Otis Blackwell(1931-2002)

Composer
Music Department
Soundtrack

Otis Blackwell was a songwriter whose works included "Great Balls of Fire", "Fever", "Don't Be Cruel" and "All Shook Up". Born in Brooklyn in 1931, he grew up obsessed with the movies of Tex Ritter. After briefly singing in blues clubs, he signed with RCA in 1952 as a songwriter. With the royalties he collected from his songs, including those above, he was able to live his bon vivant lifestyle. He is survived by his wife and seven children.

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Awards
- 1 nomination

Known for

Top Gun

6.9

Soundtrack("Great Balls of Fire")

1986

Nobody

7.4

Soundtrack("I Told Myself a Lie")

2021

The Adjustment Bureau

7.0

Soundtrack("Fever (Adam Freeland Extended Remix)")

2011

Spider-Man 3

6.3

Soundtrack("Fever")

2007

Credits

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Composer

FEVER: The Musical
- Composer
- Video
- 2007
Madonna: Fever
- Composer (as J. Davenport)
- Music Video
- 1993
Billy Joel: All Shook Up
- Composer
- Music Video
- 1992
Jerry Lee Lewis: Great Balls of Fire
- Composer
- Music Video
- 1989
Dolly Parton: Great Balls of Fire
- Composer
- Music Video
- 1979

Music Department

Soundtrack

For All Mankind
- writer: "Don't Be Cruel"
- TV Series
- 2021–2022
Stranger Things
- writer: "Fever" (uncredited)
- TV Series
- 2022
The Flight Attendant
- writer: "All Shook Up"
- TV Series
- 2022
Elvis
- writer: "Fever" (as J. Davenport)
- 2022
Top Gun: Maverick
- writer: "Great Balls of Fire"
- 2022
Euphoria
- writer: "Fever"
- writer: "Don't Be Cruel"
- TV Series
- 2022
9-1-1: Lone Star
- writer: "Fever"
- TV Series
- 2021
Nobody
- writer: "I Told Myself a Lie"
- 2021
The Queen's Gambit
- writer: "Fever" (uncredited)
- TV Mini Series
- 2020
Tähdet, tähdet
- writer: "Great Balls of Fire"
- TV Series
- 2020
My Tender Matador
- writer: "Fever"
- 2020
Bernadette Peters: A Special Concert
- lyrics: "Fever"
- music: "Fever"
- TV Special
- 2020
Cilla: The Lost Tapes
- writer: "Fever"
- TV Movie
- 2020
Some Kind of Heaven
- writer: "Great Balls of Fire"
- 2020
Little America
- writer: "Don't Be Cruel"
- TV Series
- 2020

Personal details

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Alternative name
- J. Davenport
Born
- February 16, 1931
- Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Died
- May 6, 2002
- Nashville, Tennessee, USA(heart attack)
Spouse
- Mamie Wiggins? - May 6, 2002 (his death, 7 children)
Publicity listings
- 2 Articles

Did you know

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Trivia
He wrote more than 1,000 songs that were recorded by performers such as Ray Charles, Billy Joel, The Who, James Taylor, Otis Redding, Peggy Lee and Jerry Lee Lewis. Some of Blackwell's other credits include "Great Balls of Fire" and "Breathless", both recorded by Lewis; "Handy Man" by Taylor; "Fever" by Lee; "Daddy Rolling Stone" by The Who; and "Return to Sender", "Don't Be Cruel," and "All Shook Up", each recorded by Presley.