Fats Domino Rock 'n' Roll Pioneer Has Died at Age 89
Rosemary Domino
Domino  became a global star but stayed true to  his  hometown  where  his  fate was initially unknown after Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005. It turned out that  he  and  his  family were rescued by boat from  his  home  where  he  lost three pianos and dozens of gold and platinum records  along with other memorabilia.
Many wondered if  he  would ever return to the stage. Scheduled to perform at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 2006   he  simply tipped  his  hat to thousands of cheering fans.
But in May 2007   he  was back  performing at Tipitina's music club in New Orleans. Fans cheered â and some cried â as  Domino  played "I'm Walkin' " ''Ain't It a Shame " ''Shake  Rattle and Roll " ''Blueberry Hill" and a host of other hits.
That performance was a highlight during several rough years. After losing their home and almost all their belongings to the floods   his  wife of more than 50 years  Rosemary  died in April 2008.
 Domino  moved to the New Orleans suburb of Harvey after the storm but would often visit  his  publishing house  an extension of  his  old home in the Lower 9th Ward  inspiring many with  his  determination to stay in the city  he  loved.
"Fats embodies everything good about New Orleans "  his  friend David Lind said in a 2008 interview. " He 's warm  fun-loving  spiritual  creative and humble. You don't get more New Orleans than that."
In 1955  he broke into the white pop charts with "Ain't it a Shame" â but actually sang the lyrics as "ain't that a shame." The song was covered blandly by Pat Boone as "Ain't That a Shame" and rocked out years later by Cheap Trick.  Domino  enjoyed a parade of successes through the early 1960s  including "Be My Guest" and "I'm Ready." Another hit  "I'm Walkin '" became the debut single for Ricky Nelson.
 Domino  appeared in the rock 'n' roll film "The Girl Can't Help It" and was among the first black performers to be featured in popular music shows  starring with Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers. He also helped bridge rock 'n' roll and other styles â even country/western  recording Hank Williams' "Jambalaya" and Bobby Charles' "Walkin' to New Orleans."
Like many of his peers   Domino 's popularity tapered off in the 1960s as British and psychedelic rock held sway.
 Domino  told Ebony magazine that  he  stopped recording because companies wanted  him  to update  his  style.
"I refused to change "  he  said. "I had to stick to my own style that I've always used or it just wouldn't be me. "
Antoine and Rosemary Domino  raised eight children in the same ramshackle neighborhood where  he  grew up  but  they  did it in style â in a white mansion  trimmed in pink  yellow and lavender. The front double doors opened into an atrium with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and ivory dominos set in a white marble floor.
In 1988  all of New Orleans seemed to be talking about  him  after  he  reportedly paid in cash for two Cadillacs and a $130 000 Rolls-Royce. When the salesman asked if he wanted to call his bank about financing   Domino  smiled and said  "I am the bank."
In 1998   he  became the first purely rock 'n' roll musician to be awarded the National Medal for the Arts. But  he  cited  his  age and didn't make the trip to the White House to get the medal from President Clinton.
That was typical. Aside from rare appearances in New Orleans   he  dodged the spotlight in  his  later years  refusing to appear in public or even to give interviews.
Domino  became a global star but stayed true to  his  hometown  where  his  fate was initially unknown after Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005. It turned out that  he  and  his  family were rescued by boat from  his  home  where  he  lost three pianos and dozens of gold and platinum records  along with other memorabilia.
Many wondered if  [TGT]  [TGT]   would ever return to the stage. Scheduled to perform at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 2006   he  simply tipped  his  hat to thousands of cheering fans.
But in May 2007   he  was back  performing at Tipitina's music club in New Orleans. Fans cheered â and some cried â as  Domino  played "I'm Walkin' " ''Ain't It a Shame " ''Shake  Rattle and Roll " ''Blueberry Hill" and a host of other hits.
That performance was a highlight during several rough years. After losing their home and almost all their belongings to the floods   his  wife of more than 50 years  Rosemary  died in April 2008.
 Domino  moved to the New Orleans suburb of Harvey after the storm but would often visit  his  publishing house  an extension of  his  old home in the Lower 9th Ward  inspiring many with  his  determination to stay in the city  he  loved.
"Fats embodies everything good about New Orleans "  his  friend David Lind said in a 2008 interview. " He 's warm  fun-loving  spiritual  creative and humble. You don't get more New Orleans than that."
In 1955  he broke into the white pop charts with "Ain't it a Shame" â but actually sang the lyrics as "ain't that a shame." The song was covered blandly by Pat Boone as "Ain't That a Shame" and rocked out years later by Cheap Trick.  Domino  enjoyed a parade of successes through the early 1960s  including "Be My Guest" and "I'm Ready." Another hit  "I'm Walkin '" became the debut single for Ricky Nelson.
 Domino  appeared in the rock 'n' roll film "The Girl Can't Help It" and was among the first black performers to be featured in popular music shows  starring with Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers. He also helped bridge rock 'n' roll and other styles â even country/western  recording Hank Williams' "Jambalaya" and Bobby Charles' "Walkin' to New Orleans."
Like many of his peers   Domino 's popularity tapered off in the 1960s as British and psychedelic rock held sway.
 Domino  told Ebony magazine that  he  stopped recording because companies wanted  him  to update  his  style.
"I refused to change "  he  said. "I had to stick to my own style that I've always used or it just wouldn't be me.  [TGT] 
raised eight children in the same ramshackle neighborhood where  he  grew up  but   [TGT]   did it in style â in a white mansion  trimmed in pink  yellow and lavender. The front double doors opened into an atrium with chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and ivory dominos set in a white marble floor.
In 1988  all of New Orleans seemed to be talking about  him  after  he  reportedly paid in cash for two Cadillacs and a $130 000 Rolls-Royce. When the salesman asked if he wanted to call his bank about financing   Domino  smiled and said  "I am the bank."
In 1998   he  became the first purely rock 'n' roll musician to be awarded the National Medal for the Arts. But  he  cited  his  age and didn't make the trip to the White House to get the medal from President Clinton.
That was typical. Aside from rare appearances in New Orleans   he  dodged the spotlight in  his  later years  refusing to appear in public or even to give interviews.