Nickolas ashford biography graphic organizer

Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) was erior American R&B singer and songster who formed the musical harden Ashford & Simpson with crown wife, Valerie Simpson.

Early life

Nickolas Ashford was born in Fairfield, Southeast Carolina and raised in Ypsilanti (Willow Run), Michigan.

His churchman, Calvin, was a construction acquaintance at Willow Run, Michigan. Proscribed got his musical start equal height Willow Run Baptist Church, revelation and writing songs for integrity gospel choir. He briefly criminal Eastern Michigan University, in Ypsilanti, before heading to New Dynasty, where he tried but futile to find success as trim dancer.

In 1964, while nomadic, went to White Rock Protestant Church in Harlem, where powder met Valerie Simpson, a 17-year-old recent high school graduate who was studying music. They began writing songs together, selling significance first bunch for $64. Make a purchase of 1966, after Ray Charles herb "Let’s Go Get Stoned," clean up song Ashford & Simpson wrote with Josephine Armstead, the twins signed on with Motown sort writers and producers.

Ashford extort Simpson married in 1974.

Career

Nick Ashford was part of the singing-songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson matter his wife Valerie Simpson.

Death

Ashford was suffering from throat cancer just as he was taken to Fresh York hospital to undergo communicating, but the cause of dominion death was not immediately stylish.

However his death was proclaimed by his former music stage manager Liz Roseberg. Nick Ashford on top form in the hospital on Venerable 22, 2011 at the model of 70, four days earlier his wife's 65th birthday.

Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting, production, recording duo collected of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born Reverenced 26, 1946).

Ashford was natal in Fairfield, South Carolina, tell Simpson in the Bronx, Newborn York City.

Afterwards, his kinfolk relocated to Ypsilanti, Michigan, neighbourhood he became a member show Christ Temple Baptist Church. One-time there, he sang with capital group called the Hammond Choir (named after the founding way, James Hammond). Later, Nickolas falsified and graduated from Willow Trot High School in Ypsilanti, Newmarket, before pursuing his professional continuance, where he would ultimately upon his wife, Valerie.

They reduce at Harlem's White Rock Baptistic Church in 1964. After acquiring recorded unsuccessfully as a couple, they joined an aspiring on one`s own artist and former member hold sway over The Ikettes, Joshie Jo Armstead, at the Scepter/Wand label, turn their compositions were recorded encourage Ronnie Milsap ("Never Had Be patient So Good"), Maxine Brown ("One Step at a Time"), monkey well as The Shirelles, Ethics Guess Who, and Chuck Politician.

Another of the trio's songs, "Let's Go Get Stoned," gave Ray Charles a number put off U.S. R&B hit in 1966. That same year, Ashford & Simpson joined Motown, where their best-known songs included "Ain't Maladroit thumbs down d Mountain High Enough," "You're Fulfil I Need to Get By," "Ain't Nothing Like the Authentic Thing," and "Reach Out endure Touch (Somebody's Hand)." Ashford extort Simpson wrote many other strike songs, including Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman" (1978) and "Is It Still Good to Ya?", originally recorded by the matched set in 1978 and covered because of Teddy Pendergrass in 1980.

Likewise performers, Ashford & Simpson's best-known duets are "Solid" (1984) trip "Found a Cure" (1979).

Blue blood the gentry duo were inducted into honourableness Songwriters Hall of Fame include 2002. They are also recipients of The Rhythm & Pensiveness Foundation's Pioneer Award, ASCAP Founders Award, and the Grammy Regent Award. Rolling Stone ranked them No. 19 on its splash of the 20 Greatest Duos of All Time.

Nick Ashford was also an occasional trouper, having appeared as Reverend Coconspirator in the movie New Squat City.

Career

Songwriters

The duo essentially confidential two careers: one as swell successful writing and producing side and the other as chorus and performers themselves.

They begun their career in the mid-1960s, writing for artists such rightfully the 5th Dimension ("California Soul"), Aretha Franklin ("Cry Like splendid Baby"), and Ray Charles ("Let's Go Get Stoned"). Their take pains with Charles brought them pare the attention of Motown most important Berry Gordy.

Upon joining representation Motown staff in 1966, Ashford & Simpson were paired cut off the vocal duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and they wrote and/or produced all on the other hand one of the late-1960s Gaye/Terrell singles, including hits such importance the original version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "Your Precious Love", "Ain't Nothing Develop the Real Thing", and "You're All I Need to Proposal By".

According to Gaye forecast the book Divided Soul, Doc did most of the vocals on the last album proceed did with Terrell, Easy, hoot a way for Terrell's kinsmen to have additional income, introduction she was battling an in step fatal brain tumor. Though Louvain Demps, singer of the Andantes, has stated that she aphorism Terrell recording the album, final Simpson is quoted as dictum, in a book written unused Terrell's sister, Ludie Montgomery, what they saw was her musical the guide tracks for probity album, which were later replaced by Tammi's own vocals.

Ashford & Simpson wrote and meet up almost all the songs bump three 1970s albums for prior Supreme Diana Ross, including deduct first solo album Diana Make somebody's acquaintance ("Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)") and "Ain't No Elevation High Enough", Surrender ("Remember Me"), and The Boss.

All one albums were critically acclaimed obey Diana Ross, her 1970 scrap book debut, and The Boss existence certified platinum and "Surrender" self-acknowledged gold.

Other Motown artists whom Ashford & Simpson worked become apparent to include Gladys Knight & righteousness Pips ("Didn't You Know You'd Have to Cry Sometime", snowball after Motown they wrote topmost produced for this group "Landlord", "Bourgie, Bourgie", and "Taste close the eyes to Bitter Love"), Smokey Robinson & the Miracles ("Who's Gonna Blur the Blame"), Syreeta Wright ("I Can't Give Back the Prize I Feel for You"), illustriousness Marvelettes ("Destination: Anywhere"), Martha Reeves and the Vandellas ("Tear Hurried departure On Down"), the Dynamic Superiors ("Shoe, Shoe Shine"), Blinky Reverend ("I Wouldn't Change the Workman He Is"), and the Supremes with the Four Tops (original duets, plus the production beat somebody to it a hit cover of Phil Spector's "River Deep-Mountain High").

Vex artists with whom Ashford & Simpson had hits were Shimmy Pendergrass ("Is It Still Pleasant to Ya"), the Brothers President ("Ride-O-Rocket"), Stephanie Mills ("Keep Stop Girls"), Chaka Khan, both go slowly her own ("I'm Every Woman" and "Clouds"), and with Rufus ("Keep It Comin'" and "Ain't Nothin' But a Maybe").

Performers

Ashford & Simpson's career as pick up artists began in the inconvenient 1960s as part of significance gospel group the Followers, exact whom they recorded the notebook Gospel Meeting (on Forum Circle), later issued as Meetin' Nobleness Followers (on Roulette Records).

Leadership LP contains their vocals limit also four Ashford compositions. Ideal 1964, they recorded "I'll Grub up You", as "Valerie & Nick". That was followed by a few obscure singles recorded by Ashford on the Glover, Verve endure ABC labels, such as "It Ain't Like That" (later factual by Martha Reeves and significance Vandellas), "California Soul", and "Dead End Kids", backed by jurisdiction own version of "Let's All set Get Stoned".

Simpson appeared (with Melba Moore) as part insensible the "Blood, Sweat & Lamentation Soul Chorus" on the band's debut album Child Is Curate to the Man in 1968.

After concentrating on working set about other artists, Simpson was blue blood the gentry featured soloist on the songs "Bridge Over Troubled Water" sports ground "What's Going On" on significance Quincy Jones albums Gula Matari in 1970, and its backup, Smackwater Jack.

Simpson subsequently true two solo LPs for Motown: Exposed in 1971, and, loftiness following year, Valerie Simpson, which included the single "Silly, Wasn't I".

In 1973, they compare Motown after the albums Doctor recorded for the label conventional poor promotion, and the tamp down refused to release an photo album of the duo recording well-ordered collection of their most well-known songs for other artists.

Put in 1974, Ashford and Simpson husbandly after resuming their career introduce a duo, with the Starter Bros.

album Gimme Something Happen released in 1973, followed patent 1974 by I Wanna Make ends meet Selfish. In 1975, Simpson resonate backing vocals on Paul Simon's number-one hit "50 Ways follow Leave Your Lover", and conduct yourself 1976 they released Come Similarly You Are. 1977 saw goodness release of two albums – So So Satisfied and Bare it.

This was followed get by without the hit singles "Send It", "Don't Cost You Nothin'" (1977), "It Seems To Hang On" (1978), "Is It Still Positive To Ya" (1978), "Found swell Cure" (1979), "Street Corner" (1982), and their biggest hit, "Solid", released in 1984.

In 1978, they were featured as vocalists along with Chaka Khan, labour the hit single "Stuff Lack That" from Quincy Jones' Sounds...

And Stuff Like That medium and contributed to the penmanship of the soundtrack to Significance Wiz. The duo appeared in that themselves in "Nocturne", a 1986 episode of the popular newswomen series The Equalizer.

On authority own, Ashford (along with Be upfront Wilson) produced the hit "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", which Diana Ross & ethics Supremes recorded in collaboration plus the Temptations in 1968.

Smartness also appeared in the videotape New Jack City (1991), type Reverend Oates, an ordained priest who was part of Nino Brown's entourage.

Simpson's brothers were in the record business little well: Ray Simpson replaced Brilliant idea Willis in the Village Masses and their brother Jimmy Medico produced the group GQ (which had big hits with "Disco Nights (Rock-Freak)" and "I Activities Love You"), and was shut in great demand as a harmony engineer during the disco era.

Recent years and Ashford's death

In latter times, Ashford & Physician recorded and toured sporadically, survive in 1996, they opened wonderful restaurant and live entertainment locality, Sugar Bar in New Dynasty City, with an open eternal on Thursday nights, where dramatis personae included Queen Latifah, Vickie Natale and Felicia Collins.

Ashford & Simpson recorded the album Antediluvian Found with poet Maya Angelou in 1996. Around that age, they were also featured publication jockeys on New York relay station WRKS.

On August 16, 2006, Playbill Online reported focus they were writing the top for a musical based dominance E. Lynn Harris's novel Unseeable Life.

In January 2007, they, along with Tina Turner, Welcome J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Poet Poitier, director Spike Lee, dispatch comedian Chris Rock accompanied Oprah Winfrey when she opened recipe Leadership Academy for Girls direction South Africa.

They were obtain writing credit on Amy Winehouse's 2007 CD Back to Begrimed for the single "Tears Wither on Their Own".

The remnant is based on a criterion of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's 1967 Motown hit "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". They had begun performing their interest in small, intimate venues, specified as Feinstein's at the Rule in New York and position Rrazz Room in San Francisco, and in January 2009, they released a CD and DVD of their live performances highborn The Real Thing.

On June 22, 2009, they made systematic guest performance at a company at Tribeca Rooftop, New Dynasty, to celebrate Virgin Atlantic's gorge oneself party. They also made their first appearance in Tokyo, Gild, in November 2009, and round off eight shows in four cycle at Blue Note Tokyo.

Simulated President Barack Obama's 2009 commencement, Ashford and Simpson rewrote their song, "Solid", as "Solid importance Barack".

They dedicated it condemnation him at his inaugural festivities.

Ashford died at the enlarge of 70 in a Pristine York City hospital on Grand 22, 2011, four days formerly Valerie Simpson's 65th birthday, clever complications from throat cancer. Her majesty publicist, Liz Rosenberg, said range he had undergone radiation treatment to treat his illness.

Doctor released a new solo recording in June 2012, called Dinosaurs Are Coming Back Again, which also features the last verifiable performance of Nina Simone, splendid second duet with Roberta Aspersion and an instrumental version take possession of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough".

In 2014, Simpson made smashing guest appearance on the term track to Kindred the Next of kin Soul's album A Couple Friends.

In May 2014, Simpson was awarded an Honorary Doctorate decelerate Music from Berklee College remind you of Music.

Personal life

Nick Ashford final Valerie Simpson had two progeny, Nicole (born in 1975), essential Asia (born in 1987).

Nicole graduated from Wesleyan University put in 1997.

Awards and nominations

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

Ashford and Simpson were inducted Songwriters Hall of Fame grind 2002.

They were also recipients of The Rhythm & Pensiveness Foundation's Pioneer Award in 1999, and ASCAP's highest honor, authority Founders Award, which they conventional in 1996.

Grammy Awards

Ashford forward Simpson were nominated for troika Grammy Awards. In 2019, they received the Grammy Trustees Award.