Bert Berns – $20 million
Greatest Hits: Here Comes the Night, Hang on Sloopy, Twist and Shout
The Bronx-born Bert Berns was one of the 1960s most inspiring songwriters and producers. He wrote massive hits like Hang on Sloopy and Twist and Shout, providing major contributions to plenty of other artists’ hits. He worked with many labels, too, such as Bang, Atlantic, and Shout, where wrote hits like Baby Please Don’t Go, Brown Eyed Girl, and Under the Boardwalk. He loved to shake his stuff at mambo nightclubs during his youth, and enjoyed a place in Havana until the Cuban Revolution forced him to return to America. He was only 38 when his heart gave out.
Bert Berns
Marvin Gaye – $5 million
Greatest Hits: I Heard it Through the Grapevine, How Sweet It Is, Ain’t That Peculiar
If there is a “King of Soul”, then there must be a “Prince of Soul”, which is what Marvin Gaye was called, along with the “Prince of Motown” a title which he earned thanks to his contributions to the 1960s Motown movement. Prior to his solo career, Gaye managed to break out as an independent Motown artist, along with Stevie Wonder. He took the quiet storm and neo-soul genres to new heights. He was an awarded a Grammy award for his hit, Midnight Love. An NBA All-Star Game that occurred in 1983 featured his conclusive TV appearance.
Marvin Gaye
