Allee Willis death: Songwriter behind Friends theme 'I'll be there for you' passes away

Friends theme songwriter Allee Willis passed away on Christmas Eve.

The 72-year-old best known for writing "I'll be there for you"- the theme to the popular sitcom, as well as Earth Wind & Fire's song 'September', reportedly died from cardiac arrest at 6pm on December.

Her partner Prudence Fenton announced the music artist's death by posting a farewell message on social media.

She wrote: "Rest in Boogie Wonderland 10 Nov 1947- 24 December 2019", a reference to the Earth Wind and Fire song.

Ms Fenton is described as being "in shock" due to the sudden nature of her partner's fatal heart attack.

Ms Willis' songs have sold more than 60 million copies worldwide, and she won two Grammys for her contributions to the scores of Beverley Hills Cop and the Broadway musical version of The Colour Purple.

She slated Taylor Swift's 2018 cover of her song September, calling it "as lethargic as a drunk turtle dozing under a sunflower after ingesting a bottle of Valium, and I thought it had all the build of a one story hotel".

The songwriter is survived by brother Kent Willis; sister Marlin Frost; and niece Mandy Becker.