Author: Rick Coleman
Publisher: Da Capo Press
Year Published: 2006
Type: Biography
Format / Pages: / 364 pages
Review: Rick Coleman has crafted a memorably written masterpiece in his biography of Fats Domino. What you may have thought you knew about the legend is here, plus much, much more. Fats Domino has had an influence on many genres of music, and he is greatly respected by jazz and blues patrons.
The photos are black & white, and noteworthy because many of them have not been published before. As a photo guide to Fats Domino, these pictures are highly valuable. The photo opposite page 245 is the perfect photo of Fats as we know him! Bibliography and notes add to the topnotch quality of this book, and the index is in-depth.
There are nineteen chapters to the book in addition to the prologue. Each chapter stands out on its own for examining the life of Fats Domino. What emerges is a wonderfully candid look at the man who gave the world such classics as "Blueberry Hill," "Ain't That A Shame," and "I'm Walkin'." Over the years these same songs have been recorded by jazz artists.
The chapters capture Fats Domino, and do so in a captivating manner. This book should appeal to a wide audience with its keen insights into Domino.
Domino was born into a musical family in 1928. He learned the intricate New Orleans-style piano from his brother-in-law, Harrison Verrett. He learned boogie-woogie and the blues from popular records. Domino created a large work of hit songs from 1950 to 1963 totaling over eighty songs. A man who guarded his privacy, he enjoyed performing and appreciated his fans.
The chapters include "A Different Drummer," "Hideaway Blues," "My Blue Heaven," "The Big Beat," "Walking to New Orleans," "Love You 'Til the Day I Die," among others. The story of Fats Domino is a story of tragedy, endurance, survival, and triumph. His survival of the Katrina disaster is detailed. He endured the cruelty of segregation.
This book is the definitive biography of Fats Domino. It is all there, plus more! This biography is a genuine enjoyment to read.
Rick Coleman was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and has been writing about popular music for twenty-five years. His work has appeared in numerous magazines and he lives in New Orleans. This is an exceptional biography in all ways -- it has class, verve, sensitivity, accuracy, and candor, and it reveals the essence of one of the all-time greats, Mr. Fats Domino.
Additional Information: Check it out @ Amazon.com
ISBN: 139780306814914
Reviewed by: Lee Prosser
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