Antoine Dominique Domino was born February 26, 1928 in New Orleans.
Around 1937 his family recovered an old ghostly piano on which his brother-in-law, Harrison Verrett,
taught him basic chords. To help his protege, he writes the names of the notes on each of the keys of
this honky-tonk piano. Very quickly Antoine has only one center of interest: the piano. On May 15, 1948,
he obtains his professional musician`s card. He then performed at"Robin Hood" in the formation of
Billy Diamond which he will quickly become the main attraction under the name"Fats" Domino. In 1949,
Antoine formed his first personal orchestra. He hires trumpet player and composer Dave Bartholomew
as music director and signs an exclusive deal with Imperial Records. Fats and Dave then adapted The
Junker`s Blues, which becomes The Fat Man, considered by some as the first Rock & Roll in history before
Roy Brown`s Good Rockin` Tonight. The single The Fat Man/Detroit City Blues released in January 1950
immediately incorporates the"play-lists" of most radios. In March 1952, his single Goin` Home integrates,
from publication, the ranking of hits in the R&B category. It will remain there for three months and will
reach for one week the first place. It will be dethroned by Lawdy Miss Clawdy a title of Lloyd Price on
which the piano part is ensured by .... Fats Domino! During the year 1953, we notice that Fats Domino
is the most listened artist on jukeboxes. From December 1954 to September 1962, all singles by Fats
Domino will know the honors of the charts, both Pop and R&B. He gets his second N°1, with Ain`t It A
Shame which will remain 26 weeks in the rankings. Other"Number One" will finish shaping the profile of
Fats Domino`s super star like All by Myself, Poor Me, I`m In Love Again ... Even the B-sides of his singles
integrate the charts! On July 9, 1955, Fats became the second R&B artist to win the Billboard Triple Crown
Award, that honors artists appearing in all three categories. In June 1956, Antoine recorded Blueberry
Hill, his most emblematic title. In April 1957, Domino`s almost exclusive reign at the top of the rankings
marked his first signs of abating. From now on he is competing with Whole Lotta Shakin `Going On (Jerry
Lee Lewis), Jailhouse Rock (Elvis Presley), Peggy Sue (Buddy Holly), You Send Me (Sam Cooke), Lucille
(Little Richard) and especially School Day (Chuck Berry) which dethrones Domino in first place in the R
& B ranking. Fats Domino is still bankable, and he is offered no less than $ 5,000 for his participation
in the movie"The Big Beat", whose title track appears in single in December. In 1958, the year of his
30th birthday, Fats has recorded about twenty titles, most of which will feature prominently the national
rankings, including Whole Lotta Loving in October which will be N°2. In 1959 his production diminished
and, on the six titles that appear in the hits parade, I Want to Walk You Home will be his last N°1 in July.
In June 1960, Walking to New Orleans will be his last title to enter the Top Ten in second place. The last
recording session for Imperial takes place in April 1962. On January 23, 1986, Fats Domino became one of
the top ten elected members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, along with Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Little
Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Sam Cooke, James Brown, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly and Ray Charles.