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A little background on Fats Domino:

The "black" neighborhood in New Orleans where Fats Domino grew up was only about four blocks from my house. In my pre-teen years before he made the big time he used to drive through the neighborhood in a ( real, ) wood-paneled station wagon with these big, grey PA type speakers that looked like megaphones, on the roof. He had "Fats Domino" painted on the sides of the wagon, ( some of the wood panels were rotting out. ) ( Kids, ask Kathy what a station wagon is and if there really were station wagons with real wood paneling. ) :-) These speakers were blaring out his then unknown music.

Everytime he passed we would wave. He would wave back and that infectious smile would light up his face.

The house he grew up in was literally a "shack." However, when he made the big time he remained, ( I suppose one could say, ) "true" to his "people." ( Also, after he made the big time he got rid of the station wagon and opted either for a Cadillac or a chauffeur-driven limosine, depending upon his mood each day. ) :-)

The house he built was gaudy, huge, terribly out-of-place and all colors of pastel BUT, in his old neighborhood.....among all of the black "shacks."

It was on Caffin Ave one block North of St. Claude Ave on the way toward Chalmette. There was a Piggly Wiggly on the corner of St Claude and Caffin Aves on the opposing corner of his house. I don't know if the house is still there because I haven't been down there in over 25 years or so.

Fats liked to gamble. The Las Vegas hotels used to LOVE to sign him to contracts because he would gamble away much more money than the contract was worth.