Fats Domino was born Antoine Dominique in New Orleans in 1928. Many members of his large, French-speaking family were musical; his brother-in-law gave him his first piano lessons when he was seven. He was greatly influenced by boogie-woogie pianists like Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis, but his trademark triplets were copied from the barrelhouse pianist Little Willie Littlefield. At fourteen Domino left school and worked days in a factory so that he could perform at local nightclubs, a circuit he shared with contemporaries Amos Milburn and Professor Longhair. A few years later he was discovered by New Orleans bandleader Dave Bartholomew, who served as a mentor to nearly every major musician to come out of the city. However, he had a special place in his heart for Domino and became his long-time writing partner and producer.
Domino signed with the Imperial label in 1949, and at his first recording session he recorded the traditional New Orleans folk song "Hey La Bas." La Bas is the voodoo god of luck (associated with the Catholic saint Peter), and undoubtedly he hoped this would bring him good fortune and success. If so, it worked. His next record, "The Fat Man," reached top of the R&B chart in 1950 and may have been a million seller. The title also became Domino's nickname. He enjoyed several more R&B hits before rock and roll took off in 1955. That year the white pop singer Pat Boone did a cover version of his song "Ain't That a Shame." Boone's version went to number one on the pop charts, and Domino's own record on Imperial went to number ten, thus establishing both as stars. Domino's rotund physique and sunny disposition seem to have dispelled the racist fears associated with other black rock and rollers like Chuck Berry and Lloyd Price, and he received a great deal of exposure on television and in the movies. He was also the best-selling African American songwriter of the '50s and '60s, and has sold more records than any other 1950s rock and roller except Elvis.
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Charles Brown, Albert Ammons, Nat King Cole, Little Willie Littlefield, Champion Jack Dupree
Must Haves:
 "Ain't That a Shame"
"I'm Walkin'"
"Blue Monday"
"The Fat Man"
Dr. John, Huey "Piano" Smith, Allan Toussaint, Chubby Checker, Randy Newman
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