I must admit. I didn't have much of a clue about songstress Tammi Terrell until I watched TV One's Unsung documentary special earlier this Fall. Tammi's duets with the legendary Marvin Gaye have stood the test of time and continue to be unforgettable. They had a bond vocally that is rare to find. I had no clue that she was poised to be bigger than Diana Ross. I had no clue that her real name was Thomasina Winifred Montgomery (instead of 'Thomas' as her parents originally wanted a son). I had no clue that she was so sultry and would sometimes openly use her femininity to get ahead. I had no clue that she was raped in her pre-teens and this is the point at which she became more sultry and rebellious. And I had no clue that she suffered from migraines throughout her childhood then succumb to brain cancer at the age of 24.

Well, 40 years later, Tammi Terrell: Come On and See Me - The Complete Solo Collection was released last week and represents the largest compilation of her material to date. She was much more than Marvin's duet partner. Marvin, himself, confessed that Tammi actually challenged him vocally on those recordings. Much like the precious Aaliyah, Tammi was gone far too soon.

Check out her version of Stevie Wonder's classic "All I Do (Is Think About You)"...

- uhkeem