Fats Domino Biography

Antoine Dominique Domino Jr., popularly known as Fats Domino, was an American pianist, singer, and songwriter. A pioneering rock 'n' roll artist, his unique musical style has an immense impact on rock 'n' roll music in the 1950s. He became popular with his first release, ‘The Fat Man’, and later earned widespread prominence with singles like ‘Ain't That a Shame’ and ‘Blueberry Hill.’ Born in a musical family, he learnt to play the piano at seven, and by the time he was ten, he had begun performing as a singer and pianist. He started playing the piano for bandleader Billy Diamond, who gave him the nickname ‘Fats’. After signing with Imperial Records, he released ‘The Fat Man’, which he co-wrote with Dave Bartholomew. The single peaked at the second position on the R&B charts and created a record by becoming the first rock 'n' roll song to sell a million copies. He continued to churn out several hits with his distinctive style of piano playing and melodious voice. Despite his popularity, he faced racial discrimination on several occasions. After he started experiencing health problems in 1995, he stopped touring and attended local events only. Later on, he also stopped recording and preferred to live off the royalties from his earlier recordings.