Janie Bradford Hobbs, a pivotal figure in the Motown sound known for co-writing the iconic song “Money (That’s What I Want),” died Tuesday in a Los Angeles hospital. She was 87.
Hobbs began her career at Motown Records in the late 1950s as a receptionist. She went on to co-write “Money (That’s What I Want),” a song that became a foundational hit for the label and was later famously covered by The Beatles.
Her songwriting contributions extended to other notable Motown artists, including The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, and The Supremes. Hobbs had been battling an illness prior to her death.
Hobbs was recognized as an "unsung hero" of the Motown era for her significant, though often behind-the-scenes, contributions to its enduring musical legacy.