Background
Nickolas Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carolina and raised in Michigan. His father, Calvin, was a construction worker at Willow Run, Michigan.
composer singer singer-songwriter
Nickolas Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carolina and raised in Michigan. His father, Calvin, was a construction worker at Willow Run, Michigan.
He briefly attended Eastern Michigan University, in Ypsilanti, before heading to New York, where he tried but failed to find success as a dancer.
He got his musical start at Willow Run Baptist Church, singing and writing songs for the gospel choir. In 1964, while homeless, went to White Rock Baptist Church in Harlem, where he met Valerie Simpson, a 17-year-old recent high school graduate who was studying music They began writing songs together, selling the first bunch for $64.
Nick Ashford was suffering from throat cancer when he was taken to New York hospital for undergoing treatment, but the cause of his death was not immediately reported.
However his death was announced by his former music publicist Liz Roseberg. Nick Ashford died in hospital on August 22, 2011 at the age of 70.