The Styrous® Viewfinder: 1,000,001 CDs 19: Otis Blackwell ~ These Are My Songs

February 16, 2021

1,000,001 CDs 19: Otis Blackwell ~ These Are My Songs

Otis Blackwell ~ These Are My Songs

CD cover

Artwork, Design ~ Leo Bliok

Today is the birthday of Otis Blackwell. Although Blackwell and Elvis Presley never met, their talents intersected at a crucial time in the history of popular music. After an unsuccessful recording career in the early 1950s, Blackwell found his calling as a songwriter. At the same time, Presley’s unique set of singing and performing skills were catching fire with the country’s teenagers. However, Elvis depended on young rhythm and blues composers to provide the particular kind of music needed to continue fueling his exploding career. In 1956 it was Otis Blackwell who provided much of that fuel.

Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, insisted that Blackwell share writing credit with Presley to increase the artist’s profit—a common practice at the time among stars. “I said no at first,” Blackwell explained, “but they said Elvis is gonna turn the business around, so I said okay. The cat was hot. That’s why his name is on the songs.”

Elvis Presley - Tupelo, Miss. - 1956

photo by Roger Marshutz

Blackwell won a local talent contest at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, in 1952, at 21. He could not, however, transform his initial accomplishment into a successful career as a performer. His own recordings never cracked the Top 40 on the hit parade charts. Blackwell wrote as many as a thousand songs over his lifetime, and they’re said to have sold more than 200 million copies.

Blackwell did more than just provide the hit songs for Presley. John Davenport was an alias used by Blackwell for the writing credits of his first hit song, Fever, performed by Little Willie John, which he co-wrote with Eddie Cooley. Presley recorded it in 1980 but Peggy Lee had recorded it in 1958 when it became a huge hit and put Blackwell on the music map.

Peggy Lee

date & photographer unknown

His works have been recorded by many major artists, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, James Brown, the Who, Johnny Thunders, Billy Joel, James Taylor, Dolly Parton, Conway Twitty, the Judds, Carl Perkins, and Peggy Lee, among numerous others. At other times in his career, Blackwell was also successful as a record producer, having helped turn out hits for artists as diverse as Connie Francis, Mahalia Jackson, and Sal Mineo.

Sal Mineo & Otis Blackwell

date & photographer unknown

Otis Blackwell wrote as many as a thousand songs over his lifetime, and they’re said to have sold more than 200 million copies.

Blackwell was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1986 and in 1991 into the National Academy of Popular Music's Songwriters Hall of Fame. Blackwell's crowning moment came in the late 1980s when the Black Rock Coalition, a prominent organization of black rock musicians, led by Vernon Reid, the lead guitarist of the band, Living Colour, held a tribute for him at the Prospect Park Bandshell in his native Brooklyn. Many prominent musicians and singers took part including Blackwell himself.

Blackwell was named one of the 2010 recipients of Ahmet Ertegun Award in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This category encompasses those who primarily work behind the scenes in the music industry.

Otis Blackwell died of a heart attack on Monday, May 6, 2002, in a hospital in Nashville where he lived. He was 70 years old.

Tracklist:

1 - All Shook Up, written by Presley*, Blackwell* - 3:22

2 - Fever, written by Cooley*, Davenport* - 3:50

3 - Back Trail, written by Blackwell* - 3:53

4 - Daddy Rollin' Stone, written by Blackwell* - 3:25

5 - Great Balls Of Fire, written by Hammer*, Blackwell*Great Balls Of Fire - 2:11

6 - Don't Be Cruel, written by Presley*, Blackwell* - 1:55

7 - Searchin', written by Leiber/Stoller* - 3:34

8 - Let's Talk About Us, written by Blackwell* - 2:58

9 - Hey Little Girl, written by Stevenson*, Blackwell* - 3:04

10 - Breathless, written by Blackwell* - 2:37

11 - Handy Man, written by Jones*, Blackwell* - 2:15

12 - Return To Sender, written by Blackwell*, Scott* - 2:49

Companies, etc.

    Recorded At – A-1 Sound Studios

Credits:

    Artwork, Design – Leo Bliok
    Backing Vocals – Winfield Scott
    Bass, Backing Vocals – Bob Tinerino
    Drums, Backing Vocals – Jeffrey Zollher
    Engineer – Herb Abramson
    Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals – Gordon Inyard
    Liner Notes – Herb Abramson
    Photography By – Sheila Abramson
    Piano, Backing Vocals – Chris Townes (2)
    Producer – Herb Abramson, Otis Blackwell
    Remix – Herb Abramson, James Nichols
    Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals – Bob Goldring
    Vocals – Otis Blackwell

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Matrix / Runout (Runout / Side A / Etched): IC-1032-A ST M-A-D 10-77 18- A2
Matrix / Runout (Runout / Side B / Etched): IC-1032-B ST M-A-D 10-77 17- A2

Otis Blackwell ‎– These Are My Songs
Label: Inner City Records ‎– IC 1032
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Sortie: 2008
Genre: Blues

Viewfinder links:

Otis Blackwell

James Brown

Ray Charles

Connie Francis

Aretha Franklin

Mahalia Jackson

Etta James

Billy Joel

Peggy Lee

Jerry Lee Lewis

Sal Mineo