Given that so many legendary figures in rock and roll have passed away, it seems remarkable that perhaps the greatest one of all time is still with us today. Antoine “Fats” Domino, Jr. turns 88 today, February 26. Fats has always kept a lower profile than his more flamboyant peers such as Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley, preferring to avoid the spotlight and be close to his family in his home base of New Orleans’ Ninth Ward. But the piano player and singer behind such mega-hits as “Ain’t That a Shame,” “I’m Walkin’” and “Blueberry Hill” is unquestionably one of the founders of what we know today as rock and roll, and to date has sold over 60 million records. Fats was among the first class of inductees in the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame in 1986.
Tonight a new documentary on the life and legacy of Fats Domino, Fats Domino and The Birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll, premieres on PBS. In the meantime, watch Fats make a rare live appearance on Austin City Limits in 1986 and play his rollicking classic tune “Blue Monday”.
