although she often had a day job, wells also toured europe and south america, often performing in a group with her husband, pianist ron elliston. she also performed at the kennedy center, the montpelier arts center in laurel, maryland, and at jazz festivals worldwide. she worked and recorded with the widespread jazz orchestra and recorded regularly for her own jazz karma label. wells was an assistant professor at the university of maryland's department of music during 1983–2002. she developed and designed its first jazz vocal techniques workshop. she also worked with her husband, running the elliston music studio for jazz studies; founded the fish middleton jazz scholarship fund; and was one of the founders and directors of the five-day east coast jazz festival, which began in 1992 until 2006.