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Next up, we will cover the story and music of prolific songwriting duo, Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. Extremely talented performers and producers in their own right, these two wrote many of the most well-known compositions in the Detroit/Motown songbook. Most of these songs were made famous by other lead artists, such as the eternally famous songs sung by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell: “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and “You’re All I Need To Get By.” Their compositional catalogue includes hits for Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Teddy Pendergrass, Ray Charles, and even contributions to The Wiz soundtrack. Throughout the lecture we will discuss and perform a selection of the songs that have become staples of Black life and monuments of the Motown sound but aren’t often associated with Ashford and Simpson by the public.
