By now, you’ve likely heard of the passing of Nick Ashford, who died yesterday (8/22/11) at the age of 70 after losing his battle with throat cancer. Nick was one-half of the sensational, songwriting husband and wife team–Ashford & Simpson. Hailing from my maternal family’s hometown of Fairfield, SC (Winnsboro), Nick and his wife Valerie Simpson–a Bronx, NY-native–were responsible for penning a multitude of hits for Motown like The Great Ain’ts: “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” Some of their other hits include “You’re All I Need to Get By,”and “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand).”
Ashford & Simpson, who were married for nearly 40 years, worked with popular R&B artists like Teddy Pendergrass, The Brothers Johnson, Chaka Kahn and most recently, the late Amy Winehouse. The pair also enjoyed success in their own right as recording artists and were responsible for songs like “It Seems To Hang On,” “Is It Still Good to Ya,” “Street Corner,” and their smash hit, “Solid.”
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What a legacy Nick leaves behind– a loving wife, two daughters and a catalog full of songs that span and bond our generations. We will never forget Mr. Ashford!
Until Next Time,
-TL
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