Janie Bradford Hobbs, the celebrated Motown songwriter who co-wrote the iconic hit "Money (That's What I Want)" and helped shape the legendary label's early sound, has died in Los Angeles at age 87.
Janie Bradford Hobbs, one of the original architects of the Motown sound, died following an extended illness at a hospital in Los Angeles. She was 87. Born in Charleston, Missouri, and raised in Detroit, Bradford Hobbs joined Motown as a receptionist in 1958 and quickly became a vital part of the label's creative team.
She co-wrote "Money (That's What I Want)" with Berry Gordy, a song recorded by Barrett Strong in 1959 that became one of the label's earliest hits and was later famously covered by The Beatles. She also co-wrote "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby," recorded by The Temptations and later a hit for Marvin Gaye, and contributed songs for Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Martha & The Vandellas, and others.
"Janie was there with me from the very beginning, before there was even a Motown," Berry Gordy said in a statement. "She was one of the unsung heroes who helped make Motown what it became." Bradford Hobbs later became head of Writer Relations at Jobete, Motown's publishing arm. After leaving the label, she founded the annual Heroes and Legends Awards, which honored music icons and awarded scholarships for nearly 30 years.
She is survived by her husband Wardean Hobbs, daughter Nicole Hobbs, son Lance Finney, and two grandsons.