It's no exaggeration to say that Motown made an indelible impact on music as we've come to know it. Without Motown, artists like Muddy Waters, The Rolling Stones, and even Led Zeppelin simply wouldn't exist.
Recently, pianist and founding Motown member, Barrett Strong, passed away at the age of 81. Now, the music community at large has come together in order to honor his memory and appreciate the gift of his music.
Iconic pianist and songwriter Barrett Strong passed away on Sunday, January 29th. He was 81 years old.
The revered artist was considered by many to be one of the troupe's most gifted songwriters.
Barrett later collaborated with Norman Whitfield on I Heard It Through The Grapevine, War, and Papa Was A Rollin' Stone.
"Barrett was not only a great singer and piano player, but he, along with his writing partner Norman Whitfield, created an incredible body of work," Berry said.
Less than a year after signing with Berry, Barrett made history by selling over a million copies of Money (That's What I Want).
Barrett never achieved the same level of success again, but he and Norman Whitfield became a formidable songwriting team in their own right.
The songwriting duo also wrote timeless classics for a number of chart-topping artists.
Later on, as Motown became more political, their songwriting style/approach began to see a dramatic shift.
They also wrote Edwin Starr's quintessential protest song, War — whose refrain is still widely sung even to this day.
"I also knew a guy who used to sing with Lamont Dozier that got hit by shrapnel and was crippled for life," Strong told LA Weekly in 1999.
Over the years, Strong-Whitfield's songs have been covered by The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, and Bruce Springsteen.
He went on to record a handful of solo albums, including Stronghold and Love Is You.
During his induction, strong was regaled as "a pivotal figure in Motown’s formative years."
His memory will continue to live on through his music, and his legacy will never be forgotten.
