Otis Blackwell Quotes

• 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.'

  Otis Blackwell

  Song, Hate, Writing

  7 Copy quote

• 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.

  Otis Blackwell

  Song, Writing, Piano

  26 Copy quote

• 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.

  Otis Blackwell

  Birthday, Redneck, College

  28 Copy quote

• 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.

  Otis Blackwell

  Yesterday, Interviews, Remember

  16 Copy quote

• 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.

  Otis Blackwell

  Nashville, Towns, Kind

  28 Copy quote

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

  Otis Blackwell

  Writing, People, Style

  4 Copy quote

• 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.

  Otis Blackwell

  Song, Writing, Artist

  4 Copy quote

• 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.

  Otis Blackwell

  Vegas, Publishing House, Gentleman

  7 Copy quote

• 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.

  Otis Blackwell

  Thinking, Years, Looks

  7 Copy quote

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

  Otis Blackwell

  Hate, Careers, Starting Over

  7 Copy quote

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