Happy Birthday to Fats - 81 today.

let's cherish these guys... not many of them still with us.

Happy b'day Fats! - guess it's time to dust of that box set of his and play some timeless music....

So glad I was able to see him perform at the New Orleans Jazz Festival a few years back.

Happy Birthday Fats!!!

Yeah - let's hear it for the Fat Man. He weighs 200 pounds! One of the all time greats.

Thanks for reminding us, Adrian-L !

Since the location of Fats' house is common knowledge, at least among music lovers in New Orleans, I thought I would post a pic of it here.



This pic was taken after Katrina. You can see the rescue workers' markings in the in the center of the house.
Nice of them to paint the markings on the brick facade rather than the wood door!

This home is located in the now-famous, thanks to Katrina, Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans.
This is mostly a lower-income, working class neighborhood and, I believe, Fats has lived in this neighborhood most of his life.
I am thinking this home probably took on about three to four meters of water during the hurricane.
After the storm, Fats moved to a gated, and I assume more upscale community in the New Orleans area.

I do not know Fats personally, but it is my understanding that Fats has lived his life very grounded to his roots in New Orleans.
He very rarely travels far from home, and did not even want to leave for the hurricane.
Very many of the "old New Orleans people" are like that, and Fats is a great example.
I think it is safe to assume Fats had the means to evacuate, but he chose to stay at home, with his wife, in his neighborhood.
A former co-worker of mine who lived not far from Fats, "old New Orleans people," a husband & wife enjoying their retirement years and also could have evacuated, sadly did not make it out of their neighborhood.

One final story about Fats:
A local TV reporter, Bill Elder, was granted an interview with Fats several years ago.
Mr. Elder showed up at the home pictured above, and Fats was absolutely amazed that a TV reporter would come out to his house to interview him.
Fats was so excited over this that he insisted Mr. Elder take a walk around the neighborhood and meet Fats' friends.
Poor Mr. Elder never got the interview he wanted because they spent the entire time walking the neighborhood and chit-chatting with Fats' neighbors!

True story.

A great read Edith Grove, a shy, humble man who never forgot where he came from. I flew in that year to Mobile, Alabama and drove over to New Orleans with seeing Fats as my number one priority. Ray Charles also played that afternoon and I was thrilled to see him as well.

Lots of love to Fats...one of the kings of piano not to mention his vocal chords.

God Bless Antoine Dominique "Fats" Domino.
Happy 81st!!!!

does he tour the US or mostly just play at or close 2 home?

81 ... WOW ... congratulations

-------------------
Keep On Rolling

Quote
timbernardis
does he tour the US or mostly just play at or close 2 home?

Mostly close to home, and even very rarely at that.

A few years ago he was a recipient of a Kennedy Center Honor, and he refused to travel to Washington even for that.

He must be in his 80's by now?

Gowd bless the Fat Man.

I just bought 1st pressing of I've been around/Be my guest!

I'll give it a whirl in his honour.....

Recent photo on his site....
Fats Domino

Can't beat the Fat Man - in my opinion, he doesn't get the credit he deserves. He ought to be mentioned in the same sentence as Elvis, Chuck, The Beauty & The Killer (Bo Diddley deserves to be in there as well).

I'm gonna go listen to the Imperial set...

I love Fats! He really is the gravy on the biscuits!

Quote
The Ghost Of Good taste
Can't beat the Fat Man - in my opinion, he doesn't get the credit he deserves. He ought to be mentioned in the same sentence as Elvis, Chuck, The Beauty & The Killer (Bo Diddley deserves to be in there as well).

I'm gonna go listen to the Imperial set...

I'll second that!

CBII

Yeah candles have cooooooled by now but 'appy Berfday Fats...



ROCKMAN

Happy B-day Fats. I never got to see Fats. He was supposed to be at a 50's festival I went to back in the late eighties and it was about 100 degrees and he has heart problems so he could not perform. Too bad I wanted to see him sing Walkin' to New Orleans one of my all-time favorite tunes.

Here 'ya go, slew: