Nickolas Ashford (born May 4, 1942, in Fairfield, South Carolina) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946 in The Bronx, New York) are a successful husband and wife songwriting/production team, as well as being recording artists in their own right.
History They started their career in the 1960s, writing for artists such as Ray Charles. Joining the Motown staff in 1967, they wrote and/or produced all of the late 1960s duets for Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, including hits such as "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "Your Precious Love", and "You're All I Need to Get By". Other Motown artists who worked with Ashford & Simpson included Diana Ross, The Supremes, and The Four Tops.
Ashford & Simpson left Motown in the early 1970s, and, after getting married, went on to become an independent writing/production team. They have also released albums and singles of their own, including the 1984 hit "Solid".
Ashford's only acting role was in New Jack City (1991), where he portrayed Reverend Oates, an ordained minister who is part of Nino Brown's entourage.
Since 1996, Ashford & Simpson have owned the restaurant and live entertainment venue Sugar Bar in New York City, which has an open mic on Thursday nights where performers have included Queen Latifah and Felicia Collins.
Discography Keep It Comin' (1973, Motown) Gimme Something Real (1973, Warner Bros.) I Wanna Be Selfish (1974, Warner Bros.) Come as You Are (1976, Warner Bros.) So So Satisfied (1977, Warner Bros.) Send It (1977, Warner Bros.) Is It Still Good to Ya (1978, Warner Bros.) Stay Free (1979, Warner Bros.) A Musical Affair (1980, Warner Bros.) Performance (1981, Warner Bros.) Street Opera (1982, Capitol) High-Rise (1983, Capitol) Solid (1984, Capitol) Real Love (1986, Capitol) Solid Plus Seven (1987, Capitol) Love or Physical (1989, Capitol) Been Found (1996, Hopsack & Silk)