Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, the R&B classic, written by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson in 1966. The composition was first successful as a 1967 hit single recorded by Motown recording artists Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. The Gaye/Terrell version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, and is regarded today as one of the most important records ever released by Motown.
Ashford and Simpson wrote Ain’t No Mountain High Enough prior to joining Motown. British soul singer Dusty Springfield wanted to record the song but the duo declined, hoping it would give them access to the Detroit-based label. As Valerie Simpson later recalled, “We played that song for her (Springfield) but wouldn’t give it to her, because we wanted to hold that back. We felt like that could be our entry to Motown. Nick called it the ‘golden egg’.“
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell- Ain’t no Mountain High Enough