Chapter 13: Rock and Roll Pt. 1
Antoine “Fats” Domino (1928–2017) was one of the most influential figures in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll. A singer, pianist, and songwriter, Domino brought the rich musical traditions of New Orleans—jazz, boogie-woogie, and rhythm and blues—into the national spotlight with a warm, relaxed style that stood in contrast to the more flamboyant energy of contemporaries like Little Richard.
Raised in a musical family, Domino left school at age 14 to work in a factory by day and play clubs by night. He soon joined the band of trumpeter Dave Bartholomew, a pivotal figure in the New Orleans music scene. Bartholomew would become Domino’s producer, arranger, and songwriting partner. Their collaboration, recorded under the Los Angeles-based independent label Imperial Records resulted in a string of hits that blended Domino’s gospel and blues roots with a rhythmic vitality that appealed to both Black and white audiences.
Domino’s first major R&B hit, “The Fat Man” (1950), is often cited as an early rock and roll record. It features his signature boogie-woogie piano style, a swinging rhythm section, and a memorable falsetto wah-wah solo—a vocal technique that approximated a harmonica sound. The song employed a modified eight-bar blues structure, which Domino often favored over the more typical twelve-bar form. “The Fat Man” showcased a sound rooted in the traditions of New Orleans but already pointing toward the stylistic hallmarks of rock and roll.
By the mid-1950s, Domino had placed more than a dozen hits on the R&B charts. His first major crossover success came with “Ain’t That a Shame” (1955), which reached No. 1 on the R&B chart and broke into the Top 10 on the pop chart. Although a more polished cover version by Pat Boone climbed even higher on the pop charts, Domino’s original version remained a defining track of the era. Throughout the second half of the decade, Domino continued releasing a string of hits, including “I’m in Love Again,” “I’m Walkin’,” “Blue Monday,” “Whole Lotta Loving,” and his most successful single, “Blueberry Hill.”
Domino’s 1956 version of “Blueberry Hill”—a Tin Pan Alley standard previously made famous by the Glenn Miller Orchestra in the 1940s—reached No. 2 on the pop charts and topped the R&B charts. With this recording, Domino exemplified a crucial shift in American popular music: rather than modifying his style to fit pop conventions, he made mainstream audiences embrace his rhythm and blues approach. His full-throated vocals, New Orleans accent, and relaxed groove replaced the crooning and refined diction that had long characterized pop music. In doing so, Domino bridged the gap between older popular styles and the emerging rock and roll sound.
A similar approach underpinned his hit “My Blue Heaven” (1956), another reworking of a 1920s Tin Pan Alley tune. These reinterpretations of earlier standards, performed with Domino’s rhythmic bounce and piano-driven arrangements, became part of a broader industry trend: updating old pop favorites with a modern rock beat to meet the demand for fresh material.
Domino's sound remained consistent throughout his career: a refined, understated style built on New Orleans rhythms, rolling piano lines, and a gentle yet compelling vocal delivery. Unlike the overtly theatrical performances of Little Richard or Jerry Lee Lewis, Domino’s stage presence was calm and approachable. He famously remained seated at the piano, letting the music speak for itself without the flamboyant gestures or onstage antics of some of his peers. This restraint, along with his affable personality and nonthreatening image, contributed to his wide crossover appeal.