Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting-production team and recording duo of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946). Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carolina, and Simpson in the

Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. Afterwards, his family relocated to

Ypsilanti, Michigan Ypsilanti (), commonly shortened to Ypsi, is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 20,648. The city is bounded to the north by Superior Township and on the west, south, an ...

, where he became a member of Christ Temple Baptist Church. While there, he sang with a group called the Hammond Singers (named after the founding minister, James Hammond). Later, Nickolas attended and graduated from Willow Run High School in

, before pursuing his professional career, where he would ultimately meet his wife, Valerie. They met at

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Ha ...

's White Rock Baptist Church in 1964. After having recorded unsuccessfully as a duo, they joined an aspiring solo artist and former member of the

Ikettes The Ikettes, originally The Artettes, were a trio (sometimes quartet) of female backing vocalists for the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Despite their origins, the Ikettes became successful artists in their own right. In the 1960s they had hits such as ...

, Joshie Jo Armstead, at the Scepter/Wand label, where their compositions were recorded by

Ronnie Milsap Ronnie Lee Milsap (born Ronald Lee Millsaps; January 16, 1943) is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country music's most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s. Nearly completely blind from birth, ...

("Never Had It So Good"), Maxine Brown ("One Step at a Time"), as well as the Shirelles, the Guess Who, and Chuck Jackson. Another of the trio's songs, " Let's Go Get Stoned," gave

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

a number one U.S. R&B hit in 1966. That same year, Ashford & Simpson joined

Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...

, where their best-known songs included " Ain't No Mountain High Enough," " You're All I Need to Get By," " Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing," and " Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)." Ashford and Simpson wrote many other hit songs, including

Chaka Khan Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known by her stage name Chaka Khan (), is an American singer. Her career has spanned more than five decades, beginning in the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the funk band Rufus. Known as the " Q ...

's " I'm Every Woman" (1978) and "Is It Still Good to Ya?", originally recorded by the duo in 1978 and covered by

Teddy Pendergrass Theodore DeReese Pendergrass (March 26, 1950 – January 13, 2010) was an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter. He was born in Kingstree, South Carolina. Pendergrass spent most of his life in the Philadelphia area, and initially rose to musi ...

in 1980. As performers, Ashford & Simpson's best-known duets are "

Solid Solid is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being liquid, gas, and plasma). The molecules in a solid are closely packed together and contain the least amount of kinetic energy. A solid is characterized by structur ...

" (1984) and " Found a Cure" (1979). The duo were inducted into the

Songwriters Hall of Fame The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work, represent, and maintain, the her ...

in 2002. They are also recipients of The Rhythm & Blues Foundation's Pioneer Award,

ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...

Founders Award, and the Grammy Trustee Award. ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' ranked them No. 19 on its list of the 20 Greatest Duos of All Time.

Career

Songwriters

The duo essentially had two careers: one as a successful writing and producing team and the other as singers and performers themselves. They started their career in the mid-1960s, writing for artists such as

the 5th Dimension The 5th Dimension is an American popular music vocal group, whose repertoire includes pop, R&B, soul, jazz, light opera, and Broadway. Formed as the Versatiles in late 1965, the group changed its name to "the 5th Dimension" by 1966. Betwe ...

(" California Soul"),

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in '' Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Wit ...

("Cry Like A Baby"), and

(" Let's Go Get Stoned"). Their work with Charles brought them to the attention of

chief

Berry Gordy Berry Gordy III (born November 28, 1929), known professionally as Berry Gordy Jr., is a retired American record executive, record producer, songwriter, film producer and television producer. He is best known as the founder of the Motown record l ...

. Upon joining the Motown staff in 1966, Ashford & Simpson were paired with the vocal duo

Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo ar ...

and Tammi Terrell, and they wrote and/or produced all but one of the late-1960s Gaye/Terrell singles, including hits such as the original version of " Ain't No Mountain High Enough", " Your Precious Love", " Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing", and " You're All I Need to Get By". According to Gaye in the book ''Divided Soul'', Simpson did most of the vocals on the last album he did with Terrell, '' Easy'', as a way for Terrell's family to have additional income, as she was battling an ultimately fatal brain tumor. Though Louvain Demps, singer of

the Andantes The Andantes were an American female session group for the Motown record label during the 1960s. Composed of Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps, the group sang background vocals on numerous Motown recordings, including songs by Ma ...

, has stated that she saw Terrell recording the album, and Simpson is quoted as saying, in a book written by Terrell's sister, Ludie Montgomery, what they saw was her singing the guide tracks for the album, which were later replaced by Tammi's own vocals. Ashford & Simpson wrote and produced almost all the songs on three 1970s albums for former Supreme

Diana Ross Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups ...

, including her first solo album ''

'' (" Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)") and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", ''

Surrender Surrender may refer to: * Surrender (law), the early relinquishment of a tenancy * Surrender (military), the relinquishment of territory, combatants, facilities, or armaments to another power Film and television * ''Surrender'' (1927 film), an ...

'' (" Remember Me"), and '' The Boss''. All three albums were critically acclaimed with ''

'', her 1970 album debut, and ''The Boss'' being certified platinum and "Surrender" certified gold. Other Motown artists whom Ashford & Simpson worked with include

Gladys Knight & the Pips Gladys Knight & the Pips were an American R&B, soul and funk family music group from Atlanta, Georgia, that remained active on the music charts and performing circuit for over three decades starting from the early 1950s. Starting out as simply ...

("Didn't You Know You'd Have to Cry Sometime", and after Motown they wrote and produced for this group "Landlord", "Bourgie, Bourgie", and "Taste of Bitter Love"),

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles The Miracles (also known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group that was the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records, and one of the most important and most influential groups ...

("Who's Gonna Take the Blame"), Syreeta Wright ("I Can't Give Back the Love I Feel for You"),

the Marvelettes The Marvelettes were an American girl group that achieved popularity in the early to mid-1960s. They consisted of schoolmates Gladys Horton, Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart (now Cowart Motley), and Georgia Dobbins, who wa ...

("Destination: Anywhere"), Martha Reeves & the Vandellas ("Tear It On Down"),

the Dynamic Superiors The Dynamic Superiors are an American, Motown group from Washington, D.C., United States. The group formed in 1963 with members Tony Washington (lead), George Spann (first tenor), George Peterback, Jr. (second tenor), Michael McCalpin (baritone), a ...

("Shoe, Shoe Shine"),

Blinky Williams Sondra "Blinky" Williams (born May 21, 1944) is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, probably best known for singing the female lead on the theme for the 1970s TV series, ''Good Times''. Early life Williams was born in Oakland, Californi ...

("I Wouldn't Change the Man He Is"), and

the Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successf ...

with the

Four Tops The Four Tops are an American vocal quartet from Detroit who helped to define the city's Motown sound of the 1960s. The group's repertoire has included soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, doo-wop, jazz, and show tunes. Founded as the ...

(original duets, plus the production of a hit cover of

Phil Spector Harvey Phillip Spector (born Harvey Philip Spector; December 26, 1939January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter, best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship in the 1960s, followed decades later by ...

's "River Deep-Mountain High"). Other artists with whom Ashford & Simpson had hits were

("Is It Still Good to Ya"), the Brothers Johnson ("Ride-O-Rocket"),

Stephanie Mills Stephanie Dorthea Mills (born March 22, 1957) is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to stardom as " Dorothy" in the original seven-time Tony Award winning Broadway run of the musical '' The Wiz'' from 1974 to 1979. The song "Home" from ...

("Keep Away Girls"),

, both on her own (" I'm Every Woman" and "

Clouds In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of miniature liquid drop (liquid), droplets, ice crystals, frozen crystals, or other particulates, particles suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. ...

"), and with Rufus ("Keep It Comin'" and " Ain't Nothin' But a Maybe").

Performers

Ashford & Simpson's career as recording artists began in the early 1960s as part of the gospel group the Followers, with whom they recorded the album ''Gospel Meeting'' (on Forum Circle), later issued as ''Meetin' The Followers'' (on

Roulette Records Roulette Records was an American record company and label founded in 1957 by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Kahl, with creative control given to producers and songwriters Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. Levy was appointed ...

). The LP contains their vocals and also four Ashford compositions. In 1964, they recorded "I'll Find You", as "Valerie & Nick". That was followed by several obscure singles recorded by Ashford on the Glover, Verve and ABC labels, such as "It Ain't Like That" (later recorded by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas), " California Soul", and " Dead End Kids", backed by his own version of " Let's Go Get Stoned". Simpson appeared (with Melba Moore) as part of the "

Blood, Sweat & Tears Blood, Sweat & Tears (also known as "BS&T") is a jazz rock music group founded in New York City in 1967, noted for a combination of brass with rock instrumentation. In addition to original music, the group has performed popular songs by Laura N ...

Soul Chorus" on the band's debut album '' Child Is Father to the Man'' in 1968. After concentrating on working with other artists, Simpson was the featured soloist on the songs " Bridge Over Troubled Water" and " What's Going On" on the

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...

albums ''Gula Matari'' in 1970, and its follow-up, ''Smackwater Jack''. Simpson subsequently recorded two solo LPs for

: ''Exposed'' in 1971, and, the following year, ''Valerie Simpson'', which included the single "Silly, Wasn't I", which was later sampled on

50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...

's " Best Friend" from the movie, ''

Get Rich or Die Tryin' ''Get Rich or Die Tryin'' is the debut studio album by American rapper 50 Cent. It was released on February 6, 2003, by Interscope Records, Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, Eminem's Shady Records, and 50 Cent's G-Unit Records. After signing ...

''. The song was also sampled by

9th Wonder Patrick Denard Douthit (born January 15, 1975),
better known as 9th Wonder, is a Murs (rapper), Murs's "Silly Girl" in the album, ''

Murray's Revenge ''Murray's Revenge'' is the second collaboration album from California rapper Murs (of Living Legends) and North Carolina producer 9th Wonder (formerly of Little Brother (band), Little Brother). Like their first collaboration '' Murs 3:16: The ...

''. Ashford & Simpson were featured singing selections from Simpson's solo albums on the PBS TV show '' Soul!'', hosted by Ellis Haizlip in 1971. In 1973, they left Motown after the albums Simpson recorded for the label received poor promotion, and the company refused to release an album of the duo recording a collection of their most famous songs for other artists. In 1974, Ashford and Simpson married after resuming their career as a duo, with the Warner Bros. album ''Gimme Something Real'' released in 1973, followed in 1974 by ''I Wanna Be Selfish''. In 1975, Simpson sang backing vocals on Paul Simon's number-one hit " 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover", and in 1976 they released ''Come As You Are''. 1977 saw the release of two albums – ''So So Satisfied'' and ''Send it''. This was followed by the hit singles "Send It", "Don't Cost You Nothin'" (1977), "It Seems To Hang On" (1978), "Is It Still Good To Ya" (1978), "Found a Cure" (1979), "Street Corner" (1982), and their biggest hit, "

", released in 1984. In 1978, they were featured as vocalists, along with

, on the hit single " Stuff Like That" from

' ''Sounds... And Stuff Like That'' album and contributed to the writing of the soundtrack to ''The Wiz''. The duo appeared as themselves in "Nocturne", a 1986 episode of the popular television series '' The Equalizer''. On his own, Ashford (along with Frank Wilson) produced the hit " I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", which Diana Ross & the Supremes recorded in collaboration with

the Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...

in 1968. He also appeared in the movie ''

New Jack City ''New Jack City'' is a 1991 American action crime film based upon an original story and written by Thomas Lee Wright and Barry Michael Cooper, and directed by Mario Van Peebles in his feature film directorial debut. Released in the United S ...

'' (1991), as Reverend Oates, an ordained minister who was part of Nino Brown's entourage. Simpson's brothers were in the record business as well:

Ray Simpson Ray Simpson (born January 15, 1954) is an American singer best known as a former lead singer and "Cop" of the disco super-group Village People, having been in that role for over 30 years. In August 1979, he replaced original lead singer, Victor ...

replaced Victor Willis in

the Village People ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

and their brother Jimmy Simpson produced the group GQ (which had big hits with "

Disco Nights (Rock-Freak) "Disco Nights (Rock-Freak)" is a song written by Emanuel LeBlanc, Herb Lane, Keith Crier and Paul Service and performed by American band GQ, from their 1979 debut studio album ''Disco Nights''. The song was produced by Larkin Arnold, Beau Ray and ...

" and "I Do Love You"), and was in great demand as a mixing engineer during the

disco Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric p ...

era.

Recent years and Ashford's death

In latter times, Ashford & Simpson recorded and toured sporadically, and in 1996, they opened a restaurant and live entertainment venue, Sugar Bar in New York City, with an

open mic An open mic or open mike (shortened from "open microphone") is a live show at a venue such as a coffeehouse, nightclub, comedy club, strip club, or pub, usually taking place at night, in which audience members may perform on stage whether t ...

on Thursday nights, where performers included

Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Que ...

Vickie Natale Vickie Lynn Natale (born December 20, 1985 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American singer, best known as a winner on CBS's version of the ''Star Search'' television program in 2003. A native of Brooklyn, New York, she grew up in a single-parent h ...

and

Felicia Collins Felicia Michele Collins (born April 10, 1964 in Jackson, Tennessee) is an American vocalist, guitarist and occasional percussionist. She is best known for her work on the CBS television program ''Late Show with David Letterman'', as part of the CBS ...

. Ashford & Simpson recorded the album ''Been Found'' with poet

Maya Angelou Maya Angelou ( ; born Marguerite Annie Johnson; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an American memoirist, popular poet, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and ...

in 1996. Around that time, they were also featured disc jockeys on New York radio station

WRKS WRKS (105.9 FM, "The Zone") is a radio station licensed to Pickens, Mississippi, although its studio is located in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Launched on July 2, 2009, the station's format is sports, with programming from ESPN Radio. WRKS is own ...

. On August 16, 2006, ''

Playbill Online ''Playbill'' is an American monthly magazine for theatergoers. Although there is a subscription issue available for home delivery, most copies of ''Playbill'' are printed for particular productions and distributed at the door as the show's pr ...

'' reported that they were writing the score for a musical based on E. Lynn Harris's novel '' Invisible Life''. In January 2007, they, along with

Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American-born Swiss retired singer and actress. Widely referred to as the " Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue before ...

, Mary J. Blige,

Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the w ...

Sidney Poitier Sidney Poitier ( ; February 20, 1927 – January 6, 2022) was an American actor, film director, and diplomat. In 1964, he was the first black actor and first Bahamian to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. He received two competitive ...

, director

Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...

, and comedian

Chris Rock Christopher Julius Rock (born February 7, 1965) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and filmmaker. Known for his work in comic film, television and stage, he has received multiple accolades, including three Grammy Awards for best come ...

accompanied

Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954), or simply Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', b ...

when she opened her Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. They were given writing credit on

Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues and jazz. A membe ...

's 2007 CD '' Back to Black'' for the single "

Tears Dry on Their Own "Tears Dry on Their Own" is a song by English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse from her second and final studio album, ''Back to Black'' (2006). It was released on 13 August 2007 as the album's fourth single. While the melody and lyrics are co ...

". The track is based on a

sample Sample or samples may refer to: Base meaning * Sample (statistics), a subset of a population – complete data set * Sample (signal), a digital discrete sample of a continuous analog signal * Sample (material), a specimen or small quantity of ...

of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's 1967 Motown hit "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". They had begun performing their act in small, intimate venues, such as Feinstein's at the Regency in New York and the Rrazz Room in San Francisco, and in January 2009, they released a CD and DVD of their live performances titled ''The Real Thing''. On June 22, 2009, they made a guest performance at a party at Tribeca Rooftop, New York, to celebrate Virgin Atlantic's birthday party. They also made their first appearance in Tokyo, Japan, in November 2009, and performed eight shows in four days at Blue Note Tokyo. At President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

's 2009 inauguration, Ashford and Simpson rewrote their song, "Solid", as "Solid as Barack". They dedicated it to him at his inaugural festivities. Ashford died in a New York City hospital on August 22, 2011, four days before Valerie Simpson's 65th birthday, of complications from throat cancer. His publicist, Liz Rosenberg, said that he had undergone

radiation therapy Radiation therapy or radiotherapy, often abbreviated RT, RTx, or XRT, is a therapy using ionizing radiation, generally provided as part of cancer treatment to control or kill malignant cells and normally delivered by a linear accelerator. Rad ...

to treat his illness. Simpson released a new solo album in June 2012, called ''Dinosaurs Are Coming Back Again'', which also features the last recorded performance of Nina Simone, a second duet with

Roberta Flack Roberta Cleopatra Flack (born February 10, 1937) is a retired American singer. She topped the ''Billboard'' charts with the No. 1 singles " The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", " Killing Me Softly with His Song", " Feel Like Makin' Love", " W ...

and an instrumental version of " Ain't No Mountain High Enough". In 2014, Simpson made a guest appearance on the title track to

Kindred the Family Soul Kindred the Family Soul, also referred to as simply Kindred, is an American neo soul duo consisting of married couple Fatin Dantzler (born in 1973 in Camden, New Jersey) and Aja Graydon (born September 25, 1978 in Los Angeles, California). Signed ...

's album ''A Couple Friends''. In May 2014, Simpson was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...

Personal life

Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson had two daughters, Nicole (born in 1975), and Asia (born in 1987). Nicole graduated from

Wesleyan University Wesleyan University ( ) is a private liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut. Founded in 1831 as a men's college under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church and with the support of prominent residents of Middletown, the col ...

in 1997.

Awards and nominations

In 1969, Ashford and Simpson won three BMI Awards for the songs "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing," and "Your Precious Love." Ashford and Simpson were inducted

in 2002. They were also recipients of The Rhythm & Blues Foundation's Pioneer Award in 1999, and

's highest honor, the Founders Award, which they received in 1996.

Grammy Awards

Ashford and Simpson were nominated for three Grammy Awards. In 2019, they received the Grammy Trustees Award. , - , 1985 , Ashford And Simpson , Best Video, Short Form , , - , 1986 , ''Solid'' , Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal , , - , 1987 , ''Real Love'' , Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal ,

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilation albums

*''The Best of Ashford & Simpson'' (1993, Capitol) *''Capitol Gold: The Best of Ashford & Simpson'' (1996, Capitol) *''The Gospel According to Ashford & Simpson: Count Your Blessings'' (1996, EMI) *''The Very Best of Ashford & Simpson'' (2002, Warner Bros./ Rhino) *''The Warner Bros. Years: Hits, Remixes & Rarities'' (2008, Rhino)

Singles

* Singles credited to Valerie & Nick * Ashford & Simpson and Khan sang uncredited co-lead vocals on "Stuff Like That"

Solo recordings

Valerie Simpson

Listed below are solo recordings made by Valerie Simpson.

=Albums

=Singles

Nick Ashford

Listed below are solo recordings made by Nick Ashford.

=Singles

= *1966: "I Don't Need No Doctor" *1967: "When I Feel the Need" *1968: "California Soul" *1970: "Dead End Kids"

Career

Songwriters

Performers

Recent years and Ashford's death

Personal life

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilation albums

Singles

Solo recordings

Valerie Simpson

=Albums

=Singles

Nick Ashford

=Singles

See also

References

External links