Nickalos Ashford, one of Motown’s greatest songwriters and also half of duo Ashford & Simpson, has died at the age of 70. He was suffering from throat cancer.
Ashford, with his wife Valerie Simpson, wrote the hits ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’, ‘Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing’ and ‘I’m Every Woman’.
People who recorded his songs include Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Teddy Pendergrast, Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan.
Ashford & Simpson also had their own global hit with ‘Solid (As A Rock)’.
The news of Ashford’s death breaks at the same time we heard about the death of rock and roll songwriting legend Jerry Leiber who wrote ‘Jailhouse Rock’ for Elvis Presley.
Nick Ashford is survived by wife Valerie and daughters Nicole and Asia.
