Antoine Dominique Domino Jr

Antoine Dominique Domino Jr.[4] was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, the eighth and final child of Antoine Caliste Domino (1879–1964) and Marie-Donatille Gros (1886–1971). The Domino family was of French Creole background. Louisiana Creole was his first language.

Antoine was born at home with the assistance of his grandmother, a midwife. His name was initially given as Anthony on his birth certificate but was later corrected.[5] His family had newly arrived in the Lower Ninth Ward from Vacherie, Louisiana.[6] His father was a violin player.[7]

He attended the Louis B. Macarty School for less than four grades, leaving to start work as a helper to an ice delivery man.[4] Domino learned to play the piano from his brother-in-law, the jazz guitarist Harrison Verrett,[1][8] while studying shipping management at his local community college.

The artist was married to Rosemary Domino from 1947 until her death in 2008 and was the father of eight children.[9] Even after his success he continued to live in his old neighborhood, the lower Ninth Ward, until after Hurricane Katrina, when he moved to a suburb of New Orleans.[10][11]

Early career (1947–1948)
By age 14, Domino was performing in New Orleans bars.[2][12] In the summer of 1947, Billy Diamond, a New Orleans bandleader, accepted an invitation to hear the young pianist perform at a backyard barbecue. Domino played well enough that Diamond asked him to join his band, the Solid Senders, at the Hideaway Club, in New Orleans. Diamond nicknamed him "Fats", because Domino reminded him of the renowned pianists Fats Waller and Fats Pichon but also because of his large appetite.[13][2]