Fats Domino, legendary rock and roll musician and pioneer, has passed away today at the age of 89.
Real name Antoine Domino Jr., Fats Domino was one of the most popular recording artists of the ’50s and ’60s, with numerous chart hits and millions of sales – second only to Elvis Presley in the 1950s.
Beyond his commercial achievements, Fats Domino is also accredited with ushering in rock and roll, with his debut single ‘The Fat Man‘ often cited as the first rock and roll song. Beyond that, his popularity and generosity of character also opened the door for many more African American musicians – primarily from the jazz and blues realm – to become legitimate stars and recognised recording artists.
His influence on the music of the decades that followed his heyday cannot be overestimated, and he was deservedly among the first to be entered into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.
Domino passed away in his home town of New Orleans, Louisiana – a city he loved so much that he refused to leave it for the last handful of decades of his life.
It is truly sad to see such a monumental figure leave this Earth, but his music lives on, and this gives us an opportunity to celebrate it.
