Fats Domino
 |
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 pianist with an individualistic bluesy style showing
stride and
boogie-woogie influences. His congenial personality and rich accent have added to his appeal.
Domino first attracted national attention 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, though not credited by the
RIAA.
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".
On 18 December 1957, Domino's hit
The Big Beat was featured on Dick Clark's
American Bandstand.
Domino continued to have a steady series of hits for Imperial through 1962. Unprecendentedly, no fewer than 22 of his Imperial singles were actually double-sided hits -- that is, both the A-side and the B-side of the single charted (i.e., 44 songs). After he moved to ABC-Paramount in
1963, however, Domino's chart career was drastically curtailed. He managed one top 40 hit for ABC (1963's "Red Sails In The Sunset"), but by the end of 1964 the
British Invasion had changed the tastes of the record-buying public, and Domino's chart run was over.
Still, Domino did manage to return to the "Hot 100" charts one last time in 1968. Ironically, it was with a cover of
The Beatles'
Lady Madonna, which appeared at exactly #100 for two consecutive weeks.
But despite the lack of chart success, Domino continued to record steadily until about 1970, and sporadically after that. He also continued as a popular live act for several decades. He was furthermore acknowledged as an important influence on the music of the sixties and seventies by some of the top artists of that era;
Beatles song "
Lady Madonna" was originally written by
John Lennon and
Paul McCartney to emulate Domino's style, and
Van Morrison paid explicit tribute to Fats in his 1971 hit single "Domino".
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
Lower 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.
|
Graffitti on Domino's home from the time he was rumored dead |
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, located in New Orleans'
Lower 9th Ward, was in an area that was heavily flooded. He was thought to be dead, with someone spray-painting a message on his home, "RIP Fats. You will be missed," which was shown in news photos. On
September 1, Domino's agent
Al Embry announced that he had not heard from the musician since before the hurricane had struck. But later that day,
CNN reported that Domino was rescued by a
United States 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
JaMarcus Russell, the starting quarterback of the
Louisiana State University football team, and Fats' granddaughter's boyfriend. He let the Dominos stay in his apartment. The
Washington Post reported that on Friday, September 2, the Dominos had left Russell's apartment after sleeping three nights on the couch. "We've lost everything," Domino said, according to the Post story.
By January 2006, work to gut and repair Domino's Lower 9th Ward home and office had begun.
Domino was the first artist to be announced as scheduled to perform at the 2006 Jazz & Heritage Festival, although he was too ill to perform and was only able to offer the audience an on-stage greeting.
His career has been produced and managed since the 1980s by multimedia entertainment purveyor and music producer Robert G. Vernon. During Vernon's tenure, Domino's earnings have increased 500%.
Since 1995, Vernon and Domino have been partners (with many other companies, such as
Dick Clark Productions) in the
Bobkat Music Trust. Bobkat Music is an entertainment group that manages the careers (some posthumous) of Fats Domino,
Randy Pringle (writer), and others.
*The singer
Chubby Checker's stage name was a play on the sartorial style and physique of Fats Domino. Another play is the name of the
gospel music group
Fetz Domino, which means in mixed
German and
Latin "
Groove for the
Lord". Domino was so well known in the 1950s-60s that the American humor magazine Mad ran a cartoon spread that included fictitious artists with similar name variations, such as "Pudgy Parcheesi".
*In the popular 1970s
sitcom "
Happy Days", set in the
1950s, lead character Richie Cunningham, played by
Ron Howard, would often sing "I found my thrill..." (the first line of Domino's "Blueberry Hill") in reference to pretty girls he dated or wanted to date.
*Domino has always had strong links to
The Beatles, who recorded a version of "
When the Saints Go Marching In" in Germany, two years after Fats' version on Imperial. When they auditioned for Decca, one of the songs was another standard Domino had made famous: "
The Sheik of Araby". In his song, "
I Want to Walk You Home", Fats was possibly the first to use the words "I want to hold your hand" and, subconsciously, it may have been remembered by Lennon and McCartney for their
song of the same title. In
1968, the Beatles modelled their song, "
Lady Madonna", on Fats Domino's style, combining it with a nod to
Humphrey Lyttelton's
1956 hit "
Bad Penny Blues", a record which
Joe Meek had produced. They also played some hits of the
1950s and early
1960s, including Domino's "
Kansas City", during the
Get Back album sessions. Fats returned the compliment in
1970 by covering not only "Lady Madonna", but 2 other Beatles songs, for his Reprise LP "
Fats is Back". Since then, both
John Lennon and
Paul McCartney have recorded Fats Domino songs.
*Fats himself was not especially known for covering songs other than standards or folk songs.
Nationally charted hits shown
in bold. (Virtually all of Domino's singles of the 1950s and 60s charted regionally in the US south, especially in New Orleans.)
| A-Side | B-Side | Year | Label + Cat. No.
! colspan="3"| Chart Positions | | US Hot 100 | US R&B | UK|- | Detroit City Blues | The Fat Man | 1950 | (Imperial 5058) | | #2! |
|---|
| Boogie-Woogie Baby | Little Bee | 1950 | (Imperial 5065) | | ! |
|---|
| Hide Away Blues | She's My Baby | 1950 | (Imperial 5077) | | ! |
|---|
| Hey La Bas Boogie | Brand New Baby | 1950 | (Imperial 5085) | | ! |
|---|
| Every Night About This Time | Korea Blues | 1950 | (Imperial 5099) | | #5! |
|---|
| Tired Of Crying | What's The Matter Baby | 1951 | (Imperial 5114) | | ! |
|---|
| Don't You Lie To Me | Sometimes I Wonder | 1951 | (Imperial 5123) | | ! |
|---|
| Right From Wrong | No, No Baby | 1951 | (Imperial 5138) | | ! |
|---|
| Rockin' Chair | Careless Love | 1951 | (Imperial 5145) | | #9! |
|---|
| I'll Be Gone | You Know I Miss You | 1952 | (Imperial 5167) | | ! |
|---|
| Goin' Home | Reeling And Rocking | 1952 | (Imperial 5180) | | #1! |
|---|
| Poor Poor Me | Trust In Me | 1952 | (Imperial 5197) | | #10! |
|---|
| How Long | Dreaming | 1952 | Imperial 5209) | | #9! |
|---|
| Nobody Loves Me | Cheatin' | 1953 | (Imperial 5220) | | ! |
|---|
| Going To The River | Mardi Gras In New Orleans | 1953 | (Imperial 5231) | | #2! |
|---|
| Please Don't Leave Me | The Girl I Love | 1953 | (Imperial 5240) | | #3! |
|---|
| Rose Mary | You Said You Loved Me | 1953 | (Imperial 5251) | | #10! |
|---|
| Something's Wrong | Don't Leave Me This Way | 1953 | (Imperial 5262) | | #6! |
|---|
| You Done Me Wrong | Little School Girl | 1954 | (Imperial 5272) | | #10! |
|---|
| Where Did You Stay | Baby Please | 1954 | (Imperial 5283) | | ! |
|---|
| You Can Pack Your Suitcase | I Lived My Life | 1954 | (Imperial 5301) | | ! |
|---|
| Love Me | Don't You Hear Me Calling You | 1954 | (Imperial 5313) | | ! |
|---|
| I Know | Thinking of You | 1954 | (Imperial 5323) | | #14! |
|---|
| Don't You Know | Helping Hand | 1955 | (Imperial 5340) | | #7! |
|---|
| Ain't It A Shame | La La | 1955 | (Imperial 5348) | #10 | #1!#23 |
|---|
| All By Myself | Troubles Of My Own | 1955 | (Imperial 5357) | | #1! |
|---|
| Poor Me | 1955 | (Imperial 5369) | | #1! |
|---|
| I Can't Go On | 1955 | " | | #6! |
|---|
| Bo Weevil | 1956 | (Imperial 5375) | #35 | #5! |
|---|
| Don't Blame It On Me | 1956 | " | | #9! |
|---|
| I'm In Love Again | 1956 | (Imperial 5386) | #3 | #1!#12 |
|---|
| My Blue Heaven | 1956 | " | #19 | #5! |
|---|
| When My Dreamboat Comes Home | 1956 | (Imperial 5396) | #14 | #2! |
|---|
| So Long | 1956 | " | #44 | #5! |
|---|
| Blueberry Hill | 1956 | (Imperial 5407) | #2 | #1!#6 |
|---|
| Honey Chile | 1956 | " | | #2!#29 |
|---|
| Blue Monday | 1956 | (Imperial 5417) | #5 | #1!#23 |
|---|
| What's The Reason I'm Not Pleasing You | 1956 | " | #50 | #12! |
|---|
| I'm Walkin' | I'm In The Mood For Love | 1957 | (Imperial 5428) | #4 | #1!#19 |
|---|
| The Rooster Song | My Happiness//As Time Goes By//Hey La Bas (4 song EP) | 1957 | (Imperial 147) | | #13! |
|---|
| Valley Of Tears | 1957 | (Imperial 5442) | #8 | #2!#25 |
|---|
| It's You I Love | 1957 | " | #6 | #2! |
|---|
| What Will I Tell My Heart | 1957 | (Imperial 5454) | #64 | #12! |
|---|
| When I See You | 1957 | " | #29 | #14! |
|---|
| Wait And See | 1957 | (Imperial 5467) | #23 | #7! |
|---|
| I Still Love You | 1957 | " | #79 | ! |
|---|
| The Big Beat | | 1957 | (Imperial 5477) | #26 | #15!#20 |
|---|
| I Want You To Know | 1957 | " | #32 | ! |
|---|
| Yes My Darling | Don't You Know I Love You | 1958 | (Imperial 5492) | #55 | #10! |
|---|
| Sick And Tired | 1958 | (Imperial 5515) | #22 | #14!#26 |
|---|
| No, No | 1958 | " | #55 | #14! |
|---|
| Little Mary | Prisoner's Song | 1958 | (Imperial 5526) | #48 | #4! |
|---|
| Young School Girl | It Must Be Love | 1958 | (Imperial 5537) | #92 | #15! |
|---|
| Whole Lotta Loving | | 1958 | (Imperial 5553) | #6 | #2! |
|---|
| Coquette | 1958 | " | #92 | #26! |
|---|
| Telling Lies | | 1959 | (Imperial 5569) | #50 | #13! |
|---|
| When The Saints Go Marching In | 1959 | " | #50 | ! |
|---|
| I'm Ready | | 1959 | (Imperial 5585) | #16 | #7! |
|---|
| Margie | 1959 | " | #51 | !#18 |
|---|
| I Want To Walk You Home | | 1959 | (Imperial 5606) | #8 | #1!#14 |
|---|
| I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Someday | 1959 | " | #17 | #22! |
|---|
| Be My Guest | | 1959 | (Imperial 5629) | #8 | #2!#11 |
|---|
| I've Been Around | 1959 | " | #33 | #19! |
|---|
| If You Need Me | 1960 | (Imperial 5645) | #98 | ! |
|---|
| Country Boy | 1960 | " | #25 | !#19 |
|---|
| Before I Grow Too Old | 1960 | (Imperial 5660) | #84 | ! |
|---|
| Tell Me That You Love Me | 1960 | " | #51 | ! |
|---|
| Walking To New Orleans | 1960 | (Imperial 5675) | #6 | #2!#19 |
|---|
| Don't Come Knockin' | 1960 | " | #21 | #28! |
|---|
| Three Nights A Week | 1960 | (Imperial 5687) | #15 | #8!#45 |
|---|
| Put Your Arms Around Me Honey | 1960 | " | #58 | ! |
|---|
| My Girl Josephine | 1960 | (Imperial 5704) | #14 | #7!#32 |
|---|
| Natural Born Lover | 1960 | " | #38 | #28! |
|---|
| Ain't That Just Like A Woman | 1961 | (Imperial 5723) | #33 | #19! |
|---|
| What A Price | 1961 | " | #22 | #7! |
|---|
| Shu Rah | | 1961 | (Imperial 5734) | #32 | ! |
|---|
| Fell In Love On Monday | 1961 | " | #32 | ! |
|---|
| It Keeps Rainin' | I Just Cry | 1961 | (Imperial 5753) | #23 | #18!#49 |
|---|
| Let The Four Winds Blow | Good Hearted Man | 1961 | (Imperial 5764) | #15 | #2! |
|---|
| What A Party | | 1961 | (Imperial 5779) | #22 | !#43 |
|---|
| Rockin' Bicycle | 1961 | " | #83 | ! |
|---|
| I Hear You Knocking | | 1961 | (Imperial 5796) | #67 | ! |
|---|
| Jambalaya (On The Bayou) | 1961 | " | #30 | !#62 |
|---|
| You Win Again | | 1962 | (Imperial 5816) | #22 | ! |
|---|
| Ida Jane | 1962 | " | #90 | ! |
|---|
| My Real Name | My Heart Is Bleeding | 1962 | (Imperial 5833) | #59 | #22! |
|---|
| Dance With Mr. Domino | 1962 | (Imperial 5863) | #98 | ! |
|---|
| Nothing New (Same Old Thing) | 1962 | " | #77 | ! |
|---|
| Did You Ever See A Dream Walking | 1962 | (Imperial 5875) | #79 | ! |
|---|
| Stop The Clock | 1962 | " | #103 | ! |
|---|
| Won't You Come On Back | Hands Across The Table | 1962 | (Imperial 5895) | | ! |
|---|
| Hum Diddy Doo | Those Eyes | 1963 | (Imperial 5909) | #124 | ! |
|---|
| You Always Hurt The One You Love | Trouble Blues | 1963 | (Imperial 5937) | #102 | ! |
|---|
| True Confession | Isle Of Capri | 1963 | (Imperial 5959) | | ! |
|---|
| One Night | I Can't Go On This Way | 1963 | (Imperial 5980) | | ! |
|---|
| There Goes (My Heart Again) | 1963 | (ABC 10444) | #59 | ! |
|---|
| Can't Go On Without You | 1963 | " | #123 | ! |
|---|
| When I'm Walking (Let Me Walk) | 1963 | (ABC 10444) | #114 | ! |
|---|
| I've Got A Right To Cry | 1963 | " | #128 | ! |
|---|
| Red Sails In The Sunset | Song For Rosemary | 1963 | (ABC 10484) | #35 | #24!#34 |
|---|
| I Can't Give You Anything But Love | Goin' Home | 1963 | (Imperial 66005) | #114 | ! |
|---|
| Who Cares | | 1963 | (ABC 10512) | #63 | #27! |
|---|
| Just A Lonely Man | 1963 | " | #108 | ! |
|---|
| Your Cheatin' Heart | When I Was Young | 1964 | (Imperial 66016) | #112 | ! |
|---|
| Lazy Lady | 1964 | (ABC 10531) | #86 | #34! |
|---|
| I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire | 1964 | " | #122 | ! |
|---|
| If You Don't Know What Love Is | Something You Got Baby | 1964 | (ABC 10545) | | ! |
|---|
| Mary, Oh Mary | Packin' Up | 1964 | (ABC 10567) | #127 | ! |
|---|
| Sally Was A Good Old Girl | For You | 1964 | (ABC 10584) | #99 | ! |
|---|
| Kansas City | Heartbreak Hill | 1964 | (ABC 10596) | #99 | ! |
|---|
| Why Don't You Do Right | Wigs | 1965 | (ABC 10631) | | ! |
|---|
| Let Me Call You Sweetheart | Goodnight Sweetheart | 1965 | (ABC 10644) | | ! |
|---|
| I Done Got Over It | I Left My Heart In San Francisco | 1965 | (Mercury 72463) | | ! |
|---|
| What's That You Got? | It's Never Too Late | 1965 | (Mercury 72485) | | ! |
|---|
| The Lady In Black | Working My Way Up Steady | 1967 | (Broadmoor 104) | | ! |
|---|
|Big Mouth | Wait 'Til It Happens To You | 1967 | (Broadmoor 105) | | ! |
|One For The Highway | Honest Papas Love Their Mamas Better | 1968 | (Reprise 0696) | | ! |
|Lady Madonna | One For The Highway | 1968 | (Reprise 0763) | #100 | ! |
|Lovely Rita | Wait 'Till It Happens To You | 1968 | (Reprise 0775) | | ! |
|Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey| So Swell When You're Well | 1969 | (Reprise 0843) | | ! |
|Make Me Belong To You | Have You Seen My Baby | 1970 | (Reprise 0891) | | ! |
|New Orleans Ain't The Same | Sweet Patootie | 1970 | (Reprise 0944) | | ! |
|Sleeping On The Job | After Hours | 1978 | (Sonet 2168 -UK) | | ! |
|Whiskey Heaven | -- | 1980 | (Warner Brothers 49610) | | ! |
|My Toot Toot (Country) | My Toot Toot (Rock) | 1985 | (Toot Toot 001) | | ! |
|
*
Blue Monday: Fats Domino and the Lost Dawn of Rock 'N' Roll by Rick Coleman, Da Capo, 2006. 10 ISBN 0-306-81491-4
*
Fats Domino on Rock & Roll Hall of Fame site*
Domino's manager Bob Vernon's official website*
Fats Domino discography (music city)*
Vernon and Domino's Bobkat Music Trust* http://www.history-of-rock.com/domino.htm
* http://www.bsnpubs.com/imperial/imperiala.html
* http://www.geocities.com/shakin_stacks/fatsdomino.txt
* http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1142405984194440.xml
