Bio



US vocal duo, songwriters, producers: Nickolas Ashford (b 4 May '43, Fairfield SC), Valerie Simpson (b 26 Aug. '48, Bronx, NYC) Husband and wife soul team met '64 at Harlem gospel meeting when she sang with the Followers, married '74. Recorded as Nick and Valerie '60s but first success as writers ('Let's Go Get Stoned' top 40 hit for Ray Charles '66). On staff at Sceptor/Wand wrote hits for Maxine Brown, Chuck Jackson; to Tamla/Motown as writers, developed into prod. work; hits incl. top ten duets by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell '68 ('Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing', 'You're All I Need To Get By'); soft soul approach used with launch of Diana Ross as solo: 'Reach Out And Touch Somebody's Hand', 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' (also no. 19 for Gaye/Terrell). Valerie had two underrated solo LPs: Exposed! '71, Valerie Simpson '72; they did duo album Keep It Comin' '73, left Motown for WB '73 and succession of duo LPs saw fame grow: Gimme Something Real '73, I Wanna Be Selfish '74, Come As You Are '76, Send It '77, Is It Still Good To Ya '78, Stay Free '79, A Musical Affair '80, two-disc Performance '81; then on Capitol: Street Opera '82, High Rise '83 (title track top ten US black chart), Solid '84 (title track world-wide hit), expanded Solid Plus Seven and Real Love '87, Lone Or Physical '89. Still worked as prod/writers, i.e. Chaka Khan hit 'I'm Every Woman' '78, Ross's The Boss '79, Gladys Knight's About Love '80. Add/Complete Bio

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Click To EnlargeAshford & Simpson - Count Your Blessings
Click To EnlargeAshford & Simpson

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