Barrett Strong: the Motown hitmaker was modest almost to a fault

Though he was quick to credit others' contributions, Strong's songwriting was absolutely critical to the label that remade American pop music Barrett Strong, singer, songwriter and Motown's first star, dies aged 81 In 1961, after several dud singles in a row, Barrett Strong turned his back on Motown Records. He swapped one factory for another to work on the production line at Chrysler: "I had to take care of my kids," he reflected later. It was a bitter twist of fate for a singer whose 1959 sing...