- 1976 Grammy winner for Best Original TV or Motion Picture score for Car Wash (1976).
- He wanted Berry Gordy (head of Motown Records) to have Marvin Gaye record "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". This was after Gordy had rejected the idea of recording it with Gaye, the Miracles, or the Isley Brothers. Whitfield gave the song to Gladys Knight and the Pips, who made it Motown's bestselling single at the time. Gordy then agreed to have Gaye record it, and Gaye's version remains Motown's biggest hit single.
- 1972 Grammy winner for Best R&B Song for "Papa Was a Rolling Stone.".
- He was a longtime Motown producer and founded his own record label, Whitfield Records, in 1973.
- Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004.
- Co-wrote many songs with Barrett Strong.
- He co-wrote "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone", "Ball of Confusion", "War", "Smilin' Faces", and "Just My Imagination (Runnin' Away with Me)".
- Survived by his daughter, Irasha; sons, Norman; Michael; Johnnie; and Roland; a brother, Bill; eight grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
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