Rock ’n’ roll loses a trailblazer
Fats Domino, the NEW ORLEANS amiable rock ’n’ roll pioneer whose steady, pounding piano and easy baritone helped change popular music while honouring the traditions of the Crescent City, died Tuesday. He was 89.
Mark Bone, chief investigator with the Jefferson Parish, La., coroner’s office, said Domino died of natural causes at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday.
In appearance, he was no Elvis Presley. He stood 5-foot-5 and weighed more than 200 pounds, with a wide, boyish smile and a haircut as flat as an album cover. But Domino sold more than 110 million records, with hits including Blueberry Hill, Ain’t It a Shame and other standards of rock ’n’ roll.
He was one of the first 10 honorees named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Domino’s 1956 version of Blueberry
Hill was selected for the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry of historic sound recordings worthy of preservation.
Domino became a global star but stayed true to his hometown, where his fate was initially unknown after hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005. It turned out that he and his family were rescued by boat from his home.
Many wondered if he would ever return to the stage. But in May 2007 he was back, performing at Tipitina’s music club in New Orleans.
After losing their home and almost all their belongings to the floods, his wife of more than 50 years, Rosemary, died in April 2008.
“Fats embodies everything good about New Orleans,” his friend David Lind said in a 2008 interview. “He’s warm, fun-loving, spiritual, creative and humble. You don’t get more New Orleans than that.”
The son of a violin player, Antoine Domino Jr. was born on Feb. 26, 1928, to a family that grew to include nine children. As a youth, he taught himself popular piano styles — ragtime, blues and boogie-woogie — after his cousin left an old upright in the house. Fats Waller and Albert Ammons were early influences.
Domino told Ebony magazine that he stopped recording because companies wanted him to update his style.
“I refused to change,” he said. “I had to stick to my own style that I’ve always used or it just wouldn’t be me.”