mary was a legend with UK soul music fans and was treated as such on her many trips over here.
Last edited by jsmith; 07-07-2013 at 05:48 AM.
[QUOTE=jsmith;175787]Mary Love as she appeared [[& sang) in the movie 'Dolomite' ..........
... [[she starts to perform 2 mins into the clip) ..........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6dwHMD9Hfs
I had completely forgotten about her appearance in this movie. I was disappointed that she
didn't get nearly as much face time of her performance as I would have enjoyed...
"Let Me Know" was the side played on WVON in Chicago, KDIA in Oakland and KGFJ in L.A. It was very Motowny because it was written for Motown's Jobete Music. I hope it was recorded by a Motown artist [[just as I hope "You Turned My Bitter Into Sweet" was. So far, we have not been able to find Motown artist versions. I think that these 2 songs were her best.
I'm hoping to hear Brenda or Patrice Holloway versions, or perhaps Kim Weston or Carolyn Crawford or Barbara Randolph.
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