The enigmatic Barrett Strong had not one, but two key roles in the Motown story. Firstly, as an artist, the teenage singer was one of the company’s earliest signings, landing a big national hit with Money (That’s What I Want) (once the record had been leased to Anna Records). He never enjoyed performing, and after struggling to score another hit single, he withdrew.
Barrett’s second Motown life came in the mid-Sixties when he returned to Hitsville as a writing partner for hotshot writer-producer Norman Whitfield. The Whitfield-Strong partnership came up with dozens of Motown’s best-loved hits of the late Sixties and early Seventies, before Strong eventually felt the pull of the spotlight and tried again for a singing career to get himself that elusive second hit. At the time of writing, he hasn’t yet managed to do so, but his legacy is assured.
Review Archive: Barrett STRONG (12 items)
We have 12 reviews for Barrett Strong currently available here on Motown Junkies – see our archive for more details, or click a link below:
- Let’s Rock
- Do The Very Best You Can
- Money (That’s What I Want)
- Oh I Apologize
- Yes, No, Maybe So
- You Knows What To Do
- Whirlwind
- I’m Gonna Cry (If You Quit Me)
- Money And Me
- You Got What It Takes
- Misery
- Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right
Motown Junkies 
Barrett Strong Jr. was removed from the original copyright illegally. It exists in the copyright office for all to see. Mr. Strong went on to record multiple artists on his own label but ultimately the only artist to truly make it out of his local roster to international fame is “Eliza Neals” the Detroit Diva. Eliza has multiple radio hits including “Sugar Daddy” and “Love Dr. Love” both co-writes with Mr. Strong. He continues to write today and lives in California with his loving family.
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R I P Mr. Barrett Strong who passed away today January 29, 2023. “Money” will go down as one of the greatest rock and soul records and covered and played live by so many.
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