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Barrett Strong (born February 5, 1941, West Point, Mississippi is an American singer and songwriter. Strong was the first artist to record a hit for Motown, although he is best remembered for his work as a songwriter, particularly in association with producer Norman Whitfield.

Career

Strong was among the first artists signed to Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation, and is the performer on the company's first hit, "Money (That's What I Want)" (2 U.S. R&B in 1960, on theTamlarecord label). It gave Strong his only major hit as a vocalist

In the mid 1960s, Strong became a Motown staff lyricist, teaming with producer Norman Whitfield. Together, Strong and Whitfield wrote some of the most successful and critically acclaimed soul songs ever to be released by Motown, including "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by both Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips, "War" by Temptations, including "Cloud Nine", "I Can't Get Next to You", "Psychedelic Shack", "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)", and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", amongst others. Strong received a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song in 1973 for co-writing "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone".

After Motown moved its operations base from Detroit, Michigan to Los Angeles, California, Strong left the label and resumed his singing career. In 1972 he signed withEpic, but after one failed single Strong moved on,

Barrett Strong　Money (That's What I Want)

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Strong continued into the 1980s, recording "Rock It Easy" for an independent label and writing and arranging "You Can Depend on Me," which was included on The Dells' The Second Time album in 1988.

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