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Quick Facts
- NAME: Fats Domino
- OCCUPATION: Pianist, Singer
- BIRTH DATE: February 26, 1928 (Age: 83)
- PLACE OF BIRTH: New Orleans, Louisiana
- Originally: Antoine Domino, Jr.
- ZODIAC SIGN: Pisces
Best Known For
American singer and pianist Fats Domino was a rhythm-and-blues star who became one of the first rock-and-roll stars and who helped define the New Orleans sound.
Fats Domino. (2012). Biography.com. Retrieved 11:13, Feb 09, 2012 from http://www.biography.com/people/fats-domino-9276748
Fats Domino [Internet]. 2012. http://www.biography.com/people/fats-domino-9276748, February 09
" Fats Domino." 2012. Biography.com 09 Feb 2012, 11:13 http://www.biography.com/people/fats-domino-9276748
' Fats Domino', Biography.com,(2012) http://www.biography.com/people/fats-domino-9276748 [accessed Feb 09, 2012]
" Fats Domino," Biography.com, http://www.biography.com/people/fats-domino-9276748 (accessed Feb 09, 2012).
Fats Domino [Internet]. Biography.com; 2012 [cited 2012 Feb 09]. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/fats-domino-9276748.
Fats Domino, http://www.biography.com/people/fats-domino-9276748 (last visited Feb 09, 2012).
Fats Domino, http://www.biography.com/people/fats-domino-9276748 (last visited Feb 09, 2012).
Synopsis
Fats Domino was born February 26, 1928, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He began performing in clubs in his teens and in 1949 was discovered by Dave Bartholomew, who became Domino's exclusive arranger. His first recording, “The Fat Man” (1950), was one of a series of rhythm-and-blues hits that sold 500,000 to 1,000,000 copies. Fats Domino was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.
Contents
Rise to Fame
From a musical family, Domino received early training from his brother-in-law, guitarist Harrison Verrett. He began performing in clubs in his teens and in 1949 was discovered by Dave Bartholomew—the bandleader, songwriter, and record producer who helped bring New Orleans's J&M Studio to prominence and who became Domino's exclusive arranger. Domino's first recording, “The Fat Man” (1950), became the first of a series of rhythm-and-blues hits that sold 500,000 to 1,000,000 copies. His piano playing consisted of simple rhythmic figures, often only triad chords over a boogie pattern, forcefully played and joined by simple saxophone riffs and drum afterbeats (accents in a measure of music that follow the downbeat). These accompanied the smooth, gently swinging vocals he delivered in a small, middle baritone range, with even dynamics and a slight New Orleans accent, all of which made Domino one of the most distinctive rock-and-roll stylists.
Crossover Success
With "Ain't That a Shame" (1955) Domino became a favorite of white as well as black audiences. "Blueberry Hill" (1956), his most popular recording, was one of several rock-and-roll adaptations of standard songs. The piano-oriented Domino-Bartholomew style was modified somewhat in hits such as “I'm Walkin'” (1957) and "Walking to New Orleans" (1960). He appeared in the 1956 film The Girl Can't Help It. One of his last hits was a version of the Beatles' “Lady Madonna” (1968). Domino was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.
Copyright © 1994-2011 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. For more information visit Britannica.com
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