Barrett Strong

Barrett Strong Jr. (February 5, 1941 – January 28, 2023) was an American singer and songwriter known for his recording of "Money (That's What I Want)", which was the first hit single for the Motown record label. He is also known for his songwriting work in association with producer Norman Whitfield; together, they penned such songs as "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "War", "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)", and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone".

In 2004, Strong was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame alongside Whitfield.

Strong was born in West Point, Mississippi, on February 5, 1941, the only boy of six children born to Barrett Strong Sr., a minister. His family moved to Detroit, Michigan, when he was four years old, and his father bought him a piano soon after. Strong began singing at Hutchins Intermediate School in Detroit, where his classmates included Aretha Franklin and Lamont Dozier.

Strong was among the first artists signed to Berry Gordy's fledgling label, Tamla Records, and was the performer (vocal and piano) on the company's first hit single, "Money (That's What I Want)", which was recorded live at the music studio where other legendary artists would eventually record. The song reached No. 2 US R&B in 1960. Gordy later disputed claims that Barrett had part in writing this song, stating that Strong's name was only included because of a clerical error. The single was originally released on Tamla, Motown's first label, but was then leased to the Anna label as it was getting airplay, and it was on the Anna label that it was a hit. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA.

"Money" was later recorded by a number of acts, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, the Kingsmen, Richard Wylie and His Band, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Searchers, the Flying Lizards, the Sonics, and Buddy Guy. Strong expressed that he co-wrote "Money" with Gordy and Janie Bradford; and his name appears on the song's original copyright registration with the United States Copyright Office.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.