Antoine "Fats" Domino Jr. (February 26, 1928 – October 24, 2017) was an American pianist and singer-songwriter of French Creole descent. Five of his records released before 1955 sold over a million copies and were certified as gold records, and he had 35 records in the U.S. Billboard Top 40. His musical style was based on traditional rhythm and blues, accompanied by saxophones, bass, piano, electric guitar, and drums.
Domino was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, the eighth and final child of Antoine Caliste Domino (1879–1964) and Marie-Donatille Gros (1886–1971). The Domino family was of French Creole background. Louisiana Creole French was his first language. Antoine was born at home with the assistance of his grandmother, a midwife. His name was initially given as Anthony on his birth certificate but was later corrected. Domino learned to play the piano from his brother-in-law, the jazz guitarist Harrison Verrett while studying shipping management at his local community college. Even after his success, he continued to live in his old neighborhood. His large home was roomy enough for his 13 children, but he still preferred to sleep in a hammock outside. (Read more at Wikipedia)
Links To Peel
Peel was a fan of Fats Domino's music and in the later stages of his career would often play his songs on his shows. Domino was one of the artists who made a deep impact on the young John Ravenscroft in the 1950s. .In Margrave Of The Marshes, Sheila Ravenscroft writes that after buying Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel" in 1956, nothing was ever the same for Peel;: "That, along with early records by Fats Domino, Little Richard and Bill Haley, changed his life and, for better or worse, made him who he was" (p.308).
Like many rock and roll pioneers, Fats Domino's career went into decline in the 1960s, but a comeback album for Reprise in 1968, Fats Is Back, was well-received by critics in magazines such as Rolling Stone. Domino's career also benefited from the revival of interest in early rock and roll at the end of the 1960s and beginning of the 1970s.. The first known play of a Fats Domino track on a Peel show is on Radio Luxembourg in 1972.
Fats Domino's "Fat Man", recorded in 1949, is considered by some to be the first rock and roll hit record and in the 2000s Peel played the track in reference to himself as an overweight man. Peel seemed to favour Fats Domino's classic singles, rather than his later material. Some of them were played in the final year of Peel shows as Pig's Big 78s. In 1999, the DJ nominated Domino's "Rose Mary" as one of his favourite tracks of 1951 for his Peelenium.
Peelenium
- Peelenium 1951: Rose Mary
Shows Played
- Radio Luxembourg Tracklistings 5: Ain’t That A Shame (2xLP - Fats Domino: Legendary Master Series, 1972) UA
- 1973
- 10 May 1973: Ain’t It A Shame (2xLP - Fats Domino: Legendary Master Series, 1972) UA
- 1975
- 10 April 1975: Going To The River
- 1979
- 22 January 1979: Ain’t That A Shame (unknown release)
- 24 September 1979: The Fat Man (single – Walking To New Orleans) United Artists reissue
- 03 October 1979: Blueberry Hill (unknown release)
- 1981
- 14 September 1981: unknown
- 1982
- 10 July 1982: Rose Mary
- 1983
- 04 January 1983: I'm In Love Again
- 1985
- 22 October 1985: 'Rose Mary' (LP 'Boogie Woogie Baby') Ace
- 28 October 1985: Nobody Loves Me (album - Boogie Woogie Baby) Ace
- 1987
- 03 August 1987: Domino Stomp (LP – Imperial Musicians 1951-62) Stateside
- 07 September 1987: 'When My Dreamboat Comes Home'
- 02 October 1987 (BFBS): 'When My Dreamboat Comes Home (7")' (London)
- 16 November 1987: Ain't It A Shame (v/a LP - Cruisin' 1955) Increase
- 1990
- 29 September 1990: If You Need Me
- 20 October 1990: Rose Mary
- 09 November 1990 (BFBS): Rose Mary
- 1992
- 25 January 1992: When My Dreamboat Comes Home
- 1993
- 17 April 1993: 'Blue Monday (7 inch ) (Imperial)
- 15 May 1993 (BFBS): I'm In Love Again
- 29 May 1993: ‘When My Dream Boat Comes Home’
- 1994
- 15 January 1994: ‘So Long (LP - The Fats Domino Story Volume 3)’ (United Artists)
- 14 October 1994: Ain't That A Shame (CD - Spirit Of New Orleans) Imperial
- 22 October 1994 (BFBS): Ain't That A Shame
- 1995
- 05 August 1995: I'm In Love Again (CD – Radio Gold Volume 3) Ace
- 1997
- 13 March 1997: ‘Before I Grow Too Old (Various Artists CD - Fabulous Flips Volume 3 )’ Ace
- 28 April 1997: Don't Blame It On Me (album - Fats Domino The Imperial Singles Volume 2) Ace
- 08 May 1997: You Said You Love Me (album - The Imperial Singles Volume 2) Ace
- 13 May 1997: 'Rose Mary (CD – The Imperial Singles Vol 2 1953-1956)’ Ace
- 22 May 1997 (BFBS): 'Rose Mary (CD-The Imperial Singles Vol. 2)' (Ace)
- 23 May 1997 (BFBS): 'Rose Mary (CD-The Imperial Singles Vol. 2)' (Ace)
- 03 June 1997: Love Me (CD - Imperial Singles Volume 2) Ace
- 19 June 1997 (BFBS): 'Love Me (CD-The Imperial Singles Volume 2)' (Ace)
- 26 June 1997 (BFBS): 'Swanee River Hop (CD-The Imperial Singles Volume 2)' (Ace)
- 17 July 1997: ‘I Can’t Go On Rosalie (CD – Imperial Singles Volume 2)’ Ace
- 23 July 1997: ‘Don't Blame It On Me (CD - Imperial Singles Volume 2 1953-1956)' Ace
- 05 August 1997: ‘If You Need Me (CD – The Imperial Singles Volume 2 1953-1956)’ Ace
- 1998
- 08 January 1998: I'm In Love Again (album - The Fats Domino Story Vol.III: Blueberry Hill) United Artists
- 1999
- 26 January 1999: So Long (LP: Blueberry Hill) United Artists
- 03 February 1999: 'When My Dreamboat Comes Home (LP-The Fats Domino Story Vol 3 "Bliueberry Hill")' (United Artists)
- 04 February 1999 (Radio Eins): So Long (album - Blueberry Hill) Pickwick / 33 SPC 3111
- 21 September 1999: Rose Mary Peelenium 1951
- 18 November 1999: 'Valley Of Tears (7"-B side of The Fat Man)' (United Artists)
- 2002
- 06 November 2002: The Fat Man (EP - My Blue Heaven) Liberty
- 2004
- 17 February 2004: Blueberry Hill (10") Imperial (Pig's Big 78)
- 21 July 2004: The Fat Man
- 15 September 2004: I'm in Love Again (78) London (Pig's Big 78)
- 07 December 2004 (Rob Da Bank): I'm in Love Again (78) London (Pig's Big 78)
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