Nickolas Ashford (born May 4, 1942 in Fairfield, SC - August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946 in Bronx, NY) were a husband and wife songwriting/production team and recording artists. Their best-known songs include "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)". As performers, their best-known song is "Solid" (1984 US and 1985 UK). Ashford and Simpson met at Harlem's White Rock Baptist Church in 1963. ...show more

Nickolas Ashford (born May 4, 1942 in Fairfield, SC - August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946 in Bronx, NY) were a husband and wife songwriting/production team and recording artists. Their best-known songs include "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)". As performers, their best-known song is "Solid" (1984 US and 1985 UK). Ashford and Simpson met at Harlem's White Rock Baptist Church in 1963.

After having recorded unsuccessfully as a duo, they joined aspiring solo artist and former member of the Ikettes, Josie Jo Armstead, at the Scepter/Wand label where their compositions were recorded by Ronnie Milsap ("Never Had It So Good"), Maxine Brown ("One Step At A Time"), as well as The Shirelles and Chuck Jackson. Another of the trio's songs "Let's Go Get Stoned" gave Ray Charles a number one U.S. R&B hit in 1966. That same year Ashford & Simpson joined Motown 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)".

As performers, Ashford and Simpson's best-known song is "Solid" (1984 US and 1985 UK). The duo was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002.. ...show less