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. This performing and songwriting team met in the choir of Harlem's White Rock Baptist Church. After having recorded unsuccessfully as a duo, they joined another aspiring artist Jo "Joshie" 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. Ashford & Simpson then joined Holland/Dozier/Holland at Motown where their best-known songs included "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "You're All I Need To Get By", "Reach Out And Touch Somebody's Hand" and "Remember Me"

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