Valarie Simpson and Nick Ashford
Last week I had the privilege of learning about the lives of Valarie Simpson and Nick Ashford. They were a musical power couple, composing many notable songs that we still enjoy today. Throughout the interview Mrs. Simpson enlightened me on many aspects of the music world.
Here are a few key takeaways from her interview:
They were songwriters for Motown Records. I found this interesting because this was a place that I was able to visit a few years ago while on vacation in Detroit. I really appreciated the archive for the visual and audible accounts of their experiences inside of Motown records. Although I may have read about them on a display during my initial visit to the museum, the archive and YouTube content stuck with me much better!
They wrote songs for notable artists such as Tammy Terrell and Marvin Gaye. I was unfamiliar with Tammy Terrell prior to the interview, but I later learned that she was the voice behind the song “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”. The second artist named is Marvin Gaye. I was excited to hear his name because I listen to him very frequently. It is often said that he and my father favor each other. My favorite album of his is “I Want You” .
Simpson discussed the demands of songwriting and it really provoked my thoughts. She mentioned that while working for Motown she was responsible for writing many songs per week. This was shocking to me that people can actually mastermind a whole song from the hook to the intended tones in the matter of a day. I find it hard to write a simple poem in a day!
This past week I was able to participate in my first magic city classic. The Magic City Classic is the largest historically black college and university (HBCU) football game in the country. My amazing institution, Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University play in the game annually at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, and the winner could potentially earn a spot in the SWAC Championship. Festivities surrounding the game include the Classic Kickoff, Magic City Classic Parade, Tailgate Party and the famed halftime show performed by the Mighty Marching Hornets and the Marching Maroon and White. We were also graced with a performance by the notable DJ D-Nice after the game. I had a very enjoyable time. I didn't attend the classic my freshman and sophomore year, but I’m glad I finally got a chance to participate.
