Fats Domino and The Birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll Full Episode (American Masters streaming)

PBS ^ | Premiere date: February 26, 2016 - Video expires March 25, 2016 | no byline

[a fool in paradise]

Fats Domino and The Birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll premieres nationally during Black History Month on the legendary performer’s 88th birthday, Friday, February 26 at 10 p.m. (check local schedule). The one-hour documentary traces how Fats Domino’s brand of New Orleans rhythm and blues morphed into rock and roll, appealing to black and white audiences alike. Actor Clarke Peters narrates.

Fats Domino was one of the most popular rockers of the 1950s and early 60s. His achievements and record sales during that time were rivaled only by Elvis Presley. With his boogie-woogie piano playing rooted in blues, rhythm & blues, and jazz, he became one of the inventors, along with Presley, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard of a revolutionary genre of music, rock ‘n’ roll.

Fats Domino was born Antoine Domino, Jr. on February 26, 1928. He was the last of eight Domino children and the only one of his siblings born in New Orleans. His journey from a poor childhood in the Lower Ninth Ward to a key figure in rock ‘n’ roll is told using vintage performances of Domino and his band interwoven with reminiscences of fellow architects of rock ‘n’ roll.

Among those interviewed are producer/songwriter/bandleader and longtime collaborator Dave Bartholomew, who co-wrote and produced most of Domino’s hits; J&M studio owner, engineer and producer Cosimo Matassa, who was involved in creating rock ‘n’ roll recordings by Domino, Little Richard, Ray Charles, Lloyd Price and many others; and saxophonist Herb Hardesty, a mainstay of both Domino’s and Bartholomew’s bands.

Learn more about the film: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/fats-domino-and-the-birth-of-rock-n-roll/6230/

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The DVD featuring both the one hour PBS broadcast and the 90-minute “director’s cut” will be available on the same day from Shanachie Entertainment.

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PBS link (source) takes you to the stream or click here:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/fats-domino-full-episode/6753/

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For anyone looking for an option alternative to the Oscars.

[Vaquero]

I found my thrill.....

.....but not watching the Oscars

[sparklite2]

I was in junior high when Fats got into rock and roll.
Other things going on were duck-tail haircuts, pants with little belts in the back, boy’s leather shoes with one big zipper controlled by one big flap, the hot color combination of the day was pink and black, and of most importance, the breakout styling of the 1955 automobiles.

White singers did sanitized covers of black R & B, such as Ricky Nelson’s pale version of “I’m Walking” and Pat Boone’s white bread “Ain’t That a Shame.” If Elvis hadn’t come along, we’d have had to invent him.

In Hollywood, the dream couple was Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. At least until Eddie betrayed her for Elizabeth Taylor.

Good times, sorta.

[faithhopecharity]

as long as the D party has divided us into racial groups,
may we have a white history month, too?

(we ALL have things to celebrate, I’d much prefer a day for each group and not a month...30 days of old civil rights march repeats on pbs is getting a bit tiring, frankly)

[JoeProBono]

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Here’s something you don’t see everything, Jerry Lee Lewis playing a piano on top of a piano that is being played by Little Richard on top of a piano that is being played by Fats Domino. From an “aired one time” Monkees tv special in the 60s.

https://youtu.be/uI1V9RmFX8I?t=971

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Fats was into rock and roll for years by 1955.

Pat Boone’s version was a million seller and financially rewarded Domino and took Domino’s version to the pop charts. It was a tepid record though.

Blueberry Hill was itself a cover.

Glenn Miller - Blueberry Hill (Billboard No.10 1940)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooYmgwrxnbs

[Fiji Hill]

the hot color combination of the day was pink and black...

"Pink and Black Days," a program about the early years of rock and roll heard at 8:00 PM PST on Saturdays over the Fifties on Five channel on Sirius satellite radio is one of my favorite broadcasts.

[Fiji Hill]

One of my favorite Fats Domino hits:

Every Night About This Time (1950)

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1928 recording of Keep A Knockin’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE2YCFcZK0A

1930s Milton Brown’s Texas Swing version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHxbVB9X0Xc

1939 Louis Jordan’s 1939 version of Keep A Knockin’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pcve7daxNM

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Little Richard recorded that one in the early 1960s when he “wasn’t” rockin and rollin (publicly) anymore.

His name was not on this record, it came out under the name of his backing band, The Upsetters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CyjcW07WdU

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And the flip from Little Rich:
(Yes it’s me) I’m In Love Again
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX3CDY2XJQw

[Fiji Hill]

Korea Blues (1950--flip side of Every Night About This Time).

Uncle Sam ain't no woman, but he sure can take your man.
Uncle Sam ain't no woman, but he sure can take your man.
He's taking them every night to go to Korea and fight.

The people over there messed up. They have made it very rough.
The people over there messed up. They have made it very rough.
We have to go over there and show them what it means to be real tough.

So pray for me, baby, I'll be thinking of you night and day.
So pray for me, baby, I'll be thinking of you day and night.
With the help of the Maker, everything will be all right.

[sparklite2]

In the years just before rock and roll’s emergence, we watched Your Hit Parade every week, showcasing the top ten songs of that week. YHP didn’t survive rock and roll, probably because the rock songs didn’t sound as good when done by pop artists like Snookie Lanson, Dorothy Collins, or Giselle McKinsey. McKinsey just couldn’t sing rock and absolutely hated it, anyway. She went to her dying day cursing rock and roll.

Up until then, we had to listen to stuff like “Sixteen Tons,” “Canadian Sunset”,”How Much is that Doggie in the Window”, “This Old House,” and “Dance with me Henry.”
It was tough, I tell ya.

[sparklite2]

At the height of pink and black, Packard came out with a Clipper convertible tricked out in those colors. It’s the only car I’ve ever seen like that. It was like, whoa!

[Fiji Hill]

I saw Fats Domino perform in Las Vegas in 1991. He didn't sing, but he played the piano, backed by a band of musicians who were clearly veteran performers. Fats gave a masterful performance.

Also on the bill was Chubby Checker, who was clearly over the hill. However, during his performance, he announced to the audience news of the armistice that ended the 1991 Iraqi war.

[TigerClaws]

He played a friend’s wedding. 50 grand. Cash.

Apparently Fats owes the casinos in Vegas millions of dollars. Has to work ‘off the books.’

[jeannineinsd]

Thank you. I am not going to watch the Oscars. I will enjoy this Fats Domino Special.