Fats Domino, the amiable rock 香蕉视频直播榥香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚 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 香蕉视频直播淏lueberry Hill,香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播滱in香蕉视频直播檛 That a Shame香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� originally titled 香蕉视频直播淎in香蕉视频直播檛 It A Shame香蕉视频直播澫憬妒悠抵辈 and other standards of rock 香蕉视频直播榥香蕉视频直播� 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香蕉视频直播檚 1956 version of 香蕉视频直播淏lueberry Hill香蕉视频直播� was selected for the Library of Congress香蕉视频直播� National Recording Registry of historic sound recordings worthy of preservation. The preservation board noted that Domino insisted on performing the song despite his producer香蕉视频直播檚 doubts, adding that Domino香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播淣ew Orleans roots are evident in the Creole inflected cadences that add richness and depth to the performance.香蕉视频直播�
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香蕉视频直播檚 music club in New Orleans. Fans cheered 香蕉视频直播� and some cried 香蕉视频直播� as Domino played 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 Walkin香蕉视频直播�,香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播滱in香蕉视频直播檛 It a Shame,香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播漇hake, Rattle and Roll,香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播滲lueberry Hill香蕉视频直播� 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.
香蕉视频直播淔ats embodies everything good about New Orleans,香蕉视频直播� his friend David Lind said in a 2008 interview. 香蕉视频直播淗e香蕉视频直播檚 warm, fun-loving, spiritual, creative and humble. You don香蕉视频直播檛 get more New Orleans than that.香蕉视频直播�
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 香蕉视频直播� ragtime, blues and boogie-woogie 香蕉视频直播� 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, 香蕉视频直播淭he Fat Man,香蕉视频直播� in the back of a tiny French Quarter recording studio.
香蕉视频直播淭hey call me the Fat Man, because I weigh 200 pounds,香蕉视频直播� he sang. 香蕉视频直播淎ll the girls, they love me, 香蕉视频直播榗ause I know my way around.香蕉视频直播�
In 1955, he broke into the white pop charts with 香蕉视频直播淎in香蕉视频直播檛 it a Shame,香蕉视频直播� covered blandly by Pat Boone as 香蕉视频直播淎in香蕉视频直播檛 That a Shame香蕉视频直播� and rocked out decades later under that title by Cheap Trick and others. Domino enjoyed a parade of successes through the early 1960s, including 香蕉视频直播淏e My Guest香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 Ready.香蕉视频直播� Another hit, 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 Walkin,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 became the debut single for Ricky Nelson.
Domino appeared in the rock 香蕉视频直播榥香蕉视频直播� roll film 香蕉视频直播淭he Girl Can香蕉视频直播檛 Help It香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播榥香蕉视频直播� roll and other styles 香蕉视频直播� even country/western, recording Hank Williams香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播淛ambalaya香蕉视频直播� and Bobby Charles香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播淲alkin香蕉视频直播� to New Orleans.香蕉视频直播�
Like many of his peers, Domino香蕉视频直播檚 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.
香蕉视频直播淚 refused to change,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚 had to stick to my own style that I香蕉视频直播檝e always used or it just wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be me.香蕉视频直播�
Antoine and Rosemary Domino raised eight children in the same ramshackle neighbourhood where he grew up, but they did it in style 香蕉视频直播� 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, 香蕉视频直播淚 am the bank.香蕉视频直播�
In 1998, he became the first purely rock 香蕉视频直播榥香蕉视频直播� roll musician to be awarded the National Medal for the Arts. But he cited his age and didn香蕉视频直播檛 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.
___
Associated Press writer Hillel Italie in New York City contributed to this story.
Janet McConnaughey And Kevin McGill, The Associated Press
