Iconic singers/songwriters Ashford & Simpson not only gifted us with the magic of their music, they showed black couples around the world that their love could also be as solid as a rock. The musical duo met in 1964 at White Rock Baptist Church in Harlem where they were both members of the gospel choir.
“We had the good fortune to be friends first, writing partners for eight years. He had other girlfriends and I had other guys in my life. We didn’t have the problem of trying to impress each other right away. I got to see how he really was, and vice versa. He knew me, I knew him. So when the romance came, we could skip over a whole lot of stuff (laughs),” Valerie shared in an interview with the Chicago Tribune.
Before officiating their love the twosome banded together to create hits like “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing,” and a myriad of other lovers anthems for Motown Records. In 1974, after parting ways with the record label, Ashford & Simpson became a married couple. The duo remained married until Ashford’s death in 2011. This Music Monday we’re shining a light on the love and music of the great Ashford & Simpson.
Watch Ashford & Simpson perform their explosive hit “Solid” below.
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