Fats Domino was a legend from New Orleans, and an R&B and rock ‘n’ roll icon who was selling millions of records since the 1950s. Domino’s music broke through the racial prejudice of a heavily-segregated era, crossing over with hits such as “The Fat Man” (1949), “Ain’t That A Shame” (1955), and more. On Wednesday, October 25, 2017, Domino passed away after sixty years of making music.
How much money has Fats Domino accumulated over the years? Let’s take a look at just how much bread this cat had before his passing…
Fats Domino Net Worth as of 2017: $8 Million
Fats Domino pulled in an impressive $8 million before his death. Before 1955, Domino already had released five records that sold more than one million copies each. The legendary R&B pianist has released nearly 59 albums during his career which has spanned more than half a century. The late musician has sold more than 65 million records throughout his lifetime, according to his official web site. In 1986, he became one of the first people to be inducted into the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame. He was also honored with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1986, the National Medal of Arts in 1998. Rolling Stone has named Fats Domino the 25th greatest musician of all time.
1947 – 1956
Fats Domino began his music career in 1947, as part of the Solid Senders, at the Hideaway Club, in New Orleans. The bandleader Billy Diamond nicknamed the young musician “Fats” because Domino reminded him of the renowned pianists Fats Waller and Fats Pichon.
In 1949, Fats Domino received national attention with his first recording “The Fat Man,” which would go onto to sell one million records by 1953. At that time, selling one million records was an unprecedented feat for a rock ‘n’ roll musician. Though, Domino truly hit the mainstream in 1955 with his hit “Ain’t That A Shame.”
His 1956 song “Blueberry Hill” became Domino’s next biggest hit, reaching No. 2 in the Top 40 and earning the number one spot on the R&B chart for 11 weeks. That year, he also appeared in two films: Shake, Rattle & Rock, and The Girl Can’t Help It.
1956 – Present
Domino debut single “The Fat Man” came out with Imperial Records, and he stayed with the label until it closed down in 1963. “I stuck with them until they sold out,” said Domino in 1979. He recorded 60 singles for the company, with 40 songs in the top 10 of the R&B chart, and 11 in the top 10 of the pop chart.
In 1963, Domino moved onto ABC-Paramount Records. The company gave Domino a new producer and arranger, which altered the musician’s style by adding a countrypolitan-style vocal chorus to most of his new recordings, which may have affected his chart performance in a negative way. While with the company, he released 11 singles, several reaching the Top 100, while only one song hit the Top 40 (“Red Sails in the Sunset”, 1963).
The legendary R&B musician continued making music up until 2007, when he retired from the industry. He was one of the first people to be inducted in the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame, back in 1986. He passed away on Wednesday, October 25, 2017
