Fats Domino: 'Godfather of rock'n'roll' remembered as pioneer whose piano helped change popular music

The “godfather of rock’n’roll” Fats Domino has been remembered as a pioneer whose pounding piano helped change popular music, after his death was announced in New Orleans. He was 89.

Domino, who for a while was mistakenly thought to have been killed when Hurricane Katrina devastated his New Orleans neighbourhood in 2005, died at home on Tuesday of natural causes, the Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Office said.

The singer and pianist, whose influence was cited by other musical heavyweights including The Beatles and Tom Petty, sold more than 110 million records throughout his lifetime, with songs including “Blueberry Hill”.

He produced more hit records than three other giants of the Fifties – Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Buddy Holly – combined, and was described by Elvis as “one of my influences from way back”.

Domino earned his nickname thanks to his short, squatty stature, as well as a tribute to two other musicians – Fats Waller and New Orleans native Fats Pichon.

Antoine Domino Jr was born 26 February 1928, one of nine children and the son of a violin player.

In his youth, Domino taught himself popular piano styles – ragtime, blues and boogie-woogie.

He left school at the age of14, finding work in a factory until he was signed by Imperial record company seven years later.

Domino’s first record, “The Fat Man”, was released in 1949 and became the first rock’n’roll record to sell over a million copies, achieving a No 2 ranking on the R&B charts.

In 1955, he broke into the white pop charts with “Ain’t it a Shame”, but his popularity waned with the explosion in the 1960s of British and psychedelic rock.

Reports in 2005 of Domino’s death following Hurricane Katrina proved to be untrue, and it turned out that he and his family were rescued by boat from his home, from which he lost three pianos and dozens of gold and platinum records.

Domino was one of the first 10 honoured by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the first purely rock’n’roll musician to be awarded the National Medal for the Arts.

But in later life he made few public appearances, refusing interviews and avoiding the spotlight – aside from a 2012 cameo spot in the HBO series “Treme”.

Quint Davis, producer of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and a long-time friend of Domino, said his impact was only matched by another musical legend: Louis Armstrong.

“There are only two people from New Orleans, of New Orleans, that have changed the music of the world, and that’s Louis Armstrong and Fats Domino,” he said.

“Louis brought jazz in his own personal way from New Orleans to a world that really didn’t know it, and Fats was right there with Elvis and the birth of rock’n’roll and brought that to the world.”

Greg Harris, CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, said Domino was “the godfather of rock’n’roll”.

“We’ve lowered the flag and we’re playing his music all day.”

Funk legend Bootsy Collins said the genre had “lost another original great … who helped pioneer the blue print of our musical highway”.

Co-founder of the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, said Domino’s music would “last forever”, while rapper LL Cool J said his work had “inspired me to dream”.