Allee Willis appears in...
Allee Willis: Creativity Without Boundaries

It’s not every songwriter whose resume includes watching her output help sell over 50 million records, making her Broadway composing debut with the financial blessing of Oprah Winfrey, and keeping an active hand in the worlds of art direction, animation, and performance art, which led People magazine to call her “a multi-threat creativity that itself seems like a Godzilla out to conquer LaLa Land.” Oh, and did we mention that…
Broadway Dazzled by BMI Writers

by Frank Evans The current Broadway season has theatre-goers scrambling for seats to shows from BMI’s ever-growing list of writers from the Tony-honored BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. A CHORUS LINE A revival of A Chorus Line opened Oct. 5, 2006, at the Schoenfeld Theatre in New York. The ground-breaking and record-breaking musical features lyrics by…
‘Purple,’ ‘Jersey Boys’ Get Tony’s Attention
Hit musicals The Color Purple and Jersey Boys lead the list of BMI-represented Broadway shows nominated for the 60th Annual Tony Awards, announced May 16 from New York's Lincoln Center. Both are up for Best Musical. With a total of 11 nominations that…
BMI Toasts ‘The Color Purple’
BMI hosted a champagne celebration honoring the composers of the music to the hit Broadway musical, The Color Purple. L.A.-based BMI composers Brenda Russell and Allee Willis, along with co-writer Stephen Bray, were joined by numerous friends and BMI executives at the home of Holly Brooks in Brentwood, Calif., to toast their success. The show has grossed $23 million in ticket…
The Color Purple

If you take the story of a woman who is a strong believer in hope and love, and through these beliefs receives the strength to overcome her fears and hardships, add just the right amount of music — blending gospel, jazz, ragtime and blues — you come out with a great musical. And that musical is The Color Purple. After reading the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, show producer…
‘The Color Purple’ Opens on the Great White Way
BMI LA's Linda Livingston was in New York recently for the gala premier of the new Oprah Winfrey-produced musical, The Color Purple. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker and the Oscar-nominated film by Steven Spielberg, the show's music and lyrics are provided by Grammy Award-winning BMI composers Brenda Russell and Allee Willis (along with Stephen Bray), who bring a mix…
Allee Willis Gives Her Regards To Broadway

Allee Willis is a bona fide renaissance woman: not only a Grammy Award-winning songwriter who can boast more than 50,000,000 records sold — her catalogue includes “I’ll Be There For You” (the “Friends” theme), The Pointer Sisters’ “Neutron Dance,” Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” and “Boogie Wonderland,” and The Pet Shop Boys/Dusty Springfield’s “What Have I Done To Deserve This?” — but also a painter, animation auteur,…
BMI Composers Bring ‘Color’ To Life
BMI was on hand at the world premiere of the musical version of "The Color Purple" at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta. BMI composers Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray wrote the music and lyrics that brought this show to life. The musical will hit Broadway in 2005.
TV and Film Composers Score at BMI Awards
BMI last night honored the composers and songwriters of the music in the top-grossing films of the year and the top-rated prime-time network television shows at its annual Film & Television Awards dinner. Held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, the black tie gala was hosted by BMI President and CEO Frances W.…
BMI Honors Top Film and TV Composers
Thomas Newman Named Richard Kirk Award Recipient for Outstanding Career Achievement BMI last night honored the composers and songwriters of the music in the top-grossing films of the year and the top-rated prime-time network television shows at its annual Film & Television Awards dinner. Held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, the black…
