Before they ever became recording artists in their own right, Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson were renowned as songwriters. Their breakthrough was "Let's Go Get Stoned," a hit for Ray Charles in 1966, but they gained their greatest claim to fame as architects of Motown's late 60's sound. They wrote and produced a number of classics - "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "You're All I Need To Get By," "Reach Out And Touch Somebody's Hand," and "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing" foremost among them. Later, they penned Chaka Kahn's smash, "I'm Every Woman." At this late date, it's a no-brainer to say that their importance as songwriters far eclipses their prominence as performers. (For their early songs, see Ace Records' The Real Thing: The Songs of Ashford, Simpson, and Armstead. For their famous Motown hits, see The Composer Series: Greatest Songs Written By Ashford And Simpson.)

Still, with their own records (released on Warner Brothers and Capitol from 1973 to 1989), Ashford & Simpson charted up a number of memorable songs, becoming one of the most productive R&B hitmakers in history. Unfortunately, they also helped mold the smooth, refined "quiet storm" sound that almost smothered rhythm & blues music in the 80's and still plagues it to this day.

To some extent, however, you can't hold that against them. With the ecstatic disco of "Found A Cure" (1979) or the burnished gospel of "Solid" (1984), Ashford & Simpson also injected old-time soul into a modern genre where it was sorely needed. And, that's hardly a bad thing. Sure, this is easy-going, slick stuff, but, well, I like it.

To date, several retrospective albums have been released. The earliest, Capitol Gold: The Best Of Ashford & Simpson (1993) picks up a couple of key Warner Brothers tracks along with all the Capitol hits - probably the best value for most fans. Conversely, Rhino's Very Best Of Ashford & Simpson (2002) focuses on the duo's stronger artistic period (the Warner Brother albums) while cherry-picking two big Capitol singles. But, that means it skips some choice later tracks, especially the duo's cautionary tale of upward mobility, "High Rise." Really, either one is a good choice, but, sadly, neither is sufficient. Adding yet another angle to the story, Rhino's 2-CD set The Warner Bros. Years: Hits, Remixes & Rarities (2008) is valuable mainly for its 12-inch disco mixes, including seven glorious minutes of "Found A Cure."

Finally, be aware that Valerie Simpson conducted a brief solo career for Motown during the early 1970's, releasing just two albums, both marginally popular - Exposed (1971) and Valerie Simpson (1972). Her debut included several songs already recorded by other Motown artists, and one particular highlight, the spirited gospel-funk workout "Sinner Man," earned a Grammy nomination. Simpson's vocals are excellent throughout both records, and the material and arrangements are inventive. But, neither album ever really catches fire - oddly, not even on singles like "Back To Nowhere" (1971) and "Silly Wasn't I" (#63 pop, 1972). Regardless, the entire contents of both LP's can be found on The Collection (2004), an imported CD. [top of page]