Motown songwriter Janie Bradford, the voice behind Money, has passed away at 87

Janie Bradford, the songwriter who was present at the birth of Motown's first hit, passed away on August 21 at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles after a lengthy illness. Her family announced the news the following day. Bradford was 87 years old and was married to Wardean Hobbs. She is also survived by her daughter Nicole Hobbs, her son Lance Finney, and two grandsons.

Bradford was born in 1939 in Charleston, Missouri, and later moved to Detroit. There she became friends with singer Jackie Wilson, who introduced her to Berry Gordy in the late 1950s. At that point Wilson had already recorded a number of songs written by Gordy, including "Reet Petite." Bradford joined what would later become Motown in 1958, initially as a receptionist, but her involvement in the creative process grew quickly.

Her most famous contribution to music history dates from that same period. While Gordy was working on a new song at the piano, Bradford added her own verse: "your love gives me such a thrill, but your love don't pay my bills. Gimme some money baby!" That was how "Money (That's What I Want)" came to be. Recorded by Barrett Strong in 1959, it became Motown's first true hit. The song later got a second life thanks to The Beatles, who recorded it for their 1963 album With The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones, who put their own version on their first EP in 1964.

Bradford remained connected to Motown for a quarter of a century, during which time she also served as head of Writer Relations at Jobete, the label's publishing company. She has her name on several other hits, including "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby," which she co wrote with Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield. The Temptations were the first to record it in 1966, but it was Marvin Gaye's version three years later that made the biggest impact. She is also credited on "Your Old Standby" for Mary Wells, "Contract On Love" for Stevie Wonder, and songs for The Supremes, Diana Ross, The Marvelettes, and Martha and the Vandellas.

Motown founder Berry Gordy described her in a statement as someone who was there before Motown even existed. He called her part of a special group he considers the original Motown family: the unsung heroes who believed in the dream before the world knew what Motown would become. After leaving Motown, Bradford founded the annual Heroes and Legends Awards, an event that honored music industry figures for around thirty years and awarded scholarships to young people pursuing careers in the performing arts. Earlier this year she was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame.