Motown Songwriter Janie Bradford Dies at 87 After Co-Writing 1959 Hit “Money”
Updated
Updated · Rolling Stone · Aug 22
Motown Songwriter Janie Bradford Dies at 87 After Co-Writing 1959 Hit “Money”
3 articles · Updated · Rolling Stone · Aug 22
Summary
Bradford died Aug. 21 at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles after an extended illness, her family said Saturday.
In 1959, she co-wrote “Money (That’s What I Want)” with Berry Gordy, giving Motown its first hit when Barrett Strong recorded it; the Beatles and Rolling Stones later popularized it again.
Over roughly 25 years at Motown, Bradford also co-wrote Marvin Gaye’s “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby” and songs for Mary Wells, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, the Temptations and the Marvelettes.
Berry Gordy called her part of Motown’s “Original Family,” saying she was there before the label existed; beyond music, she later founded the Heroes and Legends Scholarship Fund and was recently inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame.