It must be difficult to sing “Happy Birthday” to a living legend like Fats Domino, but friends, family, and fans alike had to do just that on Wednesday.
Domino celebrated his 86th birthday in the midst of Carnival season in New Orleans.
Not only did Domino celebrate his 86th birthday this year, he will also be the honorary grand marshal of the upcoming Krewe of Orpheus parade. Because he won’t be able to ride the float, his son, Antoine Domino III, will ride in his place on the float on March 3 on Lundi Gras. The float will feature a piano and speakers that will play many of Domino’s famous songs including “Blue Monday,” ”Blueberry Hill,” ”The Fat Man,” and “Walking to New Orleans.”
The Krewe of Orpheus is the “star-studded Carnival club that traditionally parades the night before Mardi Gras.”
Born in New Orleans on February 26, 1928, as Antoine Domino, Jr., “Fats” grabbed national attention with his single “The Fat Man” in 1950. After selling one million copies of the song by 1953, Domino then released the song “Ain’t That A Shame” in 1955.
Domino’s biggest hit came in 1956 with “Blueberry Hill.” It reached No. 2 on the Top 40 charts and No. 1 on the R&B charts, where it stayed for 11 weeks. Domino’s version of the song sold 5 million copies from 1956 – 1957 worldwide.
In 1986 Domino was a member of the inaugural class of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame.
Many took to Twitter to wish the Fat Man a “Happy Birthday” and relay their favorite Fats Domino song.
Happy Birthday #FatsDomino !!!
— Eugene Cobb (@cinemaofdreams) February 27, 2014
happy 86th birthday to the one & only Fats Domino.
— chad brown. (@chadillac__) February 27, 2014
Happy 86th Birthday to Fats Domino!!
#FatsDomino
— Italifiction (@ItalRissi) February 27, 2014
Happy birthday, to the great Fats Domino. Yup.
— Paul Kocak (@kocakwords) February 27, 2014
Happy 86th to the Fat Man https://t.co/WsxcgjsM1E #FatsDomino
— Kiran (@LadyRain782) February 27, 2014
share a birthday with singers Michael Bolton (61), Erykah Badu (43), and Corrine Bailey Rae (35), just to name a few.
Image via YouTube.