Ashford & Simpson: Hope Is Where You Find It

AFTER 18 YEARS, seven hit singles and three gold albums, Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson are probably best known for starring in a Coca-Cola commercial. It's a situation that the duo view with a certain ironic detachment, considering they've amassed 20 gold or platinum awards for their record production and songwriting achievements, which include authoring such classics as 'Let's Go Get Stoned' (Ray Charles — 1966); 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' and 'Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing' (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell — 1967 and 1968, respectively); and 'Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)', a 1970 smash for Diana Ross and an even bigger commercial success for Ma Bell a few years later. And that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.