Otis Blackwell

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.

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.

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

What makes knowledge automatic is what gets you to Carnegie Hall - practice, practice, practice.

Fame is very corrosive and you have to guard very strictly against it.

Well, I actually wrote her a letter a couple of days ago congratulating her. The tone I tried to convey in the letter is, look, you are a part of a great American historical process.