Janna Allen (May 12, 1957 – August 25, 1993) was an American

songwriter A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music ...

. She is best known as a co-writer of some of the biggest hits recorded by

Hall & Oates Daryl Hall and John Oates, commonly known as Hall & Oates, are an American pop rock duo formed in Philadelphia in 1970. Daryl Hall is generally the lead vocalist; John Oates primarily plays electric guitar and provides backing vocals. The two ...

, in collaboration variously with

Daryl Hall Daryl Franklin Hohl (born October 11, 1946), known professionally as Daryl Hall, is an American rock music, rock, rhythm and blues, R&B and soul music, soul singer and musician, best known as the co-founder and principal lead vocalist of Daryl ...

John Oates John William Oates (born April 7, 1948) is an American musician, best known as half of the rock and soul duo Hall & Oates, with Daryl Hall. He has played rock, R&B, and soul music, acting as a guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record produ ...

and her sister

Sara Allen Sara Allen (born March 23, 1954) is an American songwriter best known for her work with the duo Hall & Oates. She was in a long-term relationship with Daryl Hall, which ended in 2001, and contributed to many of the duo's hit singles, including " ...

, who was Hall's longtime girlfriend and the person for whom the duo's hit song "

Sara Smile "Sara Smile" is a song written and recorded by the American musical duo Hall & Oates. It was released as the third single from their album '' Daryl Hall & John Oates''. The song was the group's first top 40 and first top ten hit in the US, reachi ...

" was written. Among Janna Allen's most successful co-written songs for Hall & Oates were " Kiss on My List" and " Private Eyes", both of which reached #1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1981. She worked as a receptionist at the time of the two songs' release. She also co-wrote Hall & Oates' top 10 singles "

Did It in a Minute "Did It in a Minute" is a song performed by American musical duo Hall & Oates. Written by member Daryl Hall with Sara and Janna Allen, the song was released as the third of four singles from their tenth studio album '' Private Eyes'' in March 1 ...

" and " Method of Modern Love". Allen also wrote songs with such artists as

Cheap Trick Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen a ...

Peter Wolf Peter Wolf (born March 7, 1946) is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist of the J. Geils Band from 1967 to 1983 and as a solo artist. Early life and education Peter Wolf was born Peter Walter Blankfield on March 7, 1946 in The ...

and

Joan Jett Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin, September 22, 1958) is an American singer, guitarist, record producer, and actress. Jett is best known for her work as the frontwoman of her band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and for earlier founding and per ...

. Allen died of

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ' ...

at the age of 36 in 1993.

References

External links

Songwriting credits at BMI
* 1993 deaths 1957 births American women songwriters Deaths from leukemia 20th-century American women musicians 20th-century American musicians 20th-century American composers 20th-century women composers Hall & Oates {{US-songwriter-stub