Fats Domino facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fats Domino
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Domino in 1962
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| Born |
Antoine Dominique Domino Jr.
February 26, 1928 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
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| Died | October 24, 2017 (aged 89) Harvey, Louisiana, U.S.
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| Years active | 1942–2017 |
| Spouse(s) |
Rosemary Hall
(m. 1947; died 2008) |
| Children | 8 |
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Fats Domino, whose real name was Antoine Dominique Domino Jr., was an amazing American musician. He was a singer, songwriter, and piano player. Born in New Orleans in 1928, he became one of the first stars of rock and roll music. Fats Domino sold over 65 million records during his career!
Many people say his first song, "The Fat Man," was one of the very first rock and roll hits. It even sold more than a million copies. He had many popular songs like "Ain't That a Shame" and "Blueberry Hill." Between 1955 and 1960, he had eleven songs that reached the top 10 on the music charts.
Fats Domino was a shy person, but his music had a huge impact. Even famous musicians like Elvis Presley and The Beatles said he influenced them a lot. Elvis once called him "the real king of rock 'n' roll." Several of his songs, like "Blueberry Hill" and "Ain't That a Shame," are so important that they are in the Grammy Hall of Fame. He was also one of the first people to join the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.
Contents
Discovering Fats Domino's Life Story
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Antoine Domino Jr. was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the youngest of eight children. His family had a French Creole background, and French Creole was his first language. His father played the violin part-time.
Antoine learned to play the piano around 1938. His brother-in-law, Harrison Verrett, who was a jazz guitarist, taught him.
Starting His Music Career in the 1940s
By the time he was 14, Fats Domino was already playing piano in bars in New Orleans. In 1947, a bandleader named Billy Diamond heard him play at a barbecue. Domino played so well that Diamond asked him to join his band, the Solid Senders. He earned $3 a week playing the piano at the Hideaway Club. Diamond gave him the nickname "Fats" because he reminded him of other famous pianists named Fats, and because he loved to eat!
Becoming a Star with Imperial Records (1949–1962)
In 1949, Fats Domino signed with Imperial Records. He and producer Dave Bartholomew wrote the song "The Fat Man." This song sold a million copies by 1951! It featured Domino's unique piano style and his "wah-wah" singing. Many people consider "The Fat Man" to be the first rock and roll record to sell so many copies. It was later added to the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Domino made many hit songs with Dave Bartholomew. Other talented musicians also played in his band, including saxophonists Herbert Hardesty and Alvin "Red" Tyler, and drummers Earl Palmer and Smokey Johnson.
Even though he recorded for Imperial, Domino sometimes played piano for other artists. He played the memorable piano part for Lloyd Price's hit song "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" in 1952.
Fats Domino became popular with all kinds of audiences. His song "Ain't That a Shame" became a Top Ten hit in 1955. This was his first song to appear on the main pop music charts. He had 37 songs that reached the Top 40, but none made it to number 1 on the Pop chart.
His album Rock and Rollin' with Fats Domino came out in 1955. It included many of his hits.
In 1956, he recorded "Blueberry Hill," an old song that had been recorded by others before. His version reached number 2 on the Billboard Juke Box chart and was number 1 on the R&B chart for 11 weeks. It was his biggest hit, selling over 5 million copies. This song was later recorded by Elvis Presley and Led Zeppelin. "Blueberry Hill" also entered the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Between 1956 and 1959, Domino had more hit singles. These included "I'm Walkin'," "Valley of Tears," and "Be My Guest." In 1957, he said that what people called "rock 'n' roll" was just the rhythm and blues he had been playing for 15 years in New Orleans.
Fats Domino appeared in two movies in 1956: Shake, Rattle & Rock! and The Girl Can't Help It. He also performed on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1957.
In 1962, Domino toured Europe and met The Beatles. They later said he was a big inspiration for their music. After returning, he started playing shows in Las Vegas.
Imperial Records was sold in 1963, and Domino left the label. He had recorded over 60 singles for Imperial. Forty of his songs reached the top 10 on the R&B chart, and 11 reached the top 10 on the Pop chart.
New Recordings and Later Career (1963–1970s)
In 1963, Fats Domino moved to ABC-Paramount Records. He had to record in Nashville, Tennessee, instead of New Orleans. This meant he worked with new producers and arrangers, and his long partnership with Dave Bartholomew ended for a while. The new recordings sometimes included a country-style singing group. He released 11 singles for ABC-Paramount, but only one, "Red Sails in the Sunset," made it into the Top 40. By the end of 1964, new bands from Britain, like The Beatles, became very popular, and Domino's songs stopped appearing on the charts as often.
Even without many chart hits, Domino kept recording until about 1970. He later recorded for Mercury Records and then for Reprise Records. In 1968, he had a Top 100 hit with his cover of The Beatles' song "Lady Madonna."
Domino appeared in The Monkees' TV special 33⅓ Revolutions per Monkee in 1969. He also opened for Ike & Tina Turner at Carnegie Hall in 1971. He remained a popular performer for many years. He even made a small appearance in Clint Eastwood's movie Any Which Way You Can in 1980, singing "Whiskey Heaven."
Later Career and Awards (1980s–2005)
In 1986, Fats Domino was one of the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987. His last album for a major record label, Christmas Is a Special Day, came out in 1993.
Fats Domino lived in a large house in his old neighborhood in New Orleans. He was often seen driving his bright pink Cadillac. He performed every year at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and other local events.
His last tour was in Europe in 1995. After that, he decided not to leave the New Orleans area anymore. He had enough money from his music and didn't like touring. In 1995, he received the Ray Charles Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 1998, President Bill Clinton gave him the National Medal of Arts. Domino chose not to go to the White House to receive it.
In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 25 on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time."
Fats Domino and Hurricane Katrina
When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in August 2005, Fats Domino decided to stay home with his family. His house was in an area that flooded very badly.
There were rumors that Domino had died in the hurricane. Someone even spray-painted "RIP Fats. You will be missed" on his house. But on September 1, it was reported that he had been rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter! Even his family hadn't heard from him until then.
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Domino and his family were taken to a shelter. Then, JaMarcus Russell, a football player and Domino's granddaughter's boyfriend, let them stay in his apartment. Domino later said, "We've lost everything."
By January 2006, work began to fix Domino's home. President George W. Bush personally visited him and replaced the National Medal of Arts that was lost in the flood. His gold records were also replaced.
Later Life and Final Performances
Fats Domino was supposed to perform at the 2006 Jazz & Heritage Festival. However, he was feeling anxious and had to cancel. He did appear on stage to greet the audience.
In 2006, his album Alive and Kickin' was released. The money from this album helped a foundation that supports local musicians in New Orleans. The album included unreleased songs from the 1990s and was highly praised.
On January 12, 2007, Domino received a Lifetime Achievement Award from OffBeat magazine. The Mayor of New Orleans even declared that day "Fats Domino Day in New Orleans."
Domino returned to the stage on May 19, 2007, for a sold-out show at Tipitina's in New Orleans. This was his last public performance. The concert was filmed for a TV special called Fats Domino: Walkin' Back to New Orleans. He donated his performance fee to charity. Later that year, an album called Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino was released. It featured famous artists like Elton John and Neil Young singing his songs.
In September 2007, Domino was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
In October 2012, Domino appeared as himself in an episode of the TV series Treme. On August 21, 2016, he was inducted into the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame.
Death
Fats Domino passed away on October 24, 2017, at his home in Harvey, Louisiana. He was 89 years old and died of natural causes.
Fats Domino's Influence and Legacy
Fats Domino was one of the biggest rock and roll stars of the 1950s. However, he didn't always see it as a brand new type of music. In 1957, he said, "What they call rock 'n' roll now is rhythm and blues. I've been playing it for 15 years in New Orleans." Many experts agree that rock and roll was heavily influenced by rhythm and blues music.
He was one of the first Black artists to become popular with white audiences. Some people believe that his music and tours helped to break down racial segregation in the United States. Domino himself said, "It wasn't anything but the same rhythm and blues I'd been playin' down in New Orleans."
Both John Lennon and Paul McCartney of The Beatles recorded Fats Domino songs. McCartney even wrote The Beatles' song "Lady Madonna" to sound like Domino's style. Domino also recorded "Lady Madonna" in 1968. McCartney later recorded more of Domino's songs for his own album.
Fats Domino was in the audience at Elvis Presley's first concert in Las Vegas in 1969. When a journalist called Presley "The King," Elvis pointed to Domino and said, "No, that's the real king of rock and roll." Elvis also said that Domino was "a huge influence on me when I started out."
In 1994, two musicians from Ireland won the Eurovision Song Contest with a song called "Rock 'n' Roll Kids." The songwriter got the idea for the title while at a Fats Domino concert in Dublin.
The American band Cheap Trick recorded "Ain't That a Shame" in 1978. It became a hit for them. Many say it was Domino's favorite cover of his song.
Many other artists have covered Fats Domino's songs. The Jamaican reggae artist Yellowman covered "Be My Guest" and "Blueberry Hill."
In 2007, many famous artists came together to record an album called Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino. It featured his songs sung by Paul McCartney, Norah Jones, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and Elton John.
Experts like Richie Unterberger say that Fats Domino was one of the most consistent artists in early rock music. He was the best-selling Black rock and roll star of the 1950s. His first hit, "The Fat Man," is often called one of the first rock and roll records.
Domino's unique rhythm, which emphasized the offbeat, also influenced ska music.
Personal Life and Family
Fats Domino was married to Rosemary Domino from 1947 until she passed away in 2008. They had eight children together.
Even after he became famous, he continued to live in his old neighborhood in New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina, he moved to a nearby suburb.
Discography
- Rock and Rollin' with Fats Domino (1956)
- Fats Domino Rock and Rollin' (1956)
- This Is Fats Domino! (1956)
- Here Stands Fats Domino (1957)
- This Is Fats (1957)
- The Fabulous Mr. D (1958)
- Alive and Kickin' (2006)
Images for kids
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In Spanish: Fats Domino para niños
