Otis Blackwell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Otis Blackwell
Background information
Also known as	John Davenport
Born	(1931-02-16)February 16, 1931 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Died	May 6, 2002(2002-05-06) (aged 71) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres	Blues rock and roll R&B
Occupation(s)	Songwriter, singer, pianist
Years active	1950s–2002
Labels	RCA, Groove, Atlantic

Otis Blackwell (born February 16, 1931 – died May 6, 2002) was an American songwriter. He wrote many famous songs that helped shape rock and roll music. Some of his well-known songs include "Fever" (sung by Little Willie John and Peggy Lee), "Great Balls of Fire" and "Breathless" (sung by Jerry Lee Lewis), and "Don't Be Cruel", "All Shook Up", and "Return to Sender" (sung by Elvis Presley). He also wrote "Handy Man" (sung by Jimmy Jones).

About Otis Blackwell

Blackwell was born in Brooklyn, New York. He started playing the piano when he was a child. He grew up listening to both R&B and country music.

Early Career and Songwriting Success

His first big win was at a talent show in 1952. This show was called "Amateur Night" at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. This win helped him get a recording contract. His first song release was "Daddy Rolling Stone". This song became very popular in Jamaica.

Otis Blackwell loved songwriting the most. By 1955, he focused on writing songs for other artists. In 1956, he had his first major successes. Little Willie John had an R&B hit with "Fever". This song became an even bigger pop hit for Peggy Lee. Also, "Don't Be Cruel" started his very successful partnership with Elvis Presley.

Blackwell was a key African-American figure in early rock and roll. Even though his own songs did not become Top 40 hits, he wrote many million-selling songs. These songs were for stars like Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Dee Clark. He also helped find other songwriters for Elvis Presley.

Writing for Elvis Presley

Otis Blackwell wrote some of Elvis Presley's biggest hits. A person from RCA Records, Anne Fulchino, wrote about how Elvis chose Blackwell's songs.

She said that Elvis heard a demo of "Don't Be Cruel" by Otis Blackwell. Elvis really liked Blackwell's R&B music. It only took a few moments for Elvis to know it was a perfect song for him. He learned the song very quickly and recorded it right away.

Another song, "All Shook Up", became a very popular phrase. Elvis wanted to record another song by Otis Blackwell after "Don't Be Cruel" was a huge hit. Blackwell brought him "All Shook Up". Elvis changed some of the lyrics with Blackwell's permission. This song became Elvis's ninth gold record.

Blackwell never met Elvis Presley in person. He even wrote some songs under the name John Davenport. He used this name when he had problems with his music company. Otis Blackwell wrote over a thousand songs. These songs sold nearly 200 million records around the world. Elvis's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, asked Blackwell to be in an Elvis movie. Blackwell had written "Return to Sender" for the movie Girls! Girls! Girls!. But Blackwell had a belief that kept him from meeting Elvis, so he did not accept.

In 1956, Blackwell first gave "Don't Be Cruel" to Frankie Valli's group, the Four Lovers. But he took it back to give it to the rising star, Elvis Presley. Instead, he gave the Four Lovers "You're the Apple of My Eye". This song became a hit for them.

Later Years and Tributes

As rock and roll changed, Blackwell recorded R&B songs for different record companies. In his later years, he mostly retired. He only performed live sometimes.

In the 1980s, Blackwell performed and recorded with the Smithereens. They were his backing band. They made two albums together.

In 1991, Blackwell had a stroke, which caused him to be paralyzed. Three years later, an album called Brace Yourself! A Tribute to Otis Blackwell was released. It had 15 songs written by Blackwell. Many famous artists sang these songs, like Kris Kristofferson and Debbie Harry.

Otis Blackwell passed away from a heart attack in 2002. He died in Nashville, Tennessee.

Awards and Recognition

Otis Blackwell received many honors for his songwriting.

He was added to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1986. In 1991, he joined the National Academy of Popular Music's Songwriters Hall of Fame.

A special tribute was held for him in the late 1980s. This event was organized by the Black Rock Coalition in his hometown of Brooklyn. Many famous musicians and singers performed. Blackwell himself also sang some of his best songs there.

In 2010, Blackwell was given the Ahmet Ertegun Award. This award is part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It honors people who work behind the scenes in the music industry.

In 2022, Otis Blackwell was also added to the Blues Hall of Fame.

Legacy

Blackwell is known as one of the greatest R&B songwriters ever. His way of writing songs was very unique. It helped change popular music in America in the 1950s. He often worked with other songwriters like Winfield Scott.

Blackwell was a very important person who helped create rock and roll music. Many major artists have recorded his songs. These include Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, James Brown, and Billy Joel. He also worked as a record producer. He helped create hit songs for artists like Connie Francis.

Songs Written by Otis Blackwell

Here are some famous songs written by Otis Blackwell and the artists who made them popular:

• "All Shook Up" (Elvis Presley)
• "Breathless" (Jerry Lee Lewis)
• "Don't Be Cruel" (Elvis Presley); this song was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002.
• "Fever" (written as "John Davenport" with Eddie Cooley) (Peggy Lee, Little Willie John, Madonna, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan). This song was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.
• "Great Balls of Fire" (Jerry Lee Lewis); this song was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.
• "Handy Man" (Jimmy Jones, James Taylor)
• "Hey Little Girl" (Dee Clark)
• "Let's Talk About Us" (Jerry Lee Lewis)
• "Nine Times Out of Ten" (Cliff Richard)
• "One Broken Heart for Sale"(Elvis Presley)
• "Paralyzed" (Elvis Presley)
• "Return to Sender" (Elvis Presley)

Selected Discography

See also

In Spanish: Otis Blackwell para niños