Top Otis Blackwell Quotes - Quotesmemo.com

Otis Blackwell Biography

Otis Blackwell (February 16, 1931 – May 6, 2002) was an African-American songwriter, singer, and pianist, whose work significantly influenced rock and roll. His compositions include "Fever", recorded by Little Willie John; "Great Balls of Fire" and "Breathless", recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis; "Don't Be Cruel", "All Shook Up" and "Return to Sender" (with Winfield Scott), recorded by Elvis Presley; and "Handy Man", recorded by Jimmy Jones. He is not to be confused with the songwriter and record producer Robert "Bumps" Blackwell.

Read about Otis Blackwell in Wikipedia

Random Authors

Otis Blackwell Quotes

I used to be with a publishing house called Roosevelt Music. A gentleman there told me he had seen Peggy Lee perform Fever in Las Vegas and I found out later she wanted to record it.

Vegas, Publishing House, Gentleman, House, Record

I'd hate to be a songwriter starting a career today. . . Al Stanton walked in one day and said, 'Otis, I've got an idea. Why don't you write a song called "All Shook Up"?' Two days later I brought the song in and said, 'Look, man, I did something with it. '

Hate, Man, Song, Today, Walked, Writing

When I started writing it was kind of hard getting people to do my stuff. They' say they couldn't do my style.

Hard, People, Stuff, Style, Writing

I'd hate to be a songwriter starting a career today.

Hate, Careers, Starting Over, Career, Songwriter, Today

When I was young, I just sat down and started playing Chopsticks at the piano. I got so far and then lost interest. Eventually, I regained it and started writing songs.

Piano, Playing, Song, Writing

I always figured it was best if I write my songs, take them to my publisher and just lay back. There used to be so many things going on - getting to the artist, getting to the publishers - you know, politics. I just didn't want to get mixed up in all of that.

Artist, Figured, Publisher, Song, Things, Writing

I like this town, it's really great. They've put me in The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. This town is about music. It's about the kind of music I like.

Hall, Kind, Music, Nashville, Towns

There have been many times when I've been asked to appear and I'd say to myself, what am I going to talk about? Early on, when I did interviews, I'd tell everyone, Don't ask me about dates. I don't even remember what I did yesterday.

Appear, Interviews, Remember, Say, Tell, Yesterday

I got behind that pencil and nothing happened for many years, but since they put me in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, I've turned around. I took a good look at myself and said, I think it's time to get back at work.

Thinking, Years, Looks, Happened, Think, Songwriters

I used to go down every year for the remembrance of Elvis' birthday. Memphis State College invited me to sit in the auditorium and speak to the people for one of those Elvis days.

Birthday, College, Down, Redneck, Remembrance