Allee Willis facts for kids

Alta Sherral "Allee" Willis (born November 10, 1947 – died December 24, 2019) was an American songwriter and artist. She was famous for writing many hit songs.

Allee Willis helped write popular songs like "September" and "Boogie Wonderland" for the band Earth, Wind & Fire. She also co-wrote "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" for Pet Shop Boys and Dusty Springfield. This song was a big hit in the UK and U.S.

She won two Grammy Awards for her work on the soundtracks of Beverly Hills Cop and The Color Purple. The Color Purple musical was also nominated for a Tony Award. Allee Willis was nominated for an Emmy Award for "I'll Be There for You". This song became the well-known theme for the TV show Friends.

Her songs sold over 60 million copies around the world. In 2018, she was added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. She was the only woman to be inducted that year.

Early Life and Music Love

Allee Willis was born and grew up in Detroit, Michigan. She went to Mumford High School. Her parents were Jewish. Her father, Nathan, worked with scrap metal. Her mother, Rose, was a teacher who passed away when Allee was a teenager.

From a young age, Allee loved black music and culture. She often spent time outside Motown Records in Detroit. She would listen to the music playing inside the building.

After high school, she went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She studied journalism there. In 1969, she moved to New York City. She worked as a secretary at Columbia Records. She wrote notes for albums and advertising materials. Later, she started writing songs and performing.

A Career in Songwriting and Art

In 1974, Allee Willis released her first and only album, Childstar. It did not sell well, and she stopped performing. However, the album caught the attention of singer Bonnie Raitt. Bonnie Raitt was the first artist to sing one of Allee's songs.

Allee then moved to Los Angeles. In 1977, she became a songwriter at A&M Records. She also wrote songs with and for artists like Patti LaBelle and Herbie Hancock.

She met Maurice White from Earth, Wind & Fire. In the late 1970s, she worked with him on the lyrics for "September". This became her first big hit. She also co-wrote "Boogie Wonderland" and "In the Stone" for the band.

Allee Willis wrote songs for many other artists too. These included Cyndi Lauper, Crystal Waters, and Taylor Dayne. Some of her other hit songs were "Lead Me On" by Maxine Nightingale and "Neutron Dance" by the Pointer Sisters.

One of her most famous songs was "I'll Be There for You" by The Rembrandts. This song became the theme for the popular TV show Friends. It is one of the biggest TV theme songs ever. In 1995, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for this song.

In the 1980s, Allee also became an art director for music videos. She worked on videos for musicians like Debbie Harry. She also helped write the Tony-nominated and Grammy-winning Broadway musical The Color Purple. This musical first opened in 2005.

Allee continued to work as an art director and set designer. In 2008, she won awards for her work on the music video artwork Allee Willis Presents Bubbles & Cheesecake. She also created paintings, ceramics, and sculptures. From 2009, she ran the Allee Willis Museum of Kitsch website.

In 2017, Allee Willis released "The D". This was a special project she wrote and produced for her hometown of Detroit.

She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018. Her songs have sold over 60 million records. Before she passed away, she appeared on the game show To Tell the Truth.

Personal Life

Allee Willis was known for hosting amazing parties at her home near Hollywood. She loved combining her interests in music, art, and technology at these events.

From 1992 until her death, Allee was in a relationship with Prudence Fenton. Prudence is an animator and producer.

Allee Willis passed away in Los Angeles on December 24, 2019. She was 72 years old.

Awards and Recognition

Allee Willis received many awards for her work.

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are big music awards in the United States. Allee Willis won two Grammys.

Tony Awards

Allee Willis was also nominated for a Tony Award for her work on Broadway.

Emmy Awards

Willis was also nominated for an Emmy Award for her television work.