Fats Domino, the amiable rock 害羞草研究所榥害羞草研究所� roll pioneer whose steady, pounding piano and easy baritone helped change popular music while honouring the traditions of the Crescent City, has died. He was 89.
Mark Bone, chief investigator with the Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, coroner害羞草研究所檚 office, said Domino died of natural causes early Tuesday.
In appearance, he was no matinee idol. He stood 5-feet-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 害羞草研究所淏lueberry Hill,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所滱in害羞草研究所檛 That a Shame害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� originally titled 害羞草研究所淎in害羞草研究所檛 It A Shame害羞草研究所澓π卟菅芯克鶖 and other standards of rock 害羞草研究所榥害羞草研究所� roll.
He was one of the first 10 honorees named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Rolling Stone Record Guide likened him to Benjamin Franklin, the beloved old man of a revolutionary movement.
His dynamic performance style and warm vocals drew crowds for five decades. One of his show-stopping stunts was playing the piano while standing, throwing his body against it with the beat of the music and bumping the grand piano across the stage.
Domino害羞草研究所檚 1956 version of 害羞草研究所淏lueberry Hill害羞草研究所� was selected for the Library of Congress害羞草研究所� National Recording Registry of historic sound recordings worthy of preservation. The preservation board noted that Domino insisted on performing the song despite his producer害羞草研究所檚 doubts, adding that Domino害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淣ew Orleans roots are evident in the Creole inflected cadences that add richness and depth to the performance.害羞草研究所�
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, where he lost three pianos and dozens of gold and platinum records, along with other memorabilia.
Many wondered if he would ever return to the stage. Scheduled to perform at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 2006, he simply tipped his hat to thousands of cheering fans.
But in May 2007, he was back, performing at Tipitina害羞草研究所檚 music club in New Orleans. Fans cheered 害羞草研究所� and some cried 害羞草研究所� as Domino played 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 Walkin害羞草研究所�,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所滱in害羞草研究所檛 It a Shame,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所漇hake, Rattle and Roll,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所滲lueberry Hill害羞草研究所� and a host of other hits.
That performance was a highlight during several rough years. After losing their home and almost all their belongings to the floods, his wife of more than 50 years, Rosemary, died in April 2008.
Domino moved to the New Orleans suburb of Harvey after the storm but would often visit his publishing house, an extension of his old home in the Lower 9th Ward, inspiring many with his determination to stay in the city he loved.
害羞草研究所淔ats embodies everything good about New Orleans,害羞草研究所� his friend David Lind said in a 2008 interview. 害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 warm, fun-loving, spiritual, creative and humble. You don害羞草研究所檛 get more New Orleans than that.害羞草研究所�
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 害羞草研究所� ragtime, blues and boogie-woogie 害羞草研究所� after his cousin left an old upright in the house. Fats Waller and Albert Ammons were early influences.
He quit school at age 14, and worked days in a factory while playing and singing in local juke joints at night. In 1949, Domino was playing at the Hideaway Club for $3 a week when he was signed by Imperial record company.
He recorded his first song, 害羞草研究所淭he Fat Man,害羞草研究所� in the back of a tiny French Quarter recording studio.
害羞草研究所淭hey call me the Fat Man, because I weigh 200 pounds,害羞草研究所� he sang. 害羞草研究所淎ll the girls, they love me, 害羞草研究所榗ause I know my way around.害羞草研究所�
In 1955, he broke into the white pop charts with 害羞草研究所淎in害羞草研究所檛 it a Shame,害羞草研究所� covered blandly by Pat Boone as 害羞草研究所淎in害羞草研究所檛 That a Shame害羞草研究所� and rocked out decades later under that title by Cheap Trick and others. Domino enjoyed a parade of successes through the early 1960s, including 害羞草研究所淏e My Guest害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 Ready.害羞草研究所� Another hit, 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 Walkin,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 became the debut single for Ricky Nelson.
Domino appeared in the rock 害羞草研究所榥害羞草研究所� roll film 害羞草研究所淭he Girl Can害羞草研究所檛 Help It害羞草研究所� and was among the first black performers to be featured in popular music shows, starring with Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers. He also helped bridge rock 害羞草研究所榥害羞草研究所� roll and other styles 害羞草研究所� even country/western, recording Hank Williams害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淛ambalaya害羞草研究所� and Bobby Charles害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淲alkin害羞草研究所� to New Orleans.害羞草研究所�
Like many of his peers, Domino害羞草研究所檚 popularity tapered off in the 1960s as British and psychedelic rock held sway.
Domino told Ebony magazine that he stopped recording because companies wanted him to update his style.
害羞草研究所淚 refused to change,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 had to stick to my own style that I害羞草研究所檝e always used or it just wouldn害羞草研究所檛 be me.害羞草研究所�
Antoine and Rosemary Domino raised eight children in the same ramshackle neighbourhood where he grew up, but they did it in style 害羞草研究所� in a white mansion, trimmed in pink, yellow and lavender. The front double doors opened into an atrium with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and ivory dominos set in a white marble floor.
In 1988, all of New Orleans seemed to be talking about him after he reportedly paid in cash for two Cadillacs and a $130,000 Rolls-Royce. When the salesman asked if he wanted to call his bank about financing, Domino smiled and said, 害羞草研究所淚 am the bank.害羞草研究所�
In 1998, he became the first purely rock 害羞草研究所榥害羞草研究所� roll musician to be awarded the National Medal for the Arts. But he cited his age and didn害羞草研究所檛 make the trip to the White House to get the medal from President Clinton.
That was typical. Aside from rare appearances in New Orleans, he dodged the spotlight in his later years, refusing to appear in public or even to give interviews.
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Associated Press writer Hillel Italie in New York City contributed to this story.
Janet McConnaughey And Kevin McGill, The Associated Press
