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Motown Legend Janie Bradford Hobbs Dead at 87

She co-wrote Motown’s early hit “Money (That’s What I Want)” and helped shape songs for Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and others.

  • On Saturday, Janie Bradford Hobbs, a pioneering Motown songwriter and co-writer of 'Money ,' died at age 87 at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles following an extended illness.
  • Introduced to Motown founder Berry Gordy by singer Jackie Wilson in the late 1950s, Bradford Hobbs joined the company as its first receptionist in 1958, quickly becoming a creative force.
  • Bradford Hobbs wrote iconic tracks including 'Money ,' recorded by Barrett Strong, and hits for Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Mary Wells that shaped Motown's signature sound.
  • Beyond songwriting, she served as head of Writer Relations for Jobete, Motown's publishing company, and recently was inducted into the Women Songwriter Hall of Fame.
  • Gordy called Janie one of the 'unsung heroes who believed in the dream' before Motown's rise, describing her as a vital member of the 'original Motown family.
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Motown legend Janie Bradford Hobbs dead at 87

Motown songwriter Janie Bradford Hobbs, who helped pen hits including “Money (That’s What I Want)” and “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby,” has died at 87.

·Greenville, United States
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Motown music legend dead at 87. Here’s what we know

The music world lost another legend over the weekend with the death of Janie Bradford.

·Springfield, United States
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Janie Bradford, a legendary composer and one of the essential figures in the formation of the sound of Motown, died at 87 years old in Los Angeles, California. The news of her death, which occurred on August 24, 2026, after a prolonged illness at Cedars-Sinai Hospital, was confirmed by her family. Bradford left a remarkable legacy through [...]

·Brazil
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nj broke the news in New Jersey, United States on Monday, August 24, 2026.
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