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Blackwell, Otis, 1931-2002

LC control no.n 94021277
Descriptive conventionsrda
Personal name headingBlackwell, Otis, 1931-2002
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Variant(s)Davenport, John, 1931-2002
Associated countryUnited States
Birth date1931-02-16
1932-02-16
Death date2002-05-06
Place of birthBrooklyn (New York, N.Y.)
Place of deathNashville (Tenn.)
AffiliationApollo Theater (New York, N.Y. : 125th Street) RCA Victor Records
Jay-Dee Records
Profession or occupationPianists Composers
Special noteRemoved from undiff NAR n97016626
Found inHis Singin' the blues [SR] p1981: label (Otis Blackwell)
New York Times, May 9, 2002 (Otis Blackwell, 70, songwriter; d. May 6, 2002, Nashville, Tenn.; b. 1931, Brooklyn, N.Y.; under contract with Jay-Dee used pen name John Davenport)
African American National Biography, accessed June 10, 2015, via Oxford African American Studies Center database: (Blackwell, Otis; John Davenport; songwriter, pianist; born 16 February, 1932 in Brooklyn, New York, United States; studied at school (1940s); learned to play the piano; worked as floor sweeper and laundry clothes presser at New York Theater; participated in talent contest at Harlem's Apollo Theater (1952); recorded with RCA Victor Records (1952), then Jay-Dee Records (1953); joined New York's prosperous community of tunesmiths (1950s); composed songs: "Fever" (1955), first an R&B hit for the blues singer Little Willie John, "Don't Be Cruel", first hit of Elvis Presley (1956), then many songs for Presley (1957, 1962, 1963) and for other artists; used the pseudonym John Davenport (1960s); recorded his album (1976); was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, joined the National Academy of Popular Music Songwriters' Hall of Fame (1991), was the subject of a tribute album Brace Yourself! (1992); died 06 May, 2002 in Nashville, Tennessee, United States)