Barrett Strong, Motown singer and songwriter, dead at 81

Barrett Strong, the voice and songwriter behind Motown Records’ first hit, has died, according to a post from The Motown Museum. He was 81.

“It is with great sadness that we share the passing of legendary @classicmotown singer and songwriter Barrett Strong. The voice behind @motownrecords’ first hit, the iconic Money (That’s What I Want),” the Museum’s post began.

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https://twitter.com/Motown_Museum/status/1619847909071261696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1619847909071261696%7Ctwgr%5Eb8964270a1f74a0bede8ec8b0908445a2fa9bbc9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2023%2F01%2F30%2Fentertainment%2Fbarrett-strong-death%2Findex.html

The tribute explained the history behind Strong’s Money.

“After overhearing an in-studio conversation between Mr. Gordy and Motown songwriter Janie Bradford – Strong started playing the piano and, within moments, ‘Money (That’s What I Want)’ was created. The song eventually reached #2 on the U.S. R&B charts, #23 on the @billboard Hot 100 and ultimately #288 on @rollingstone’s ‘The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time,'” the caption read.

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Strong, along with Motown producer Norman Whitfield, also created some of the label’s other top songs, including I Heard It Through the Grapevine, Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home), Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone, and 1971’s Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me).

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