RIP Nick Ashford

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/nick-ashford-of-motown-songwriting-team-ashford-and-simpson-dies-at-age-70-had-throat-cancer/2011/08/22/gIQATJ0TXJ_story.html

NEW YORK — Nick Ashford, one-half of the legendary Motown songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson that penned elegant, soulful classics for the likes of Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye and funk hits for Chaka Khan and others, died Monday at age 70, his former publicist said.

Ashford, who along with wife Valerie Simpson wrote some of Motown’s biggest hits, died in a New York City hospital, said Liz Rosenberg, who also was Ashford’s longtime friend. He had been suffering from throat cancer and had undergone radiation treatment, she said.

Ashford’s longtime friend and former publicist told The Associated Press that Ashford died Monday, Aug. 22, 2011 in a New York City hospital. He had been suffering from throat cancer and had undergone radiation treatment.

Though they had some of their greatest success at Motown with classics like “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Reach Out And Touch Somebody’s Hand” by Ross and “You’re All I Need To Get By” by Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Ashford & Simpson also created classics for others, like the anthem “I’m Every Woman” by Khan (and later remade by Whitney Houston).

They also had success writing for themselves: Perhaps the biggest known hit sung by them was the 1980s hit “Solid As A Rock.”

Ashford and Simpson’s relationship stretched more than four decades. They met in 1964 in a New York City church; Ashford, a South Carolina native, had come to the city to pursue a dance career. Simpson was a music student, and after connecting with her, they decided to start to write songs together.

Their first major success occurred when they came up with “Let’s Go Get Stoned” for Ray Charles. That song became a huge hit, and soon, they came to the attention of Motown Records and began penning hits for their artists. The started out writing for Gaye and Terrell; in fact, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” was originally their hit, until Ross later rerecorded it and made it her signature song.

The duo, who were married for 38 years, helped sell millions of records for several artists. They also had success as their own entity, but despite “Solid As a Rock,” their hits dwarfed those that they penned for others.

In recent years, the pair continued to perform. They also were owners of the New York City restaurant Sugar Bar, where many top names and emerging talents would put on showcases.

Ashford is survived by his wife and two daughters.

:-(

ashford & simpson were fabulous.

Even if they'd never written one more thing, this alone is enough to make Ashford & Simpson all-time fucking classic!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZNbfKibFLE

one of the greatest who ever lived and a huge loss to music. his fearlessness about being into his marriage inspired me immensely in my life, I have to say - seeing A&S working the daytime tv rounds about the time of "Solid" was just kind of beautiful. their harmonies were so gorgeous.

Stop dying, awesome people!

The Womack & Womack of married R&B artsong. RIP.

Honestly feeling this more than Leiber's passing, nothing against Jerry and his marvelous songs. But those were from an earlier time where there could always be new Ashford and Simpson songs on the radio, even on upstate New York radio, and the songs they wrote, hot damn.

Somehow I remember the two of them welcoming Terry Pendergrass on stage at Live Aid, arms raised in salute as the crowd stood and cheered. It was so very right.

:(

This is the most luxe, elegant disco song of all time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhmGP6mj6Qs

Jesus. :(

Not a good day for legendary songwriting duos.

i would pay 99 cents on itunes for a duet between valerie simpson and mike stoller.

Sad news. They wrote such great melodies

:(

^

I don't begrudge anybody else their RIP thread but I have to say that Ashford's contributions to pop music tower over all but a handful of people's. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough?" "I'm Every Woman?" Every song on Diana Ross's The Boss? Come on, now.

aero, ned and alfred took the words out of my mouth. from their motown days thru "solid" they were dependably brilliant.

in the 90s they opened a restaurant on manhattan's upper west side. i pass by frequently and am always reminded of their music and their enduring partnership. today w/a sad step. RIP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1Jia37mT5U

fuck, not a good day for pop giants

RIP

RIP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yKFlgg8WiM

:(

http://www.soulandfunkmusic.com/content/view/406/1/

an old interview with them.

I must confess to not having read the Divided Soul book by David Ritz on Marvin Gaye. Does it offer details on Ashford and Simpson's efforts at Motown? In an online excerpt from the Standing in the Shadows book on Motown bassist James Jamerson there's a reference to Valerie Simpson's sophisticated musical knowledge at work in Motown sessions. Reading the Rolling Stone Lieber & Stoller interviews where they talk about their songwriting style has me wondering if similar interviews were done with Ashford & Simpson and are available online. Will have to google this tonight unless others already have.

Don't remember any mention of them in Divided Soul

I saw a mention in some obits that in a book by Tammy Terrell's sister, that Valerie Ashford denied the claim that she in fact sang for Tammy on the final Marvin and Tammy sessions (supposedly Marvin claimed this was done to help Tammy's family with bills at the time that Tammy was dying from a brain tumor. Valerie says Tammy sung).

"Bourgie Bourgie" is my jam

For "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" alone this guy deserves a special place in heaven. "Your Precious Love" and "I'm Every Woman" aren't too far behind. Two titans in one day - damn.

http://www.soulmusic.com/assi19in.html

1973 interview

Turns out they ARE mentioned in Divided Soul, mainly by a whispering conspiratorial Marvin giving a blindfold test to co-writer David and asking him who he thinks sung on the third album.