Fats Domino (1928 – 2017)

An appreciation of the late singer-pianist

Fats Domino, who passed away on Oct. 24, 2017 at the age of 89, was a legendary singer-pianist and one of the last major surviving rock and rollers from the 1950s.

Domino sold more than 65 million records and in his career had 35 major hits and five million sellers.

He was born Antoine Dominique Domino Jr. in New Orleans on Feb. 26, 1928

A professional by the time he was 14, Domino began recording in 1949, having an early hit with “The Fat Man.”

Mixing together early rhythm and blues with New Orleans music, Domino became extremely popular in the 1950s and early 1960s with his hits including “Ain’t That A Shame,” “Blueberry Hill,” “Ï’m Walkin’” and “Walking To New Orleans.”

Although the hits sopped after 1963, Domino continued to be a household name and a popular attraction throughout the rest of his life, going into semi-retirement after 1995.

Here is Fats Domino performing “Blueberry Hill” in 1958 on the Ed Sullivan Show.

-Scott Yanow