The husband-and-wife team of composers and authored some of 's finest songs, including the classic duets of and , before parlaying their success into an enduring performing career of their own. Born May 4, 1942, in Fairfield, South Carolina, was raised in Ypsilanti, Michigan (near the Willow Run manufacturing plant), and sang in the church choir as a youth; after dropping out of Eastern Michigan University, he relocated to Harlem and accepted a job as a busboy. In 1964, he met , then a music student at Chatham Square School, and they soon began collaborating on songs. They wrote for and recorded with a gospel group called the Followers and released a single ("I'll Find You") as Valerie & Nick; released solo singles on and ABC. In 1966, scored a hit with the duo's "Let's Go Get Stoned," and soon after they were signed to as staff writers and producers. In addition to the magnificent / duets "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing," and "You're All I Need to Get By," and also penned ' "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)," ' "Who's Gonna Take the Blame," ' "Destination: Anywhere," and 's "I Can't Give Back the Love I Feel for You." In 1971, also produced 's solo debut, ; a self-titled effort followed a year later, and in 1973, the couple recorded the duets collection Keep It Comin'. A move to Warner Bros. preceded 1973's ; the following year, and were married. The title track from 1977's was a Top 40 R&B hit and in 1979, they cracked the pop Top 40 with "Found a Cure." That same year, recorded their "I'm Every Woman"; the song topped the R&B chart and was later covered by for the soundtrack to her 1993 film The Bodyguard. and scored their biggest hit as performers with their 1985 R&B chart-topper "Solid," but when subsequent efforts failed to achieve similar success, the couple was dropped by Capitol following 1989's . As recording artists, they had amassed over 20 Top 40 R&B singles. Their final studio LP — Been Found, a collaboration with — did not appear until 1996, but they continued to perform throughout the 2000s. passed away of complications from throat cancer on August 22, 2011. ~ Jason Ankeny

Nickolas Ashford

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