Fats Domino

The good times start the second the needle hits a Fats Domino record. His Boogie-Woogie piano style meshes seamlessly with his charmingly laid-back vocals. He put out hit after hit during the '50s -- "Ain't That a Shame," "I'm Walking," and "Blueberry Hill" still float by on late night K-Tel commercials. A follower of the New Orleans R&B tradition, Domino was one of the few founders of rock 'n' roll who was widely respected by jazz and blues fans. When pop passed him by, he was still embraced in clubs and concert halls around the world. His last hit was a cover of "Lady Madonna" -- a song that the Beatles structured as an homage to his classic style.