The Motown Museum page revealed Barrett Strong’s death news on Twitter.
Barrett Strong, a songwriter, and singer best known for providing the vocals on Motown’s first number-one single, Money (That’s What I Want), passed away at 81. The Motown Museum confirmed the information on Monday.
Strong co-wrote iconic songs like Heard It Through the Grapevine and War after singing on the label’s first hit song, Money, in 1960. He penned a number of top-charting songs for the label, including “Money (That’s What I Want),” which was successful for both the Beatles and him.
After learning that his name had been removed from Money’s credits list in 2010, Barrett spent the rest of his life pursuing a share of the song’s royalties.
Barrett Strong Death Cause: How Did Motown Singer Die?
Motown’s first number-one hit song vocalist, Barrett Strong passed away and his death cause hasn’t been revealed yet. But it’s thought that he passed away from old age. He was 81 years old.
He captured listeners’ attention with his hooks and went on to write one of the most enduring pop songs ever.
In addition to being fantastic pianists and singers, Norman Whitfield and Barrett collaborated on a staggering body of work, mostly with the Temptations.
Their popular songs embodied the mood of the time and had a revolutionary sound. All of Barrett’s friends, family, and admirers will miss him because he was a founding member of the Motown Family.
Barrett Strong Obituary: Tributes All Over Social Media
The Motown Museum expressed their sorrow over Barrett Strong’s passing, a legendary @classicmotown singer and songwriter.
The tribute gave background information on Strong’s “Money.” Strong began playing the piano after overhearing a conversation between Mr. Gordy and Motown songwriter Janie Bradford while in the studio. Shortly after, the song “Money (That’s What I Want)” was born.
The song eventually peaked at number two on the American R&B charts, number twenty-three on the Billboard Hot 100, and finally number two hundred and eighty-eight on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest songs ever.
Barrett Strong Career Details Explored
Strong was raised in Detroit, Michigan, after being born in West Point, Mississippi. As a songwriter for Motown Records, he started out writing songs for performers like Mary Wells, The Temptations, and The Supremes.
Strong, a 1941 Mississippi native raised in Detroit, was one of the first musicians that Berry Gordy, the future mogul of Motown, signed. He did well making the switch from performer to the songwriter. In 2016, Strong admitted to Billboard that he had never felt at ease with himself as a recording artist.
In the late 1950s, he started making records for Gordy’s Tamla Records label. In 1960, his recording of the Gordy-penned song Money (That’s What I Want) became the first hit for both artists. Money peaked at No. 2 on the R&B singles chart, and No.
Strong co-wrote iconic songs like Heard It Through the Grapevine and War after singing on the label’s first hit song Money in 1960.
Even though Money was a huge success for both the Company and Strong, there has always been much controversy surrounding the track’s authorship.