Valerie Simpson

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 songwriting/production team, as well as being recording artists in their own right.

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 songwriting/production team, as well as being recording artists in their own right. 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".