Nick Ashford of Ashford & Simpson Has Died Seth Abramovitch · 08/23/11 12:27AM Nick Ashford, of Motown songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson, has died at 70 from throat cancer. He co-wrote "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "You're All I Need to Get By," "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)," and "I'm Every Woman."