Bert Berns – $20 million
Greatest Hits: Hang on Sloopy, Twist and Shout, Here Comes the Night
Born in the Bronx, Bert Berns was a very influential producer and songwriter in the 1960s (Bert Russell and Russell Byrd). Popular pieces such as “Twist and South,” “Hang on Sloopy,” and more include his credits. He produced popular Atlantic, Bang, and Shout-signed songs such as “Brown Eyed Girl,” “Under the Boardwalk,” and “Baby Please Don’t Go,” He used to dance in mambo nightclubs when he was young and lived in Havana before the Cuban Revolution brought him back to America. He died of heart complications at 38 years of age.
Bert Berns
Marvin Gaye – $5 million
Greatest Hits: How Sweet It Is, Ain’t That Peculiar, I Heard it Through the Grapevine
Marvin Gaye, nicknamed “Prince of Soul” and “Prince of Motown,” helped form the Motown sound of the 1960s. Before becoming a solo artist, he was the first in-house session player. He was one of the first Motown musicians, in addition to Stevie Wonder, to break away from the record industry and independently make his own music. He was a major influence on the neo-soul genre and quiet storm music. For Midnight Love, he won a Grammy. The anthem was sung during his last TV appearance at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game. He was also on Soul Train.
Marvin Gaye
