Blue Monday: Fats Domino and the Lost Dawn of Rock 'n' Roll - Hardcover

Coleman, Rick

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0306814919 ISBN 13: 9780306814914

Publisher: Da Capo Press, 2006

Synopsis

Rock 'n' roll defined the last half of the twentieth century, and while many think of Elvis Presley as the genre's driving force, the truth is that Fats Domino, whose records have sold more than 100 million copies, was the first to put it on the map with such hits as "Ain't That a Shame" and "Blueberry Hill." In Blue Monday, acclaimed R&B scholar Rick Coleman draws on a multitude of new interviews with Fats Domino and many other early musical legends (among them Lloyd Price, the Clovers, Charles Brown, and members of Buddy Holly's group, the Crickets) to create a definitive biography of not just an extraordinary man but also a unique time and place: New Orleans at the birth of rock 'n' roll. Coleman's groundbreaking research makes for an immense cultural biography, the first to thoroughly explore the black roots of rock 'n' roll and its impact on civil rights inAmerica. A true music lovers' biography, Blue Monday, includes new revelations about the politics behind the music labels of the 1930s and 1940s, and provides a searing indictment of the great white myths of rock 'n' roll. Coleman also brings the African-American culture of New Orleans to life, and his narrative is passionate, compassionate, and authoritative. Blue Monday is the first biography to convey the full scope of Fats Domino's impact on the popular music of the twentieth century.

About this title

About the Author

Rick Coleman's work has appeared in Offbeat, Goldmine, Billboard, and Rolling Stone, and in liner notes for the likes of Fats Domino and Little Richard. He lives outside New Orleans.

Review

"A fine biography...A first-rate rock'n'roll critic...A well-written, deeply researched biography." -- Boston Sunday Globe, 8/27/06

"A readable, long overdue bio...Needs to be read by anybody who truly cares about the origins of rock'n'roll." -- Relix, October 2006

"Coleman nicely summons the glorious heyday of New Orleans." -- Washington Post Book World, 7/2/06

"Coleman's meticulously researched biography...is a highly engrossing portrait...After reading Blue Monday you'll feel like [Domino's] an old friend." -- American Songwriter, October 2006

"Coleman’s lively writing style...helps bring the period to life...A love letter to the New Orleans music scene." -- Associated Press, 6/16/06

"Domino at last gets his due...A well-rounded portrait of the artist...An exemplary biography." -- No Depression, October 2006

"Undoubtedly [Coleman’s] finest achievement. He’s marshaled his resources well and closely documented his hero’s life...A compulsive read." -- Blues & Rhythm, August 2006

"[An] excellent biography...Thanks to Coleman, Fats Domino may finally get his props." -- Ottawa Citizen, 11/12/2006

"[The] definitive biography...There is a wealth of recording detail here...[A] vivid account." -- Rolling Stone, 6/15/06

Â"Coleman has put together an impressive work that is long overdue.Â" -- Jazz & Blues Report, August 2006

About this edition

• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0306814919
• ISBN 13: 9780306814914
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 416