Departures of note

Janie Bradford was an American songwriter best known for her long tenure with Motown. Born in Charleston, Missouri, she moved to Detroit and was introduced to Motown founder Berry Gordy in the late 1950s by neighbor Jackie Wilson. She joined Motown as a receptionist in 1958 and, like many of the company's early employees, took part in the creative process that helped build Motown into a music industry powerhouse.

With Berry Gordy she co-wrote "Money (That's What I Want)," recorded in 1959 by Barrett Strong as one of Motown's first hits and later covered by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. She also co-wrote "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby," first recorded by The Temptations and later a hit for Marvin Gaye, along with songs for Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Martha & The Vandellas, Mary Wells, and others.

Bradford later became head of Writer Relations for Jobete, Motown's publishing company. After leaving Motown, she founded the annual Heroes and Legends Awards, an event spanning about 30 years that honored music icons and awarded performing arts scholarships. She also established Twinn Records with songwriter Marilyn McLeod. She died in Los Angeles in August 2026 at age 87.