We grew up hearing that Elvis Presley invented rock and roll. But Elvis himself never quite believed that.
He said it plainly: “Rock ‘n’ roll was here a long time before I came along. Let’s face it: I can’t sing like Fats Domino can. I know that.”
He also called Domino something even more striking. The real king of rock and roll.
Fats Domino came up in New Orleans, and his sound had deep roots in early R&B, the music that rock and roll grew out of. His rolling piano style and infectious rhythm got into your body before you even knew what was happening.
If you ever heard “Blueberry Hill,” you know exactly what we mean. That song landed in the Grammy Hall of Fame, and for good reason. It is one of those recordings that sounds as alive today as it did when he first played it.
Domino’s reach went far beyond any single song, though. The Beatles were influenced by him. And “Lady Madonna”, one of their most distinctive tracks, was reportedly written to sound like Domino’s style. Once you hear them side by side, you cannot unhear it.
In 1986, Domino was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of its very first class. That same year, he performed at Austin City Limits, playing “Blueberry Hill,” “Ain’t That a Shame,” and “Walking to New Orleans” for an audience that clearly knew every word.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recently shared footage from that performance, and it is something to see. The man was pure joy behind that piano.
Rock and roll has always had deeper roots than the history books gave it credit for. Domino was one of those roots. And even Elvis, the man the whole world called the King, knew exactly who he had learned from.
