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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZDOMINO, Fats(b Antoine Domino, 26 February 1928, New Orleans LA) Singer, pianist, bandleader; hitmaker in R&B, then one of earliest and best-loved of '50s rock'n'roll stars, with 36 top 40 hits in eight years, 66 altogether in Billboard's Hot 100 '55-68. His first language was French; he sang and played in public age ten; heard by Dave Bartholomew and signed by Imperial, his first recording session '49 included traditional 'Hey La Bas', indicating coming together of many decades of New Orleans history and musical influence: 'La Bas' was originally a voodoo god of luck, later identified in French/Catholic Louisiana with St Peter. His first release was his first R&B chart hit '50, a cleaned-up drug song 'The Fat Man'. Saxophonist Herb Hardesty (b 3 March 1925; New Orleans; d 3 December 2016, Las Vegas) said that on his way to the recording session he thought they were going to record music for a radio mystery drama.) Fats's fifth release 'Every Night About This Time' used the piano triplet for which he became famous, showing the influence of Little Willie Littlefield (b 16 September 1931, Houston TX; no. 3 R&B hit 'It's Midnight' on Modern '49). Fats's R&B hits included 'Goin' Home' '52; he became a crossover act '55 when Pat Boone covered 'Ain't That A Shame' for a no. 1 pop hit and Fats's own record made no. 10. Five pop chart entries '56 included 'I'm In Love Again', 'Bo Weevil'; 'Blue Monday' '57 (featured in film The Girl Can't Help It, probably the best rock'n'roll movie ever made). 'I'm Walkin' ' was covered by Ricky Nelson that year, the beginning of Nelson's career in music. Most of the hits were Domino/Bartholomew comps, though 'All By Myself' '55 was essentially the same song recorded by Big Bill Broonzy many years earlier. All the hits were made in Cosimo Matassa's legendary New Orleans studio. Fats had hits with other old and new material including 'Blueberry Hill' and 'What's The Reason I'm Not Pleasin' You' '56; 'Red Sails In The Sunset' '63; also Hank Williams's 'Jambalaya' '62, Beatles' 'Lady Madonna' '68. His smoky, blues-tinged voice with a trace of French accent was instantly likeable; the party-music formula perfectly captured the innocent pleasure of early pop/rock with the rolling boogie-woogie influenced piano, riffing saxes, rocking tenor solo (often by Lee Allen or Hardesty); the band rocked hard with a heavy backbeat but made it sound easy. He still played Las Vegas well into the '70s, London's Royal Festival Hall '80s; compilation albums still selling: any LP from Imperial masters (now owned by EMI) is the authentic New Orleans stuff, but Domino '65 on Mercury captured the live act superbly. |