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Ashford & Simpson
Paese d'origine	Stati Uniti
Genere	Rhythm and blues; Soul; Funk; Disco
Periodo di attività musicale	1964 – 2011
Etichetta	Motown Records, Warner Bros. Records, Capitol Records
	Modifica dati su Wikidata · Manuale

Ashford & Simpson sono stati un duo di cantautori, produttori discografici, compositori e parolieri statunitensi.

Carriera

Nickolas Ashford (4 maggio 1941 – 22 agosto 2011) originario della Carolina del Sud, e Valerie Simpson (26 agosto 1946), nata a New York, si sono incontrati nel 1964 e sono stati anche marito e moglie. Ashford è deceduto nel 2011 all'età di 70 anni.

Nickolas Ashford e Valerie Simpson erano produttori di canzoni. Hanno iniziato a scrivere e registrare insieme nel 1964 e due anni dopo hanno scritto la loro prima canzone di successo, Let's Go Get Stoned, registrata da Ray Charles. Hanno poi assunto posizioni di staff alla Motown, dove hanno scritto e prodotto successi per Marvin Gaye e Diana Ross. Durante il loro soggiorno alla Motown, Valerie pubblicò un paio di album da solista che fallirono, spingendo lei e Ashford a lasciare nel 1973. Da quel momento in poi, il duo si concentrò sulla realizzazione dei propri dischi, anche se scrissero il successo di Chaka Khan I'm Every Woman prima di ottenere finalmente il riconoscimento come artisti a pieno titolo. Hanno avuto due figlie: Nicole Ashford e Asia Ashford.

Hanno scritto brani come Ain't No Mountain High Enough, You're All I Need to Get By e Ain't Nothing like the Real Thing, interpretati in duo da Marvin Gaye e Tammi Terrell.

Del duo è anche la canzone Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand), cantata da Diana Ross e presente nel suo album d'esordio del 1970. Sono autori di altri brani di successo come I'm Every Woman, interpretata da Chaka Khan e poi da Whitney Houston, e Is It Still Good to You?, cantata da Teddy Pendergrass.

Nel periodo tra il 1971 e il 1972, Valerie Simpson ha pubblicato due album e alcuni singoli da solista.

I brani più conosciuti di Ashford & Simpson interpretati dagli stessi autori sono probabilmente Solid (1984) e Found a Cure (1979).

Nel 2002 il duo è stato inserito nella Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Discografia

Album in studio

Anno	Album	Piazzamento in classifica									Certificazioni	Etichetta
Anno	Album	US ^[1]	US R&B ^[1]	AUT ^[2]	CAN ^[3]	GER ^[4]	NLD ^[5]	NZ ^[6]	SWI ^[7]	UK ^[8]	Certificazioni	Etichetta
1973	Gimme Something Real	156	18	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Warner Bros.
1974	I Wanna Be Selfish	195	21	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1976	Come as You Are	189	35	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1977	So So Satisfied	180	30	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1977	Send It	52	10	—	53	—	—	—	—	—	RIAA: Gold^[9]
1978	Is It Still Good to Ya	20	1	—	43	—	—	—	—	—	RIAA: Gold^[9]
1979	Stay Free	23	3	—	71	—	—	—	—	—	RIAA: Gold^[9]
1980	A Musical Affair	38	8	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1982	Street Opera	45	5	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Capitol
1983	High-Rise	84	14	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1984	Solid	29	1	13	47	11	25	17	15	42	RIAA: Gold^[9]
1986	Real Love	74	12	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1989	Love or Physical	135	28	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1996	Been Found	—	49	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Hopsack & Silk
"—" indica un brano non classificato o non presente in quel territorio.

Live albums

Anno	Album	Piazzamento in classifica		Etichetta
Anno	Album	US ^[1]	US R&B ^[1]	Etichetta
1981	Performance	125	45	Warner Bros.
2009	The Real Thing	—	59	Burgundy
"—" indica un brano non classificato o non presente in quel territorio.

Raccolte

The Best of Ashford & Simpson (1993, Capitol)
Capitol Gold: The Best of Ashford & Simpson (1996, Capitol)
The Gospel According to Ashford & Simpson: Count Your Blessings (1996, EMI)
The Very Best of Ashford & Simpson (2002, Warner Bros./Rhino)
The Warner Bros. Years: Hits, Remixes & Rarities (2008, Rhino)

Singoli

Anno	Brano	Posizione in graduatoria										Certificazioni	Album
Anno	Brano	US ^[1]	US R&B ^[1]	US Dan ^[1]	AUT ^[2]	CAN ^[3]	GER ^[4]	NLD ^[5]	NZ ^[6]	SWI ^[7]	UK ^[8]	Certificazioni	Album
1964	"I'll Find You"	117	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		N.D.
	"Don't You Feel Sorry"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"It Ain't Like That"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1973	"(I'd Know You) Anywhere"	88	37	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Gimme Something Real
1974	"Have You Ever Tried It"	—	77	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Gimme Something Real
	"Main Line"	—	37	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		I Wanna Be Selfish
	"Everybody's Got to Give It Up"	—	53	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		I Wanna Be Selfish
1975	"Bend Me"	—	73	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Gimme Something Real
1976	"It'll Come, It'll Come, It'll Come"	—	96	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Come as You Are
	"Somebody Told a Lie"	—	58	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"One More Try"	—	—	9	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Tried, Tested and Found True"	—	52	34	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		So So Satisfied
1977	"So So Satisfied"	—	27	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Over and Over"	—	39	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Send It"	—	15	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Send It
1978	"Don't Cost You Nothing"	79	10	23	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"By Way of Love's Express"	—	35	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Stuff Like That" (with Quincy Jones & Chaka Khan)	21	1	—	—	23	—	24	—	—	34		Sounds...and Stuff Like That!!
	"It Seems to Hang On"	—	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	48		Is It Still Good to Ya
	"Is It Still Good to Ya"	—	12	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1979	"Flashback"	—	70	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Found a Cure"	36	2	1	—	65	—	37	—	—	—		Stay Free
	"Nobody Knows"	—	19		—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"Stay Free"	—	—		—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1980	"Love Don't Make It Right"	—	6	7	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		A Musical Affair
1980	"Happy Endings"	—	35	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1981	"Get Out Your Handkerchief"	—	65	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"It Shows in the Eyes"	—	34	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Performance
	"It's the Long Run"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Performance
1982	"Street Corner"	56	9	11	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Street Opera
1982	"Love It Away"	—	20	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1983	"I'll Take the Whole World On"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	"High-Rise"	—	17	41	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		High-Rise
	"It's Much Deeper"	—	45	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1984	"I'm Not That Tough"	—	78	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1984	"Solid"	12	1	15	4	5	2	3	1	3	3	BPI: Gold^[10] MC: Gold^[11]	Solid
1985	"Outta the World"	102	4	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1985	"Babies"	102	29	—	—	—	53	—	—	—	56
1986	"Count Your Blessings"	84	4	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	79		Real Love
1986	"What Becomes of Love"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1987	"Nobody Walks in L.A."	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1989	"I'll Be There for You"	—	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Love or Physical
1989	"Cookies and Cake"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Love or Physical
1990	"Hungry for Me Again"	—	40	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Def by Temptation
1996	"Been Found"	—	80	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Been Found
1997	"What If"	—	94	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Been Found
2001	"We Are Family" (with Various Artists)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		N.D.
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.