Taking a Lesson from The Fat Man for 2009: Fats Domino and the Courage to Go On
Posted: Dec 31, 2008Sunday night I watched the public television premiere of the documentary Fats Domino— Wallkin' Back to New Orleans. I found in that film a message of hope and inspiration for all of us for the coming year—not just for New Orleans, but for America and the world. When the levees break, we soldier on!
Fats (Antoine) Domino lost his home in the Lower Ninth Ward and all his belongings, including a lifetime of memorabilia, in the flood that followed Hurricane Katrina. In fact, Domino himself and his family were feared dead until film footage showed rescuers helping him from a boat. Domino and his family had been removed from the house by way of a second floor window.
Domino lived most of his life in New Orleans' Ninth Ward, the area where he was born. In 1980 he declared he would no longer leave New Orleans (not even to perform at the White House), although he was persuaded by his agent to go as far as Dallas in 1986. So it was when Hurricane Katrina took aim for New Orleans, Domino, along with many other residents, refused to leave his home.
In 2006, one year after the devastation of Katrina, Domino was scheduled to appear at the New Orleans Jazz Festival to show support for the struggling city that had been his home and that had claimed his heart. He was too ill to perform at the Festival, but he did appear on stage to wave to an enthusiastic and appreciative audience.
However, in May 2007, Fats Domino at the age of 79 appeared at Tipitina's in a benefit concert that brought down the house. On this historic occasion, the extremely shy, publicity shunning, home-loving Domino reached deep into himself and with a "Herculean effort" (according to the film) performed a concert with all the energy and charm and expertise of his younger self. Once, during the performance, he left the stage saying to his friend and promoter of the event that he could not continue. Then suddenly, he was back on the stage giving 110 percent for the city and the people he loved so much.
The film Fats Domino—Walkin' Back to New Orleans had its "live" premiere at Tipitina's
on November 11, and the Fat Man was there at the screening. The photo in this dispatch of Domino and his daughter Andrea are from that appearance. Rosemary Domino, the wife of Fats Domino to whom the film is dedicated, died in April of 2008.
For me, Fats Domino is a beacon and an inspiration. Many of us may feel, as we move into 2009, that the economic levees have broken and the flood is imminent. However, when I examine the life of Fats Domino and listen to his music, I know that "Blue Monday" is just another day in the week and that not only will New Orleans rise out of the rubble but also that we will survive.
New Orleans continues to rebuild. (See Friends of New Orleans on Swampland. ) The 2009 Sugar Bowl will be held in New Orleans at the Louisiana Superdome on January 2. And on February 26, 2009, Fats Domino will turn 81 years young. To read more about this amazing music icon, take a look at Rick Coleman's exhaustive 2006 biography—Blue Monday: Fats Domino and the Lost Dawn of Rock 'n' Roll.
Best wishes for a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year!
---Penne J. Laubenthal
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Comments
jlaubmd says...
Touching & true!!! We will all survive this somehow, as we always have & always will... Thanks Mom, for the positive energy. Wishing you a Fabulous New Year, Love, me...