Fats Domino

Antoine Dominique "Fats" Domino (born February 26 1928 in New Orleans, Louisiana), is a classic R&B and rock and roll singer, songwriter, and pianist. He was the best-selling African-American singer of the 1950s and early 1960s. Domino is also a fine pianist with an individualistic bluesy style showing stride and boogie-woogie influences. His congenial personality and rich accent have added to his appeal.

Biography

His career began with "The Fat Man" (1949, Imperial Records), credited by some as being the first rock and roll record, featuring a rolling piano and Domino doing wah-wah vocalizing. The record, a reworking of "Junker's Blues" by Champion Jack Dupree, was a massive hit, selling over a million copies and peaking at #2 on the Billboard R&B Charts. To date Domino has sold in excess of 110 million records.

Related Topics:
1949 - Imperial Records - First rock and roll record - Wah-wah - Champion Jack Dupree - Billboard R&B Charts

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Domino then released a series of hit songs with producer and co-writer Dave Bartholomew, saxophonist Alvin "Red" Tyler and drummer Earl Palmer. Other notable and long-standing musicians in Domino's band were saxophonists Reggie Houston, Lee Allen, and Fred Kemp who was also Domino's trusted bandleader. Domino finally crossed into the pop mainstream with "Ain't That a Shame" (1955) which hit the Top Ten, though Pat Boone characteristically hit #1 with a cover of the song. Domino released an unprecedented series of 35 Top 40 singles, including "Whole Lotta Loving", "Blue Monday", and a funky version of the old ballad "Blueberry Hill".

Related Topics:
Dave Bartholomew - Saxophonist - Alvin "Red" Tyler - Drummer - Earl Palmer - Reggie Houston - Lee Allen - Fred Kemp - 1955 - Pat Boone - Cover - Top 40 - Blue Monday - Blueberry Hill

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After he moved to ABC-Paramount in 1963, the bottom fell out of Domino's recording career although he continued as a popular live act. Though he remained active for decades, he only had one more Top 40 hit, a cover of the Beatles song "Lady Madonna," originally written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney to emulate Domino's style.

Related Topics:
1963 - Cover - Beatles - Lady Madonna - John Lennon - Paul McCartney

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In the 1980s, Domino decided he would no longer leave New Orleans, having a comfortable income from royalties and a dislike for touring, and claiming he could not get any food that he liked anyplace else. His induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and an invitation to perform at the White House failed to get Domino to make an exception to this policy. He lives in a mansion in a predominantly working-class 9th Ward neighborhood, where he is a familiar sight in his bright pink Cadillac. He makes yearly appearances at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and other local events, with performances demonstrating his undiminished talents.

Related Topics:
1980s - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - White House - 9th Ward - Cadillac - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

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When Hurricane Katrina was approaching New Orleans in August 2005, Domino chose to stay at home with his family, due to his wife's poor health. His house was located in New Orleans? 9th Ward, an area that was heavily flooded. On September 1, Al Embry, his agent, announced that he had not heard from Domino since before the hurricane had struck. Later that day, CNN reported that he was rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter. His daughter, Gospel singer Karen Domino White, identified him from a photo shown on CNN. The Domino family was then taken to a Baton Rouge shelter, after which they were picked up by and stayed in the apartment of JaMarcus Russell, the starting quarterback of the Louisiana State University football team. The Washington Post has reported that on Friday, September 2, the Dominos left Russell's apartment.

Related Topics:
Hurricane Katrina - New Orleans - August - 2005 - 9th Ward - September 1 - Al Embry - CNN - Coast Guard - Gospel - Karen Domino White - Baton Rouge - JaMarcus Russell

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http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/09/01/katrina.fats.domino/index.html

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/02/AR2005090202171.html

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