Domino helped shape the sound of rock
Fats Domino, who helped shaped rock ’n’ roll with such songs as “Blueberry Hill,” “Blue Monday,” “Ain’t That a Shame” and “I’m Walkin’,” has died.
The New Orleans singer and piano player was 89.
Mark Bone, chief investigator with the Jefferson Parish, La., coroner’s office, told The Associated Press that the rock pioneer died Tuesday.
Born Antoine Dominique Domino on Feb. 26, 1928, Domino got the nickname “Fats” playing piano at clubs when he was a child. At 14, he dropped out of school so he could get a day job at a factory and play the bars at night.
In 1949, Domino joined forces with trumpet player Dave Bartholomew on his first single “The Fat Man,” which went on to sell 1 million copies.
During the 1950s, when rock ’n’ roll was coming into its own, Domino was one of its driving forces. In 1955, his song “Ain’t That a Shame” became a top 10 hit; others followed, including “Blueberry Hill,” peaking at No. 2 in 1956.
Although his career declined in the 1960s, Domino kept recording and performing, and his music influenced the next generation of artists, including the Beatles. He was in the inaugural class of inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.
Later, Domino vowed to give up touring and never leave New Orleans — even when he received a National Medal of Arts and an invite to the White House in 1998.
Domino was rescued by helicopter during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, lost his National Medal of Arts in the disaster. Later, President George W. Bush visited him at home to deliver the replacement.
“There’s no place like New Orleans for me,” Domino said in 2007. “I like that nightclubs stay open all day and all night. People are friendly here. You can’t find better food.”