[1] He is also known for his songwriting work in association with producer Norman Whitfield;[2] together, they penned such songs as "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "War", "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)", and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone".

[5] Strong began singing at Hutchins Intermediate School in Detroit, where his classmates included Aretha Franklin and Lamont Dozier.

[9] "Money"[4] was later recorded by a number of acts, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, the Kingsmen, Richard Wylie and His Band, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Searchers, the Flying Lizards, the Sonics, and Buddy Guy.

[7] Together, they wrote some of the most successful and critically acclaimed soul songs ever to be released by Motown, including "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by both Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips; "War" by Edwin Starr; "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" by Marvin Gaye; "Smiling Faces Sometimes" by the Undisputed Truth; and the long line of "psychedelic soul" records by the Temptations, including "Cloud Nine", "I Can't Get Next to You", "Psychedelic Shack", "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)", and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", amongst others.

After Motown moved its operations base from Detroit, Michigan, to Los Angeles, California, Strong left the label and resumed his singing career.

[11] In the 1980s, Strong recorded "Rock It Easy" on an independent label, and wrote "You Can Depend on Me", which appeared on the Dells' The Second Time album (1988).

[3][12] He founded the company as a means of providing opportunity and support for aspiring musicians in Detroit;[12] he stated, "Young people were always coming to me: 'Can you help us get something going?'