Episode #8 – Fats Domino

This time I’m walkin’ to New Orleans
I’m walkin’ to New Orleans
I’m gonna need two pair of shoes
When I get through walkin’ these blues
When I get back to New Orleans

“Walking to New Orleans”
(Fats Domino, Dave Bartholomew, Bobby Charles)

Fats Domino was on my mind all day. The legendary Fats Domino passed away yesterday at 89 years old.  He sold more than 70 million records and is credited as being one of the founding fathers of Rock ‘n Roll. This interview from 2009 showed him to be a simple and down home kind of guy. He liked to play his piano and cook.

The interview with Fats Domino lead me to the ultimate tribute to a song – to walk from the Florida panhandle all the way to New Orleans, taking place 50 years after Fats Domino’s song “Walking to New Orleans” was recorded. A little money was raised to help rebuild the Lower 9th Ward, where Fats was from. The journey ended with me in Fats Domino’s house: with me sitting with him on his pink cadillac couch: drinking a cold beverage, singing a little and Mr. Domino signing the shoes I wore on my journey.

I drove off with him in his driveway constantly waving goodbye.