Motown songwriter Janie Bradford Hobbs, who co-wrote the label classic “Money (That’s What I Want),” dies at 87, multiple outlets report. She is credited with writing and co-writing Motown songs that become major hits for several artists.
Several reports note that Hobbs began her career at Motown in a receptionist role for Berry Gordy before becoming a songwriter. Rolling Stone and other outlets include remarks from Gordy, who describes her as being present from the earliest days of Motown, even before the label had fully developed. Fox News and Billboard state that Hobbs co-wrote “Money (That’s What I Want)” with Gordy and that her work also includes songs recorded by artists such as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and The Supremes.
While most coverage focuses on her songwriting contributions and her connection to Gordy, the outlets vary slightly in emphasis—some calling her an “unsung hero”—but they broadly agree on her age at death, her co-writing of “Money,” and the range of artists who recorded her Motown material.
