Daddy Rolling Stone stops rolling

[Brian Cady <brianinatlanta2001@yahoo.com>]

Otis Blackwell, the author of "Daddy Rolling Stone,"
has died. Here's his obit from Billboard at:
http://www.billboard.com/billboard/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1484175

Otis Blackwell, who wrote dozens of hit songs --
including "Don't Be Cruel," "Return to Sender" "All
Shook Up" for Elvis Presley -- died yesterday (May 6)
of a heart attack. He was 70. 

Blackwell wrote more than 1,000 songs that were
recorded by performers such as the Who ("Daddy Rolling
Stone"), James Taylor ("Handy Man"), Peggy Lee
("Fever"), Jimmy Jones ("Handy Man"), and Jerry Lee
Lewis ("Great Balls of Fire," "Breathless"). Blackwell
was credited with writing songs that sold more than
185 million copies.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Blackwell grew up wanting to
be a singer. While recording songs for Jay-Dee Records
in New York, he was asked to write songs as well.
Blackwell often sang the songs himself before they
were recorded, and some music historians believe his
style influenced Presley's. In 1976, Inner City (and
later Shanachie Records) released Blackwell's album
"All Shook Up," on which he performed 15 of the songs
that others made famous, as well as a cover of Lieber
& Stoller's "Searchin'" as a tip of his hat to his
contemporaries. 

In 1991, Blackwell was left paralyzed by a stroke.
Three years later, Shanachie released "Brace Yourself!
A Tribute to Otis Blackwell." The album features 15
Blackwell-penned tracks recorded by the likes of Kris
Kristofferson ("All Shook Up), Blondie's Debbie Harry
("Don't Be Cruel"), the Smithereens ("Let's Talk About
Us"), Graham Parker ("Paralyzed"), and Ronnie Spector
("Brace Yourself"). 


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-Brian in Atlanta
The Who This Month!
http://www.thewhothismonth.com
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