Nick Ashford, half of the singing and song-writing duo Ashford and Simpson, died Monday at the age of 70 from throat cancer. A former publicist says Ashford died in a New York hospital surrounded by his family.

Ashford and Simpson's writing efforts yielded songs for many artists like Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Chaka Khan. The South Carolina native wrote and recorded with his wife Valerie Simpson at Motown Records. They penned such hits for the duet Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell as “Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing” and “Ain't No Mountain High Enough.” Diana Ross re-recorded “Ain't No Mountain High Enough,” and it became one of her signature songs.

Verdine White of the musical group Earth, Wind and Fire called Ashford's songwriting “unmatched in terms of great songwriting”.

Ashford and Simpson were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002.