The Hits Of Fats

While many of rock and roll’s pioneers have continued to record and tour, it wasn’t the case for Antoine Dominique Domino Jr., known worldwide as ‘Fats’. In the early ’90s he’d decided that he’d had enough of touring, and the legendary singer-pianist chose to remain in his hometown of New Orleans in the years that followed. This may be why the news of his loss this past week at age 89 seemed a little muted, as it had been so long since he’d been in the musical spotlight. Still, it didn’t take any time at all for people to recognize just how strong an impact his recordings had on the direction of popular music.

Mr. Domino was born and raised in New Orleans – and he was playing piano in bars by the age of 14! His nickname came from comparisons to Fats Waller and Fats Pichon – although his eating habits at the time apparently played a role, too. By 1949 he started his recording career with “The Fat Man”, which went on to hit #2 on the R&B charts – and in the process, unintentionally helped along the creation of rock and roll.

Three years later, he broke into the pop top-40 for the first time with “Goin’ Home” – and it would take an additional three years before he made the top-10, thanks to a number he co-wrote with Dave Bartholomew, “Ain’t That A Shame”.

Unfortunately, it would be Pat Boone’s more mainstream version that got to #1 on the pop charts – an achievement not granted to Fats’ recordings. Still the tune would take on a life of its own over the decades, thanks to covers by such stars as the Four Seasons, Hank Wiliams Jr., Tanya Tucker, Brownsville Station, Cheap Trick, and separate takes by John Lennon (as it was the first song John had learned to play) and Paul McCartney.

1956 brought even bigger success Fats’ way, thanks to such hits as “Blue Monday” (another frequently covered tune that Dave wrote) and the double-sided single “I’m In Love Again” and “My Blue Heaven”.

The tune that would become most associated with Mr. Domino was also released that year: “Blueberry Hill”, a #2 pop hit and #1 R&B smash that was actually a cover of a 1940’s Gene Autry recording!

1957 brought along yet another landmark collaboration with Dave Bartholomew, in the form of “I’m Walkin'” (which would also jumpstart the singing career of teenager Ricky Nelson later that year, thanks to a cover version).

Fats continued to cross over regularly with such hits as 1958’s “Whole Lotta Lovin'” and 1959’s “I Want To Walk You Home”, with “I’m Gonna Be A Wheel Someday” as the latter’s B-side.

He got to pay tribute to his hometown in his final big hit, 1960’s “Walking To New Orleans”, backed by another of his songs with a heavy Crescent City influence, “My Girl Josephine”.

Fats Domino continued to record throughout the 1960’s, but a change both in record labels and popular music styles kept him from having any further big hits. Still, over the years he was frequently recognized for his musical contributions – including being part of the very first class inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1986. He also received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award the following year, and the National Medal of Arts from President Bill Clinton in 1998. (He also became the inspiration for the name that Dick Clark’s wife gave to singer Ernest Evans: Chubby Checker!)

Just before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, Fats chose not to evacuate – but after his home was damaged from the subsequent flooding, he was rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter and brought to safety. Despite losing much of what he owned, he was eventually able to return to his restored home, and even personally received a replacement medal from President George W. Bush. For the next few years he put in occasional appearances at concerts and other public events, and even made a cameo on HBO’s “Treme”. His final recordings from the 1990’s were released as a benefit album for area musicians, while some of rock music’s top names paid tribute to him on the album “Goin’ Home”, which helped to restore Fats’ hurricane-damaged publishing office.

Fats was often considered to be among the nicest stars in the music business, and he was among the first to bring elements of New Orleans culture into the mainstream. There’s also no doubt as to how much he shaped the early years of rock and roll. There may have been many who followed and learned from his musical and personal examples, but it’s just as clear that there will only be one Fats Domino.

The Influence Of Tom Petty

Tom Petty’s loss came as a shock to both casual fans and his most faithful followers, and it’s only been in the days since then that people have recognized just how influential he was over the years. Besides touring and recording with the Heartbreakers and Mudcrutch (and recording the occasional solo album), Tom also contributed to several recordings of other artists – sometimes singing and playing, other times writing and producing.

Barely five years into his recording career, Tom produced a comeback album for one his idols, pop-rock star Del Shannon. The final product, 1981’s “Drop Down And Get Me”, featured Del’s first top-40 hit in sixteen years: a cover of Phil Phillips’ “Sea Of Love” that predated Robert Plant and the Honeydrippers’ even bigger version three years later.

In 1985 two of Tom’s co-compositions with fellow Heartbreakers became hits for other artists, starting with Lone Justice’s first charting single, “Ways To Be Wicked” (co-authored with Mike Campbell). The year before, lead vocalist Maria McKee recorded a Tom Petty/Benmont Tench tune, “Never Be You”, for the film “Streets Of Fire” (in which Diane Lane and her fictional band Fire Inc. lip-synced to her version). Rosanne Cash had also recorded her own take of the song for the film, but hers wasn’t chosen; she went on to re-record it (in a style almost identical to Maria’s) for her 1985 album “Rhythm And Romance”, and ended up with a #1 country hit.

Another Petty composition, “Lost In Your Eyes”, had three separate cover versions. The Searchers had first recorded it n 1979, and it was revived by Don Johnson in 1986 and the Jeff Healey Band in 1992.

Seven years after the Searchers covered the song, Tom returned the favor by including his live cover of their “Needles And Pins” with Stevie Nicks on his live album – and it became a top-40 hit in 1986.

1986 was also the year the Heartbreakers joined Bob Dylan on tour. Bob would record one Petty tune, “I’ve Got My Mind Made Up” for his “Knocked Out Loaded” album, and write record another with Tom, “Band Of The Hand”, that became the title track to an obscure film. It would lead to their involvement in the Traveling Wilburys’ albums (with Bob as Lucky Wilbury and Tom as Charlie T. Wilbury, Jr.), including such songs as 1988’s “Last Night”.

In 1987 Tom was credited with a #1 country hit, thanks to his vocal contribution to Hank Williams Jr.’s cover of his father’s “Mind Your Own Business”, which also featured Reba McEntire, Willie Nelson… and the New York City evangelist Reverend Ike. If that doesn’t seem like a strange enough combination, the next year he guested on the Joni Mitchell number “Dancin’ Clown” – which also has Billy Idol on vocals, Steve Stevens on guitar, and Thomas Dolby on marimba!

Sadly, just as the Traveling Wilburys were hitting big, Roy Orbison – known as ‘Lefty Wilbury’ in the group – passed away at age 52. He had a posthumous top-10 hit in early 1989 with “You Got It”, which Roy co-wrote with Tom and Jeff Lynne (Otis Wilbury). Not long afterwards, George Harrison (Nelson Wilbury) released the song “Cheer Down”, featured in the film “Lethal Weapon 2” and co-written by George and Tom. Meanwhile, Tom’s highly successful solo album “Full Moon Fever” included a cover of “Feel A Whole Lot Better”, originally by one of his idols, the Byrds. In early 1991 Tom got to collaborate with the Byrds’ Roger McGuinn on “King Of The Hill”, the first single from “Back From Rio”.

(The video can be seen at this link.)

http://www.mtvbase.com/music/videos/pt7207/King-Of-The-Hill

In 1995, Tom Petty gave Rod Stewart the song “Leave Virginia Alone” for his first album of new material in four years, “A Spanner In The Works”.

In 1996 Tom collaborated with Johnny Cash, Bono, Willie Nelson, and Carl Perkins on “Give Me Back My Job”, which appeared on Carl’s album “Go Cat Go!”.

Over the years some of Tom’s songs received even more attention through cover versions. “Free Fallin'” has been remade by Stevie Nicks, Deana Carter, and perhaps most prominently by John Mayer, while interpreters of “I Won’t Back Down” have included everyone from blues singer Mem Shannon to rock acts Bon Jovi and Pearl Jam. (In person I’ve heard Nick Fradiani cover “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” and both Marty Stuart and Joe Nichols put a country spin on “Runnin’ Down A Dream”.) Glen Campbell performed Tom’s 1996 song “Walls” on his 2008 comeback album “Meet Glen Campbell”.

This year Tom produced the comeback album for another Byrds alumnus, Chris Hillman, and it was released just ten days before Tom Petty’s death at age 66. The final track on the album is a cover of the title cut from Tom’s 1994 solo disc “Wildflowers”.

Recent days have made it clear just how much impact Tom Petty, with and without his various bandmates, has had on American music over the past 41 years. He and the Heartbreakers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame back n 2002, and only added to their legacy with each album that followed. (I was lucky enough to see them perform in Hartford nine years ago – with Steve Winwood as opening act!) Still, as much as he’s already been recognized for his achievements, the lasting effects of Tom Petty’s contributions will still take time to realize.