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News: Nick Ashford Rip


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Guest Dr Bob Jones

Nick Ashford of Ashford and Simpson were such a massive influence on me when collecting

Black Music in the 60s & 70s. 'It Seems To Hang On' - pure class!

R.I.P and condolences to his family and friends

Dr Bob Jones

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A great loss of a major songwriting talent who along with his "old lady" Valerie Simpson, wrote some fantastic tunes.

It would be interesting if we could compile a list of their compositions.

I'll start with "Aint no Mountain High enough" and the brilliant "Top of the Stairs"

By the way, did A&S ever record Top of the Stairs? (I'm presuming that they weren't Collins and Collins, something I've always wondered about !)

Andy

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A great loss, 70 is no age. He had throat cancer I believe, my dad died from that last year....the poor man, he must have really suffered.

The weird thing is I was cleaning out the record room just yesterday and I came across a picture sleeve of "Solid" that I bought as a child-complete with my name in biro on the label... :) They don't make em like Nick anymore,never again will anybody produce such genius as ANMHE.

R.I.P Nick.

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Just having done a quick search on my iTunes library, I hadn't realised that Val & Nick wrote:

Ain't That Good Enough - John Edwards / Garland Green

You Better Be Good - Peggy Woods

Mr Creator - The Apollas

Love Woke Me Up - Loleata Holloway

Edited by daved
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Just having done a quick search on my iTunes library, I hadn't realised that Val & Nick wrote:

Ain't That Good Enough - John Edwards / Garland Green

You Better Be Good - Peggy Woods

Mr Creator - The Appollas

Love Woke Me Up - Loleata Holloway

I believe he also wrote & released " When I Feel The Need" on Verve. Great version.

RIP Nick Ashford

Edited by donkit
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There are no words. Not only did I learn from them, their songs were the background music to the best times of my life. Two of the coolest people you would ever want to meet and Ashford was the definition of 'cool'. I had no idea that Ashford was ill. What a shock. My condolences to Valerie and the family.

Lorraine Chandler

Edited by lorchand
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Guest Polyvelts

One of the greatest of the great !

How many incredible and beautiful songs he and Valerie wrote that brought nothing but joy to millions of people.

The music will Live On forever Nick !!!!

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The man's talent will be sadly missed by us all in our world.

His contribution was enormous in his writing and co-writing abilities. The guy pretty much stands head and shoulder's above all with his prolific output of consistantly amazing tunes he was involved in.

People with talent like this are just not around anymore. A huge loss to not just us but the world.

Sleep well Nick.

Eddie

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Sad to hear about Nick Ashford.

Ashford & Simpson were great composers, very innovative (at the time) with their beautiful and intricate melodies.

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Guest mrs norman maine

What a sad week for music. First Jerry Leiber, now Nick Ashford.

He and Valerie wrote some of the best songs of all time. And by all accounts, he was a lovely man, which isn't always the case with such great talent .

Their daughter Asia just tweeted a picture of the plaque on the NYC bench where Nick slept when he first arrived and was homeless, which made me shed a few tears.

Condolences to Valerie, his daughters, family and friends.

So thankful that we will always have his music.

RIP

Wendy xx

Edited by mrs norman maine
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Guest oldsoulgit

Very sad news, not only are Nick & Valerie great song writers, they are

great singers as well, R.I.P. Nick Ashford, my mate Glenn Hunter will

be bothering you for an autograph, cheers Jim.

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Gutted, I loved this duo as many people will remember me boring them over the years with this, featured on front page of my one off fanzine back in 84. He was probably not as prominent as Valerie but boy could he sing. Their concert at Birmingham a couple of years back was as good as any I have seen, Nick was as good as I have heard vocally and together they were perfections.

Just gutted, RIP beautiful man

Edited by jocko
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Just sorting a few boxes of 45s in the loft, came across at least 20 Ashford + Simpson compositions, I thanked Nick for each one, I hope everyone on here who is DJ'ing this weekend includes a A+S track, I know I will play one at Wakefield on Sunday.

RIP

BH

Edited by BLAKE H
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A private memorial service for Nick Ashford has now been rescheduled for Monday but may be postponed again due to the hurricane.

A mutual friend told me that Valerie is obviously devastated by Nick's death but is getting a lot of support from her friends.

And it was Valerie's birthday yesterday.

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August Bank Holiday 28/08/11 - ORIGINAL MASTERCUTS Ashford & Simpson Special Tribute Show!

Following the sad news of Nicholas Ashford’s passing away last week, we’re doing an ORIGINAL MASTERCUTS Ashford & Simpson bank holiday special which will feature two hours of wonderful music from the last 4 decades, all of which involved Nick Ashford & Valerie Simpson in different capacities, whether as solo and duet artists or writers, producers and arrangers. It’s a breath-taking look at a pair of careers that stretched from the mid 60’s to February 2011. The fact that Val Simpson met Nick Ashford on a park bench when he was down and out in New York simply adds to the mythology of two of the greatest songwriters of all time.

I had the pleasure working with Val & Nick in the early 80’s when I promoted “Solid” for Capitol/EMI and watched it become a smash in the UK. I hooked up with them again in 2007 when I interviewed them before their last UK gig at the Luxury Soul Weekender in Birmingham and, as always, it was a pleasure. Val was very prim and proper, sat very gracefully and formally in a table chair and allowed me to commence the interview. Nick was sprawled out on the sofa with legs akimbo and a huge grin on his face. He laughed like a hyena throughout the interview, especially when I asked Val what inspired the lyrics to “Let’s Go Get Stoned”, their first bona fide hit with Ray Charles. I’m trying to dig the interview out because it was great so I’ll post up when I get my hands on it! RIP Nick!

Anyway, this show will be a perfect soundtrack to a bank holiday weekend, so if you’re around then try and join me and the rest of the gang this Sunday afternoon LIVE for 2 hours of pure Soul pleasure!

Six Million Steps Presents The Original Mastercuts Show LIVE with Ian Dewhirst between 2.00-4.00pm on Sunday 28th August 2011 on everyone’s favourite Soul station www.starpointradio.com.

Featuring……

Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell * Diana Ross * Ashford & Simpson * Terry Lavell * The Braxtons * Ashford & Simpson * Marlena Shaw * Garland Green * Valerie & Nick * Marvin Gaye * The Marvelettes * The Four Tops * Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell * Collins & Collins * Ace Spectrum * Teddy Pendergrass * Valerie Simpson * Diana Ross * 6th Borough Project * Ashford & Simpson

Ian D :D

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