Mary Love
Encyclopedia
Mary Love, born as Mary Ann Allen or Mary Ann Varney (27 July 1943, Sacramento
, California), and later known as Mary Love Comer, is an American soul
and gospel
singer, and Christian evangelist.
After being discovered by Sam Cooke
's manager, J.W. Alexander, she began singing on sessions in Los Angeles
before recording “You Turned My Bitter Into Sweet” for the Modern
record label in 1965. Later records for the label met with little success until "Move a Little Closer," which made the R&B chart in 1966. Her recordings for Modern, sone of which were issued in the UK, subsequently became popular on the English Northern soul
scene. She revisited the lower reaches of the R&B chart with "The Hurt Is Just Beginning" for Roulette
in 1968, but thereafter made few recordings for some years.
In the early 1980s she re-emerged as Mary Love Comer, singing gospel-flavoured soul with a Christian message. With husband Brad Comer she released the single "Come Out Of The Sandbox" in 1987, and the couple ran their own church in Tennessee. According to Mary Love's current (2011) website, she now lives again in California.
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
, California), and later known as Mary Love Comer, is an American soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
and gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
singer, and Christian evangelist.
After being discovered by Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
's manager, J.W. Alexander, she began singing on sessions in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
before recording “You Turned My Bitter Into Sweet” for the Modern
Modern Records
Modern Records was an American record label formed in 1945 in Los Angeles by the Bihari brothers. In the 1960s, Modern Records went bankrupt and ceased operations, but the catalogue went with the management into what became Kent Records. This back catalogue was eventually licensed to the UK label...
record label in 1965. Later records for the label met with little success until "Move a Little Closer," which made the R&B chart in 1966. Her recordings for Modern, sone of which were issued in the UK, subsequently became popular on the English Northern soul
Northern soul
Northern soul is a music and dance movement that emerged from the British mod scene, initially in northern England in the late 1960s. Northern soul mainly consists of a particular style of black American soul music based on the heavy beat and fast tempo of the mid-1960s Tamla Motown sound...
scene. She revisited the lower reaches of the R&B chart with "The Hurt Is Just Beginning" for Roulette
Roulette Records
Roulette Records is an American record label, which was founded in late 1956, by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals, with creative control given to producers and songwriters Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. Levy was appointed as director...
in 1968, but thereafter made few recordings for some years.
In the early 1980s she re-emerged as Mary Love Comer, singing gospel-flavoured soul with a Christian message. With husband Brad Comer she released the single "Come Out Of The Sandbox" in 1987, and the couple ran their own church in Tennessee. According to Mary Love's current (2011) website, she now lives again in California.