Allee Willis, Grammy-Winning Songwriter, Dies At 72

Allie Willis (JStone/Shutterstock)

ALLEE WILLIS, the GRAMMY-winning songwriter, who took the spirit of her native DETROIT MOTOWN RECORDS and translated it into hits for EARTH, WIND & FIRE, THE POINTER SISTERS and the theme for TV's "Friends," has passed away from cardiac arrest in her VALLEY VILLAGE home, according to her partner PRUDENCE FENTON on CHRISTMAS EVE at the age of 72.

The colorful WILLIS was a fixture on the HOLLYWOOD music scene., writing hit songs like EARTH, WIND & FIRE's "SEPTEMBER" and "Boogie Wonderland," co-writing THE POINTER SISTERS' "Neutron Dance," and writing "What Have I Done To Deserve This?" for THE PET SHOP BOYS featuring DUSTY SPRINGFIELD, winning two GRAMMYS in the process, awarded for her work on the "BEVERLY HILLS Cop" soundtrack and the more recent BROADWAY musical of ""The Color Purple."

WILLIS was inducted into the SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME in 2018, after receiving her native CITY OF DETROIT's SPIRIT OF MUSIC AWARD during the DETROIT MUSIC AWARDS that same year. She also co-wrote "I'll Be There For You," the theme song to the TV show "Friends," performed by THE REMBRANDTS, for which she received a TONY nomination.

Her famously kitch, vintage AMERICANA VALLEY home served as headquarters for many fabulous .50's themed parties for her many friends in the business, including PAUL "PEE WEE HERMAN" REUBENS.  At the time of her death, she was working with BIG SEAN on new music, having met the DETROIT rapper during MOTOWN's 60th anniversary concert at ORCHESTRA HALL in SEPTEMBER.

WILLIS is survived by brother and sister-in-law KENT and BARBARA WILLIS of DETROIT, sister MARLEN FRONT of OMAHA and partner PRUDENCE FENTON.

Talking to her hometown DETROIT FREE PRESS about the city's influence on her writing, she said, "I took a spirit of positivity. My whole kind of style — a lifestyle in style — that was very much the sensibility in DETROIT, especially when I was really, really young. And I took that whole spirit of no one is going to do it for you — that if you want to do it, figure out a way, in your own style, and keep moving ahead. My entire attitude is DETROIT."

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