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Legendary songwriter previews 'The D,' Unofficial Detroit anthem

Posted at 4:16 PM, Sep 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-28 17:41:41-04

The Washington Post called her “The most interesting woman you’ve never heard of.”

But you’ve definitely heard her music.

Songwriter Allee Willis, known for her hit songs such as Friend’s theme, “I’ll be there for you,” and Earth Wind and Fire's "September."

And now, she’s about to add another big song under her belt: Detroit’s unofficial Anthem.

“The D” debuts Thursday evening at the DIA, along with a mini-documentary on Willis’ five-year efforts to get this song produced.

Willis calls the song a “love letter to Detroit" and the video a “micro-documentary."

She recorded 5,000 Detroit voices singing her song and laid them down on one song. The voices range from legendary musicians such as Martha Reeves to housekeepers.

Willis said she was willing to record with any Detroiter who would be willing to sing for her.

"I'm a Grammy, Emmy, Tony, award-winning-nominated songwriter. My songs have sold 60 million records, but this is the favorite thing I've ever done," said Willis.

The premiere party is free to the public and will be from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. The event will feature games, food a cash bar and a 50-foot long art installation called We Are the D.

“I love Detroit, and I’ve always wanted to do something very special for the city,” Willis says of her beloved hometown. “I thought, ‘What are the two things I really know how to do?’ One is to write songs, and two is to throw parties. So I decided to combine two of my biggest talents to let people know that Detroit was back. It’s risen up against overwhelming odds. When people hear and see “The D”, they’re going to feel the energy that exists in Detroit and the pride everybody in the city feels.”

For more information on the event, visit www.dia.org.