Ballads Of Fats Domino

Fats Domino was a charter member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame precisely because he knew how to rock houses around the world like only a handful of his first-generation peers. The Fat Man personified the red-hot sound of New Orleans rhythm and blues like no one else during the 1950s and beyond, his delightful Creole accent, two-fisted piano prowess, and mighty horn-fueled band running like a well-oiled machine fine-tuned to a second-line beat.But there was another side to Fats, a bluesier, more ruminative approach that's extensively spotlighted on this 32-song collection, which spans 1952-1961. Some of his top sellers for Lew Chudd's Imperial Records are on board--Blueberry Hill, Poor Me, Don't Blame It On Me, Blue Monday--but you'll also find a wealth of lesser-known gems that underscore the Crescent City magic summoned up at each and every session by Fats and his collaborative partner, trumpeter/bandleader/producer Dave Bartholomew. The rhythms may be a little more restrained and Domino's vocals a little warmer and more mellow, but his trademark Big Easy charm is here in joyous abundance.