Motown Legend Janie Bradford, Co-Writer of Motown’s First Hit ‘Money,’ Dies at 87

Motown legend Janie Bradford, the trailblazing songwriter who co-wrote the label’s breakout smash “Money (That’s What I Want),” has died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after an extended illness. She was 87. Born in Charleston, Missouri, and raised in Detroit, Bradford walked through Motown’s doors in 1958 as a receptionist but quickly proved she belonged in the writers’ room. Teaming with founder Berry Gordy, she helped craft “Money (That’s What I Want),” recorded by Barrett Strong in 1959 and later covered by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, cementing her place in music history. The song became Motown’s first national hit and a rallying cry for the emerging sound of young America. Bradford’s pen didn’t stop there. She co-wrote Marvin Gaye’s Top 10 classic “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby,” Mary Wells’ “Your Old Standby,” and contributed memorable cuts for Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Temptations, the Marvelettes, and Martha & The Vandellas. Her catalog spans more than 200 published titles, many of which helped shape the Motown sound that dominated the 1960s airwaves. “Janie was there with me from the very beginning, before there was even a Motown,” Gordy said in a statement. “She will always hold a very special place in my heart and in the Motown family”. Beyond the charts, Bradford championed the next generation. In 1990 she founded the annual Heroes and Legends (HAL) Awards, a scholarship gala that has funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars to aspiring performers and music-business students. “Her commitment to others did not end with Motown,” Gordy noted, calling her a “champion” for young talent. Her achievements were recognized with a flurry of late-career honors, including induction into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2025 and commendations from the Motown Museum and the City of Detroit. Family, Funeral and Survivors Bradford is survived by her husband, Wardean Hobbs; daughter, Nicole Hobbs; son, Lance Finney; and two grandsons. Funeral arrangements are being finalized, with a memorial service expected in Los Angeles followed by a celebration of life in Detroit, the city where her songwriting dreams took flight. Legacy That Still Pays Dividends Sixty-seven years after its release, “Money (That’s What I Want)” continues to earn airplay, sync deals and cover versions, underscoring the lasting commercial power of Bradford’s work. The song’s refrain—“the best things in life are free, but you can give them to the birds and bees”—remains one of pop’s most instantly recognizable hooks, underscoring why Bradford’s passing resonates across generations searching for that elusive groove. SEO Key Takeaways • Motown legend Janie Bradford dies at 87 • Songwriter behind “Money (That’s What I Want)” and “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby” • Longtime Berry Gordy collaborator and Motown pioneer • Founder of Heroes and Legends Awards scholarship fund • Funeral services pending in Los Angeles and Detroit Fans and fellow artists are flooding social media with the hashtag #RIPJanieBradford, celebrating a woman whose words—and infectious melodies—put the “sound of young America” on the world stage.