Mary Wilson is back in town.
The Supreme with a heart has never been taken seriously as a lead singer. She was always considered one of Diana Ross’s “back up” singers.
But those in the know, know Mary has an amazing voice and a vibrant stage presence. She proved it last night at Feinstein’s at the Regency, where she’s in week two of a sold out run doing a jazz numbers mixed with a few Supremes songs.
Mary has one more show tonight, and two each on Friday and Saturday.
Looking a decade younger than her 65 years, Wilson reminisces just a bit about the Supremes, and includes a few re-arranged gems like “My World is Empty Without You” and “Come See About Me.”
But she also covers Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” sort of magnificently, as well as Sting’s “Fields of Gold” and several standards. Her earthy voice is a cross between Tina Turner and Gladys Knight, and she’s hitting notes that some of the younger divas wish they could find. Her version of Norah Jones’s “Don’t Know Why” gives the song a heretofore unknown sexiness.
P.S. Mary’s been such a hit at Feinstein’s, they held her over for an extra week. Over New Year’s she holds forth at Palm Beach’s Colony Room for a week. It’s the place to be, in that case!
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:07 am
Go Mary! I’ve always loved Mary!
October 4th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
MARY RULES!! SHE’S THE REAL SUPERSTAR!!!
October 5th, 2009 at 7:52 am
Mary sure deserves this great review but the show I attended on Friday night was far from sold out. The other inaccuracy is in Freidman’s (P.S) The held over for another week part is definitely wrong as I have tickets for Jane Krakowski on Wednesday and Friday night.
October 5th, 2009 at 8:57 am
The show was fantastic. This is the perect type of setting for Mary. I saw her the last time she was in town and my boyfriend took me to see her for my birthday. She keeps getting better and better.
October 5th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Great review. Congratulations to Mary for continuing her career and proving she is a dynamic solo performer and not just a background singer.
October 11th, 2009 at 10:58 am
Ms Wilson.I am soo happy that the spot light is finally on YOU
I have watched you grow as an artist over the years,and you have never stopped singing.You are living proof that hard work and
dedication will pay off.Keep up the good work,and please give us a
CD soon
November 1st, 2009 at 5:48 pm
I am also glad that Mary Wilson is moving on with her life and doing her own show. After years of waging a litany of complaints about how everyone in the world–especially Diana Ross–robbed of her rightful heir to stardom, it is certainly about time that she provides some proof that she has what it takes to be a star in her own right. It is a shame that it took thirty-nine years of blowing her own horn, padding her accomplishments, and writing books about others alleged behaviors fifty years earlier to get her on this track of concentrating on her own career and her own self-proclaimed talent. I saw her youtube performance of Here’s to Life. It was okay. Perhaps in the final decade of her performing career, she can fully concentrate on her talent and achievements and spend less time slamming Diana and all of the others who cost her fame and fortune. Mannuel is right. Mary or her PR continues to overrepresent–rather shamelessly–her accomplishments. Her shows have been far from sold out. After hearing that her show last year was sold out, I called to reserve 30 tickets for a bus trip. I was told all 30 seats could be accommodated. So much wasted potential here. I hope Mary will spend the rest of her life looking forward and not reaching back 40 years for nostalgia of her glory years. Despite her vehement protests, most people still don’t know who she is when she is not paired with Diana Ross. Too bad. If she had focused on this promising part of her career more assiduously, she might have made a mark as a substantial jazz singer–if she had a recording contract. Who knows what could have happened? It would have been nice if she would have given herself the chance.