Motown Pioneer Janie Bradford, Co-Writer of Money, Dies at 87

Janie Bradford, Motown’s first receptionist who co-wrote the R&B classic Money (That’s What I Want) and hits for Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, Stevie Wonder, and others, died at 87 after an extended illness in Los Angeles. She also helped shape Motown’s publishing as head of writer relations at Jobete and later founded the Heroes and Legends Awards. Gordy hailed her as a trailblazer, and she was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame in June.