10 Reasons Why Ashford and Simpson Deserves Induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Welcome to the inaugural edition of my ‘10 Reasons Why’ series!!!
At the start of each month, I will select someone I feel should be strongly considered for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. You might remember I had the “Rock Hall Contenders” series years ago and, in many ways, this is an extension of that. But this will be more succinct and list-driven. I also have a Top 100 Rock Hall Prospects Project series (as an FYI, this will be updated in January) but I’m not bound to the names on that list. For the “10 Reasons Why” series, I’ll be looking at prospective Rock Hall candidates beyond the performers category. There’s plenty of worthy people to consider in the Early Influences, Ahmet Ertegun Award and Musical Excellence categories.
For the inaugural installment in this series, I’ll be focusing on a duo I feel is worthy of consideration in the Musical Excellence category. According to the Rock Hall’s official site, “The Award for Musical Excellence shall be given to artists, musicians, songwriters and producers whose originality and influence creating music have had a dramatic impact on music.” One of the most deserving and overlooked prospects in this category is the great songwriting and producing team of Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, better known as Ashford and Simpson.
They are one of pop and R&B’s most successful duos who wrote so many classic songs. As this piece will demonstrate, the number of hit songs they’ve written is staggering for someone not to be in the Rock Hall already. Ashford and Simpson are barely in the conversation and that seriously stumps me. The Rock Hall used to love inducting anyone associated with Motown and Ashford and Simpson wrote some of the label’s most enduring songs. But even after they left Motown in the early 70s, they remained a major force in the music industry. Just for maintaining a high level of success and creativity for decades, they are worthy of induction into the Rock Hall.
10 reasons why they deserve induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame:
1. They complemented each other’s talents perfectly.
A publicity photo of Ashford and Simpson, circa late 1970s.
Nickolas Ashford originally came to New York City to pursue a dance and music career, much to his parents’ dismay, in 1964. But music always played an important role in Ashford’s life. He often sang in church choirs and was so good, in fact, that he was a member of The Hammond Singers (named after the famous minister James Hammond). Even after moving to New York, Ashford found solace in religion and began attending a church in Harlem. It was there he met his future wife and musical partner Valerie Simpson. When they first met, Simpson just graduated high school and also aspired for a career in music. Talented even in her teenaged years, she played piano and sang in the church’s choir. The two met and they immediately hit it off…platonically, at least at first. More on that later.
Although they were both firmly rooted in the church (they initially wrote and performed gospel songs), they also had a love for secular music and began writing pop songs as a hobby. They both decided to collaborate and it was a perfect situation. Ashford wrote the lyrics while Simpsons composed and arranged the songs. It also helped they both could sing incredibly well. They complemented each other’s talents, and it was a match made in heaven. When they showed their friends and family members their initial songs, everyone was impressed. It was so good, in fact, they took it to record labels and almost immediately got full-time gigs at Scepter Records. Even in their young age, Ashford and Simpson demonstrated a mastery of songwriting that were lightyears ahead of their respective ages.
2. They wrote songs for major artists throughout the 1960s.
A 45 of the single “Let’s Go Get Stoned” (1966), performed by the great Ray Charles and co-written by Ashford and Simpson. The duo’s other songwriting partner at the time Jo Armstead is also credited.
After they began working as full-time songwriters at Scepter, their songs were getting pitched to some of the biggest stars of the 1960s. Their first major success was “Let’s Go Get Stoned,” originally released by The Coasters and later recorded by Ronnie Millsap. But when Ray Charles recorded the song in 1966, he made it a #1 hit on the R&B charts. They followed that up with another hit “I Don’t Need No Doctor” later that same year. Not too bad to have “The Genius” kickstart your songwriting career!
Besides Charles, Ashford and Simpson also wrote songs for Aretha Franklin (“Cry Like a Baby”), The Shirelles (“Look Away”), Betty Everett (“The Real Thing”), The Guess Who (“Hey Ho, What You Do to Me”), Ronnie Milsap (“Never Had It So Good”) and The Messengers (“California Sun”; later a hit for The 5th Dimension).
3. They wrote some of Motown’s most famous songs.
A 45 of the classic Motown single “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (1967) performed by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. Written by Ashford and Simpson.
Thanks in large part to the success of “Let’s Go Get Stoned,” Ashford and Simpson got the attention of Motown, and the label immediately signed them to their roster of songwriters. They had a 7-year contract with Motown but they didn’t hit it big just yet. With competition ever so fierce, they had to prove their worth on the label and did they ever! At once, Ashford and Simpson’s songs were instantly accessible and catchy but also highly sophisticated and tender. Their songs were about the power of love and the lengths one will go to show their partner how much they care for them. These songs’ arrangements sound so lavish that it’d make anyone smile. Like the songs written by Motown’s greatest songwriters (e.g., Holland-Dozier-Holland, Smokey Robinson and Norman Whitfield), Ashford and Simpson’s songs are simply timeless. These songs became the soundtrack of an entire generation and so many others that followed cherish them to this very day.
Ashford and Simpson’s first major success on Motown was “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” eloquently performed by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. Ashford and Simpson wrote the song before coming to Motown and Dusty Springfield, another icon of the 60s music scene, wanted to record the song. They refused and it gave the songwriting duo their first major hit on Motown. Widely considered one of the greatest vocal duets of all time, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. Heck, it was featured in the blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and appeared on its soundtrack!
Ashford and Simpson followed that up with “Your Precious Love” (#5 Pop, #2 R&B), “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing” (#8 Pop, #1 R&B) and “You’re All I Need to Get By” (#7 Pop, #1 R&B). This doesn’t even scratch the surface as they wrote nearly a dozen other great duets for Gaye and Terrell. These are some of the greatest and most beautiful songs ever written.
Besides penning iconic songs for Gaye and Terrell, Ashford and Simpson also wrote songs for Diana Ross & The Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas and The Marvelettes. And these are some of Motown’s greatest legends!
Just for their songwriting credits on the songs listed above, Ashford and Simpson should’ve been inducted into the Rock Hall at least a decade ago. It’s bewildering to think they didn’t get selected when the Hall inducted many of the great 50s and 60s songwriters at the 2010 ceremony.
4. They worked closely with Diana Ross in the early stages of her solo career.
Ashford and Simpson with Diana Ross.
When Diana Ross left The Supremes and embarked on a solo career, she needed some help from her friends at Motown. Ashford and Simpson worked closely Ross on her self-titled 1970 debut album. Not only did they produce her album, they wrote all but one song (a cover of The Velvelettes’ minor hit “These Things Will Keep Me Loving You”). Almost all the songs were recycled songs from Ashford and Simpson’s catalog of terrific songs, and it was their responsibility to turn Ross into a solo superstar. And just think…Berry Gordy was so confident in Ashford and Simpson’s abilities that he allowed them to work with his biggest star. No pressure at all! And this was a sink-or-swim moment for Ross as some doubted, she could maintain her popularity without The Supremes.
Of the songs they recorded together, the standout track was a cover of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” a brilliantly reimagined version of their 1967 hit. Despite Gordy not liking the song when he first heard it (remember…he also didn’t like Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and “What’s Going On” the time he heard them…), it became a massive success and earned Ross her first solo number hit. Although the album version clocks in at over 6 minutes, Ashford and Simpson sent a 3-minute cut to radio stations and ensured it would receive amble airplay. Ross’ version remains one of Motown’s hypnotic and grandiose songs.
Ashford and Simpson were largely responsible for Ross’ solo career taking off so strongly and they continued to collaborate with her over the years. From Ross’ 1970 debut album, the song “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” became a top-20 pop hit and remains one of Ross’ most notable songs. They followed that success with yet another hit album: 1971’s Surrender. The title track and “Remember Me” are terrific songs that underrated gems. When Ross fully embraced disco by the end of the decade, Ashford and Simpson produced her 1979 studio album The Boss. And, once again, they wrote every track on that album. The title track remains a disco classic!
And lastly…they worked with Quincy Jones on The Wiz soundtrack and wrote the songs “Is This What Feeling Gets?” and “Can I Go On?” which were both sung by Ross. This was a big movie at the time and is a popular cult classic today.
And on a related topic…when are we also getting a solo induction for Ross??? That’s a story for another day…
5. They embarked on a successful career as performers.
Ashford and Simpson on the cover of Jet magazine in 1979.
Despite all their success at Motown, it was an insanely competitive place to work. To put it another way…you’re only as good as your last song or album. The hits dried up at Motown and they left the label in 1973. The reasoning was two-fold. First, the albums they served as producers and writers weren’t getting nearly as much promotion as they did in prior years. And second, Motown didn’t seem too keen to let Ashford and Simpson have careers as performers. In fact, the duo wanted to record an album of their most famous songs and the label refused. Well, that’s okay because they signed to Warner Records that same year.
At around this time, their nearly decade-old professional partnership blossomed into a romantic relationship. In an interview with the New York Times in 1985, they explained how this transpired and why becoming friends first worked for them in the long run. “We really got to know each other. You know how you try to appear so wonderful in a romance? Well, there was never any of that with us…We didn't have to play any games” says Simpson who found her soul mate on the dance floor of a Harlem nightclub in 1972. They got married two years later in 1974 and welcomed the birth of their first daughter the following the year. They were, of course, worried their marriage could affect their professional partnership but they truly loved and cared for one another. Their songs are mostly about love but it’s an authentic type of love that isn’t manufactured or phony. As mentioned in that the New York Times piece, they had their quarrels and disagreements…but what married couple doesn’t fight every once in a while! They were one of popular music’s few married couples who worked together and, more importantly, stayed together. They were a power couple who defied the odds and proved love conquers all.
They had several minor hits as performers for most of the 70s, but things didn’t pick up for them until 1978. Songs such “Don’t Cost You Nothing,” “It Seems to Hang On” and “Found a Cure” were all top-10 hits on the R&B charts. The last one was the duo’s first top-40 pop hit. More hits would follow but the duo reached the zenith of their popularity as performers with the 1984 album Solid. The title track reached #12 on the pop charts and became the duo’s signature song. The music video received constant rotation on MTV and ensured their popularity for the third straight decade. Not too many industry veterans can sustain a career for as long as they did.
6. They wrote “I’m Every Woman” and it quickly became one of the most iconic feminist anthems of all time.
A 45 of Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman” (1978) written by Ashford and Simpson.
Even while she was still a member of Rufus, Chaka Khan embarked on a solo career in 1978. Working with producer Arif Mardin, they recruited Ashford and Simpson to write a song for Khan. And because this duo is insanely talented, they wrote the song very quickly. According to Simpson in an interview with People, they sat around the piano, played a few chords and started jotting down lyrics. When Ashford wrote the line “I’m Every Woman,” they knew they had something special. It “just all came together” and they wrote and composed the song in a relatively quick fashion. Don’t cha wish you were that talented to write a song as good as “I’m Every Woman” with little-to-no effort? Just incredible.
The song became Khan’s first hit as a solo artist and became her signature song. Whitney Houston recorded the song for The Bodyguard soundtrack and took it all the way to #4 on the pop charts in 1993. She gave the song a second life and gained even further popularity thanks to its constant usage on The Oprah Winfrey Show that same year. “I’m Every Woman” remains one of the boldest statements of feminism in the history of pop music. It’s about as close to iconic as you can get, and we must thank Ashford and Simpson for gifting the world this classic.
7. They were responsible for one of the most memorable moments at Live Aid.
Ashford and Simpson bring special guest Teddy Pendergrass to the stage at Live Aid in 1985.
When Live Aid happened in the summer of 1985, this was at the zenith of Ashford and Simpson’s popularity as performers. They were just one of dozens of artists who performed at the iconic benefit concert that day. Ashford and Simpson performed at the JFK Stadium in Philadelphia (the second venue was Wembley Stadium in London). They performed two songs that night. First, they played their hit “Solid” which still a hit on both the radio and MTV at the time. And for their second and final song, they brought a very special guest to the stage: Teddy Pendergrass. This was Pendergrass’ first public appearance since his 1982 car crash which left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. Ashford and Simpson wrote the song “Is It Still Good to Ya?”, a top 20 R&B hit for them in 1978, which Pendergrass covered on his 1980 album TP (which might just be his best overall solo album). He joined them onstage for a rendition of their song “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand),” it quickly became one of the most heartfelt and emotional moments of the entire event. To say there wasn’t a dry eye that night would be an understatement. This performance gave Pendergrass the confidence to move forward with his recording career. And Ashford and Simpson helped make this moment happen.
8. Their music was foundational to the development of hip-hop.
Big Boi of Outkast meets Ashford and Simpson on the red carpet during an ASCAP event.
This might be an understated aspect of their legacy, but Ashford and Simpson’s music significantly impacted hip-hop over the years. MC Lyte’s breakout single “Lyte as a Rock” heavily samples “Solid” and it remains one of the greatest songs in hip-hop history. In 1995, the Ashford and Simpson-penned song “You’re All I Need to Get By” was remade by Wu Tang Clan’s Method Man and Mary J. Blige and served as the basis for their hit “I’ll Be There for You.” Ashford and Simpson’s music has been sampled by many famous hip-hop artists over the years including The Notorious B.I.G., Drake, Kanye West, Missy Elliott, DMX, 50 Cent and Childish Gambino. It’s just as another way to cement Ashford and Simpson’s legacy…as if it wasn’t solid already.
9. They’ve won numerous awards and honors.
Ashford and Simpson accepting their induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002.
Even though they have yet to receive induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Ashford and Simpson have won other major awards throughout their legendary career. In 1996, they received The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers’ (ASCAP) highest award, the Founders Award, for their achievements in songwriting. It’s so prestigious that they are one of only 55 recipients of the award. In 1999, they were presented with the Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation for their contributions to American R&B music (this was last awarded in 2008). In 2002, they were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and performed a rendition of their song “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” In 2019, they were presented with the Grammy Trustees Awards for their significant contributions to the music industry. And just last year, Simpson was inducted into Women Songwriters Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in Washington D.C.
And in case you’re wondering…yes, Ashford and Simpson have appeared at a Rock Hall ceremony. They inducted the late Marvin Gaye in 1987.
10. They remain one of rock and roll’s greatest duos.
Ashford and Simpson performing at a concert in 1990.
Nearly six decades after they first broke into the music industry, Ashford and Simpson remain one of the greatest duos in rock and roll history. In whatever role they served (as performers, songwriters or producers), they became successful at every stage of their career. In fact, they’re one of the few songwriters-turned-producers who became household names. Rolling Stone ranked Ashford and Simpson #19 on their 2015 list of the Greatest Duos of All Time.
Nickolas Ashford battled throat cancer and passed away at age 69 on August 22, 2011. The sheer amount of love and support for him after his death was overwhelming. Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire spoke of the duo’s importance: “[Their] music is unmatched in terms of great songwriting. They had magic, and that’s what creates those wonderful hits, that magic. Without those songs, those artists wouldn’t have been able to go to the next level.” That perfectly sums up the brilliance of Ashford and Simpson. They were truly a match made in heaven and we are forever grateful for all their outstanding contributions to popular music. They are one of the most deserving candidates for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame who have written so many classic songs that stood the test of time.
This concludes our first entry in the “10 Reasons Why” series. Thank you for reading this article and I hope you learned more about the incredible career and legacy of Ashford and Simpson. I’ll be discussing another worthy Rock Hall prospect next month.
Thoughts? Comments? Send me an email to continue the conservation!
