Janie Bradford, Motown legend, has died due to her long-term illness.
Her family confirmed the heart-breaking news that she had passed away at the age of 87.
She was renowned for co-writing Motown’s inaugural hit, “Money (That’s What I Want)” and penning numerous other tracks for the iconic Detroit label. Bradford’s family confirmed her passing on Saturday, stating that she died on August 21 at Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Hospital after a lengthy illness.
They added: “Just recently, Janie was inducted into the Women Songwriters’ Hall of Fame and over the years has been awarded numerous awards and commendations.”
Tributes have flooded in for the celebrated singer, with Motown founder Berry Gordy expressing his sorrow in a statement, “I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Janie Bradford Hobbs. Janie was there with me from the very beginning, before there was even a Motown, and she will always hold a very special place in my heart and in the Motown family.”
He continued, “Janie was smart, clever, witty, and fun. She was also talented and determined. In those early days, everybody did what was needed to be done, and Janie was no exception. She became Motown’s first receptionist, but her talents quickly took her far beyond that desk.”
“Janie was one of a special group I have always thought of as the Original Motown Family-The Unsung Heroes who believed in the dream before anyone knew what Motown would become. She was one of the people who helped make Motown what it became.”, reports the Express.
Gordy concluded of Janie Bradford, “Janie’s commitment to others did not end with Motown. Through her Heroes and Legends Scholarship Fund, which she founded in the 1990s, she spent decades helping deserving young people pursue their dreams while celebrating so many of the people who helped build our music community. Her annual gatherings always felt like old home week because Janie kept that wonderful sense of family alive.”
