In the summer of 1964, “Dancing in the Street” became a landmark record, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Later covers included versions by the Mamas & the Papas and Van Halen. Other hits included “Nowhere to Run,” “I’m Ready for Love,” and “Jimmy Mack.”
Ashford left the group in 1969. She continued to perform with former Vandellas singers over the years while also working for Michigan Bell Telephone Co.
She appeared on nearly two dozen Top 40 hits on Billboard’s R&B chart and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 with the Vandellas, only the second all-female group to receive the honor.
Ashford is survived by her son, Damon, and four grandchildren. Funeral arrangements were pending, with services expected at James H. Cole Funeral Home on Schaefer Highway in Detroit.
