Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Fats Domino

Antoine "Fats" Domino, February 26, 1928 to October 24, 2017. Fats died today at the great old age of 89. A New Orleans musician who remained true to his roots, Fats was a great asset to his city. He lived in the Lower Ninth Ward where Hurricane Katrina did her most damage, sweeping whole blocks of houses right off their foundations in the middle of the night of August 23. 2005. Fats' house survived the blast of water bur remained partially submerged and he had to be rescued by firemen who cut through the roof to rescue him from his attic. Fats helped out his fellow New Orleans musicians by starting a fund to replace the musical instruments lost in the hurricane. 



Here is a quote from my Blog on the day we visited the Lower Ninth Ward:

Fats Domino’s House
Here is Fats Domino’s house and studio. It is right in the Lower Ninth Ward district as Fats wanted to live with the people who put him into stardom. The first floor of the house was submerged by Katrina and Fats, who wanted to stay in his house and studio and “ride out” the storm, had to be rescued through the roof of the house. He intends to move back into the house after repairs are completed. Fats started a fund to replace instruments of New Orleans musicians that were lost in the hurricane. His fund has generated over $300,000. Here is his house with his studio attached. It looks almost ready for the big guy to move back in. Ironically, one of Fats’ big hits was Blue Monday and it was on a Monday that Katrina struck his house!

Fats

9 comments:

  1. As a preteen, one of Fats'records was the first that I ever purchased. Then as a teenager we moved from Shreveport, La. to Baton Rouge. The well known Bantam Club out on Airline Hwy was where the people came while they were aspiring to stardom. I saw Fats there and several others who went on to fame and fortune. Great memories, great music and super musicians.

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    1. Great memories! We were young at a great time to be young!

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  2. Some amazing music from Fats, and great legend that will be remember for a very long time.

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  3. Just loved Fats and his music! I know I am prejudiced, but the genre of music we had growing up was so much better than the music today; at least I could understand the words more than today's music. When the "heavy metal" music came along, I just buried my head in the sand. Thanks, Fats, for such a wonderful gift of music; we will miss you and "Blueberry Hill."

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    1. I so agree with you Dee, music was so much better then. We had DJ's on AM radio like Wolfman Jack and up here in Canada, Red Robinson and my high school buddy, Tim Burge playing all the "top 40's' all day long.

      I had discussions with my friend John who Blogged from Mexico about this. He was a recording engineer with Capital Records in California back in the day and was actually sitting in the bar with Janis Joplin the night she died. He had great credentials, having been friends of all four Beetles, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Rivers and many more. He claimed there were still great singers being produced, they were just a little harder to find. We never did come to any agreement on this subject.

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    2. Oh my goodness, Wolfman Jack! I listened to him on the radio while doing my school homework. And, of course, watched Dick Clark's Bandstand from Philly; we had a copycat local program on WSAV-TV in Savannah, Georgia called Bill Loadman's Dance Party, and I was on it with my dance partner. But when Mr. Loadman put the microphone in front of me to say something, I would freeze like a deer in headlights. Dick Clark also left me with a lot of great memories.

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    3. Correction--Dick Clark's American Bandstand from Philly!

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    4. I remember rushing home after school to watch Don Cornelius and his Soul Train! I thought those kids were so cool!

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    5. Now, on Soul Train their dancing was VERY COOL. Don Cornelius has also passed on, God bless him; I loved his deep, throaty voice. He was well suited for both radio and television media.

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