Wendy Rene was the stage name of soul singer and songwriter Mary Frierson, later Mary Cross (born in Memphis in 1947; died December 16, 2014). Adopting the stage name Wendy Rene on suggestion of Otis Redding, she recorded for Stax Records in the mid 1960s. Frierson initially performed as part of The Drapels, but soon went solo on the initiative of her producers at Stax Records. Her first, and arguably biggest, hit ensued: "After Laughter Comes Tears" (1964).
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Wendy Rene was the stage name of soul singer and songwriter Mary Frierson, later Mary Cross (born in Memphis in 1947; died December 16, 2014). Adopting the stage name Wendy Rene on suggestion of Otis Redding, she recorded for Stax Records in the mid 1960s. Frierson initially performed as part of The Drapels, but soon went solo on the initiative of her producers at Stax Records. Her first, and arguably biggest, hit ensued: "After Laughter Comes Tears" (1964). This song can be heard sampled in the Wu-Tang Clan's song Tearz (on the Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) album). In 1967, after divorcing her first husband, she married songwriter and Stax employee James Cross. In December of that year, she was scheduled to fly with Redding and the The Bar-Kays for what would have been her final live performance for the foreseeable future. A new mother, Rene backed out at the last minute to stay home with her child. Tragically, the plane crashed in Madison, Wisconsin, leaving Redding and six others dead. Rene retired from the music business. Rene died on December 16, 2014, after a stroke. She was 67.
