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A songwriter, Blackwell was the brains behind some of rock and roll's greatest hits. He wrote over 1,000 songs, including All Shook Up, Return to Sender and Don't Be Cruel for Elvis Presley. "Otis wrote in a style that came to define a new synthesis that Elvis was groping for," said Presley's biographer, Peter Guralnick. "From the first moment Elvis heard Don't Be Cruel, he just snapped on it. It was a perfect song for him." Yet Blackwell and Presley never met. Blackwell also wrote Jerry Lee Lewis's classic Great Balls of Fire, as well as such Lewis hits as Breathless and Let's Talk About Us. Growing up in Brooklyn, Blackwell was inspired by Tex Ritter singing cowboy movies. "Like the blues, [cowboy music] told a story," he once said. "But it didn't have the same restrictive construction. A cowboy song could do anything." Blackwell died May 6 in Nashville from a heart attack. He was 70. From This is True for 5 May 2002 Suggestions for further reading:
 By: Nick Tosches List Price: $13.00 Amazon Price: $10.40  List Price: $21.95 Amazon Price: $21.95 Editorial Review: Arranged For Piano, Vocal & Guitar With Lyrics, Chords & Chord Frames. 30 of "The Killers" hits in this one of a kind songbook collection. Also contains 9 pages of author Colin Escott's essay on Jerry Lee Lewis. Contents: Another Place Another Time, Big Legged Woman, Breathless, Carry Me Back To Ol' Virginia, Chantilly Lace, Crawdad Song, End Of The Road, Great Balls Of Fire, High School Confidential, I Am What I Am, Lewis Boogie, Lucille, Me And Bobby McGee, Middle Age Crazy, New Orleans Boogie, Once More With Feeling, One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart), Over The Rainbow, Rockin' My Life Away, She Even Wook Me Up To Say Goodbye, She Still Comes Around (To Love What's Left Of Me), Think About It darlin', Thirty-Nine And Holding, To MAke Love Sweeter For You, Wall Around Heaven, What'd I Say, What's Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made A Loser Out Of Me), Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On, Would You Take Another Chance On Me, You Win Again  List Price: $19.95 Amazon Price: $19.95 Editorial Review: Arranged for Piano, & Guitar With Lyrics, Chords and Chord Frames. Matching songbook to the smash 2006 release. Contents: Title Rock And Roll Before The Night Is Over Pink Cadillac Evening Gown You Don t Have To Go Twilight Travelin Band That Kind Of Fool Just A Bummin Around Honky Tonk Woman What s Made Milwaukee Famous Don t Be Ashamed Of Your Age Couple More Years, A Old Glory Trouble In Mind I Saw Her Standing There Lost Highway Hadacohl Boogie Irish Heart Beat, The Pilgrim Ch. 33, The  List Price: $14.95 Amazon Price: $14.95 Editorial Review: Arranged For Easy Piano By Bruce Nelson. Includes 9 pages of biographical material on "The Killer". Song contents: Breathless * Chantilly Lace * Great Balls of Fire * High School Confidential * Me and Bobby McGee * Over the Rainbow * Rockin' My Life Away * What'd I Say * What's Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made a Loser Out of Me) * Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On.  By: Murray Silver List Price: $24.90 Amazon Price: $24.90 |
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