Pianist and singer Barrett Strong has a sad tale. He's trying to rewrite the ending.
Strong, 72, was credited with writing the hit song "Money', which was first recorded in 1959 and was considered the first national hit for "Hitsville U.S.A."
Larry Rohter writes in the New York Times:
Over the years, “Money” has generated millions of dollars in publishing royalties. It was recorded by both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, has been widely used in films and advertisements and is now featured in “Motown: The Musical” on Broadway. But the pianist and singer Barrett Strong, who first recorded “Money” and, according to records at the United States Copyright Office in Washington, was originally listed as a writer of the song, says that he has never seen a penny of those profits.
Unbeknown to Mr. Strong, who also helped write many other Motown hits, his name was removed from the copyright registration for “Money” three years after the song was written, restored in 1987 when the copyright was renewed, then removed again the next year — his name literally crossed out.
Motown executives have disputed the authorship, according to the Times. And founder Barry Gordy Jr., through his attorneys, said Strong passed up numerous opportunities to assert his claim.
Now, the Times reports, Barrett, 72, who had a stroke in 2009 and lives in a retirement home, is trying to get back rights to the song so he can help cover his medical and residency costs. He said he didn't learn of all the changes in the copyright documents until 2010, and has since been trying to get back his rights so he can cash in on the lucrative royalties.
“For 50 years, I had no idea about any of this,” Strong, 72, said in an interview in Detroit with the Times about all the rights issues. “It was hidden from me. So how do they expect me to have acted to protect myself? It’s crazy and unfair.”
