The Manager of the Dakota Bar and Grill in Minneapolis said it perfectly in his introduction: “If there were a Mount Rushmore of music, Ashford and Simpson would be up there with Cole Porter, and George and Ira Gershwin.”  This summer I was fortunate enough to see one of Ashford and Simpson’s performances at the Dakota. It was simply sensational. This combination of husband and wife is one of the music industry’s most dynamic duos.

Nicolas Ashford’s lyrics and Valerie Simpson’s compositions collide to create some of the most beautiful music of our time. When I saw them this summer, they performed several of their most memorable hits like “I’m Every Woman”, “You’re All I Need to get by”, and “Aint No Mountain High Enough”. Ashford’s sweet baritone and Simpson’s enticing soprano made tantalizing harmonies that drove the audience wild. Their final song was “Invisible Life” from their Broadway musical now in production.  When they left the stage, the audience rose to its feet and screamed for more. They returned for one last song, “Solid as a Rock”, satisfying the crowd but leaving them wanting more.

-Carol Payne