 nickolas ashford (may 4, 1941 - august 22, 2011obituary: nick ashford of ashford & simpson songwriting team dies at 70. latimes.com (august 24, 2011). retrieved on may 1, 2012.all music guide to soul: the definitive guide to r&b and soul, vladimir bogdanov, chris woodstra, shephen thomas erlewine. backbeat books, 2013, isbn 978-0-87930-744-8 (p. 17)) ==career==  ==death== nick ashford the partner of songwrititer valerie simpson, was suffering of throat cancer and 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. ==references==   
1941_births 2011_deaths African-American_singer-songwriters American_record_producers Musicians_from_South_Carolina People_from_Beaufort_County,_South_Carolina Songwriters_Hall_of_Fame_inductees