Nick Ashford has passed away at age 70. Ashford paired professionally with his wife, Valerie, to form Ashford & Simpson, a songwriting and performing Motown duo.
Ashford co-wrote many Motown hit singles with his wife, including “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing,” and “You’re All I Need To Get By.”
Over four decades, the duo produced and wrote songs for Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, and Gladys Knight & the Pips, among others. More recently, they were given writing credit on Amy Winehouse’s album Back to Black for the single “Tears Dry on Their Own.”
For all the songwriting credits, Ashford and Simpson will probably be best remembered for their own 1984 hit “Solid.”
