BARRETT STRONG

Biography

Barrett Strong Jr. was born on February 5, 1941, in West Point, Mississippi, and moved to Detroit at a young age, where he grew up on the city's west side as the son of a Uniroyal Tire plant worker and a housewife. Self-taught on piano, he joined a gospel group with his four sisters called the Strong Singers and met artists like Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson during tours. Through Wilson, he connected with Berry Gordy in 1957, leading to his signing with Motown's Tamla label in April 1959 at age 18. His early singles included 'Let’s Rock' and 'Do The Very Best You Can,' but limited success followed until July 1959, when he contributed piano and vocals to 'Money (That’s What I Want),' co-written with Gordy and Janie Bradford, which became Motown's first hit, reaching No. 2 on the R&B chart and No. 23 pop, selling a million copies.[1][2][3][4][5]

Strong released follow-ups like 'Yes, No, Maybe So' but left Motown in 1961, recording for labels including Vee-Jay in Chicago. By the late 1960s, he returned to Detroit as a songwriter, forming a prolific partnership with Norman Whitfield that defined Motown's psychedelic soul era. They co-wrote classics such as 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine' (Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight & the Pips), 'War' (Edwin Starr), 'Cloud Nine' and 'Papa Was a Rollin' Stone' (Temptations, Grammy winner), and 'Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)' (Temptations). His performing career waned, but he released solo albums like 'Stronghold' in the 1970s on Capitol and Epic before leaving Motown again when it relocated to Los Angeles.[1][2][3][4]

Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004 for his pivotal role in Motown's formative years, Strong passed away on January 28, 2023, at age 81. Known for genres like Motown, northern soul, and classic soul, his legacy endures through timeless hits that shaped soul and pop history, with 'Money' famously covered by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and others.[2][3][4][5]

Fun Facts

• Strong was still a student at Detroit's Central High School when he recorded 'Money (That’s What I Want)' in 1959, Motown's first national hit.[2]
• He fought for decades for songwriting credit on 'Money,' which he claimed to have helped write beyond his vocal and piano contributions.[4]
• Strong taught himself piano without lessons and formed the gospel group Strong Singers with his four sisters, meeting Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson on tour.[3][4]
• In a 1975 interview, he named 'Papa Was a Rollin' Stone' and 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine' as his proudest works, and praised the Temptations' 'Solid Rock' album as capturing a unique sound first.[2]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Berry Gordy - Introduced via Jackie Wilson, managed him and co-wrote early songs; key figure in signing him to Motown ('Money (That’s What I Want)', 'Let’s Rock') [1957-1961]
• Jackie Wilson - Family friend who arranged meeting with Berry Gordy (Introduction leading to Motown signing) [1950s]

Key Collaborators

• Norman Whitfield - Long-term songwriting and production partner on Motown hits ushering in psychedelic soul era ('I Heard It Through the Grapevine', 'War', 'Papa Was a Rollin' Stone', 'Cloud Nine', 'Just My Imagination') [Late 1960s-1970s]
• Janie Bradford - Co-wrote Motown's first hit while Gordy managed piano ('Money (That’s What I Want)') [1959]
• Temptations - Wrote multiple hits including psychedelic and Grammy-winning tracks ('Papa Was a Rollin' Stone', 'Cloud Nine', 'Just My Imagination', 'Solid Rock' album) [1960s-1970s]

Artists Influenced

• The Beatles - Covered his breakthrough hit ('Money (That’s What I Want)') [1960s]
• The Rolling Stones - Covered his breakthrough hit ('Money (That’s What I Want)') [1960s]
• Jerry Lee Lewis - Covered his breakthrough hit on Sun Records ('Money (That’s What I Want)') [1961]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #early-r&b, #motown, #r&b