Barrett Strong, Motown singer-songwriter, dies at 81

January 30, 2023 at 11:45 p.m.
Barrett Strong in 2012. This pianist and singer was the first to record the song Money (That's What I Want). Photo: NYT
Barrett Strong in 2012. This pianist and singer was the first to record the song Money (That's What I Want). Photo: NYT

 

Barrett Strong, one of the founding artists and one of the composers most talented of Motown who was the lead vocalist on the company's first big hit, Money (That's What I Want), died at 81.

The Motown Museum announced the death of the man who later collaborated with Norman Whitfield on classics such as I Heard It Through the Grapevine, War y Papa Was a Rollin' Stonebut did not provide further details.

"Barrett was not only a great singer and pianist, but also, along with fellow composer Norman Whitfield, created an incredible body of work," Motown founder Berry Gordy said in a statement.

Strong was not yet 20 years old when he agreed to let his friend Gordy, who was in the early stages of building a imperio musical in Detroit, managed his career and distributed his music.

 

 

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In a matter of a year, Barrett Strong went down in history as the pianist and vocalist of Money, which was released in 1960 and sold a million copies, Motown's first big hit.

This singer was never able to come close to the level of success of Money by itself, for which decades later he fought to be recognized as co-author of the work. But with Whitfield he built a productive songwriting team and eclectic.

Although Gordy's Sound of Young America was criticized for being too sophisticated and repetitive, Whitfield and Strong's dumbbellship spawned successful works, such as ballads I Wish It Would Rain y Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me).

 

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Barrett Strong at piano. Photo: The New York Times

 

With I Heard it Through the Grapevine achieved success with a faster rate of call and response for Gladys Knight and the Pips, and a dark, hypnotic ballad for Marvin Gaye, his 1968 version being one of the biggest hits in Motown history.

As Motown became more politically conscious later in the decade, Barrett and Whitfield produced Cloud Nine y Psychedelic Shack for The Temptations, and for Edwin Starr they wrote the protest anthem War and his widely quoted line: “War! What is it good for? Absolutely...nothing!” (War! What is it for? Absolutely for nothing).

Other hits for Whitfield and Strong, notably for the Temptations, included: I Can't Get Next to You, That's the Way Love Is and the Grammy winner Papa Was a Rollin' Stonee. 

Artists who also recorded his work range from The Rolling Stones (just my imagination) and Aretha Franklin (I Wish It Would Rain) to Bruce Springsteen (War) and Al Green (I Can't Get Next to You).

 

 

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