FatsDomino

Antoine Domino Jr. was born in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans in 1928, into a French Creole family with deep roots in the city. He taught himself piano as a child and by his teens was already performing in the city's clubs, developing the rolling, triplet-heavy style derived from Professor Longhair that would become his signature.

His first recording, 'The Fat Man' (1949), is often cited as one of the first rock and roll records, and it was only the beginning. Throughout the 1950s, Domino and his producer and songwriting partner Dave Bartholomew crafted a series of classic singles — 'Ain't That a Shame,' 'Blueberry Hill,' 'I'm Walkin'' — that crossed over from R&B to massive pop success.

'Blueberry Hill' (1956) became his signature, selling millions of copies and demonstrating his extraordinary gift for melody and warmth. By the late 1950s he had sold more records than any artist except Elvis Presley. His influence on the Beatles — who covered his songs and credited him as a primary influence — helped shape the course of popular music worldwide.

Domino remained in his beloved New Orleans through Hurricane Katrina in 2005, refusing to evacuate and requiring dramatic rescue. He died in 2017 at his home in Harvey, Louisiana, having never really left the sound or spirit of New Orleans. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1986.