Friday, December 13, 2024

RIP Allee Willis, Famed Songwriter of Earth, Wind & Fire Hits, “Friends” Theme Song, “Color Purple” on Broadway

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Tributes are pouring in this morning for Allee Willis, the famed and beloved songwriter of many pop hits. She was 72, and died of a heart attack suddenly.

Willis collaborated on many Earth, Wind & Fire hits including “September” and “Boogie Wonderland.” She also co-wrote the “Friends” theme song, “I’ll Be There for You.” She was nominated for a Tony Award for working on “The Color Purple” on Broadway.

Willis’s connections through the music industry were vast. She wrote songs with and for dozens of famous artists, and was a bit of an icon in that world. She also had Grammy and Emmy awards, and was a recent inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. On her Instagram page, she’s smiling broadly in every photo. This is a big loss for the music community.

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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