The New Orleans street where rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Fats Domino spent most of his life is being renamed in his honour.
A community-wide procession led by a band will begin at 11am on Saturday at the longtime home of Antoine “Fats” Domino on the Louisiana city’s Caffin Avenue, which will now be known as Antoine “Fats” Domino Avenue.
Led by the Stooges Brass Band, the Second line and Musical Celebration will proceed down the renamed street to Oliver Bush Park, where musical tributes to Domino will occur.
Domino sold more than 110 million records, with hits including Blueberry Hill, Ain’t That A Shame and other standards of rock ‘n’ roll.
Saturday’s free celebration will feature performances by Kermit Ruffin, Al “Carnival Time” Johnson, Al “Little Fats” Jackson and Domino’s grandson, Antoine Domino Jr.
The Rev Willie Calhoun, who has lived in the Lower 9 his whole life and is one of the celebration’s organisers, said the recognition for Domino has been a long time coming.
“Fats never left the city and he’s never really been celebrated, even though he chose to stay in New Orleans and to raise his family in the Lower 9,” Mr Calhoun said.
“He had a choice to live anywhere he wanted and he made the choice to live right here.
“I think this event will help bring some life and recognition to the neighbourhood. The Lower 9 has gotten so much negative press, we wanted to bring people back to the area and show them the reason why Fats stayed. He stayed because this is a valuable and viable community.”
Domino died on October 24 2017, of natural causes, at the age of 89.
He survived the massive flooding that followed Hurricane Katrina’s landfall on August 29 2005, but had to be rescued by boat from his home, where he tried to ride out the storm.
Storm surge flood waters poured into the Lower 9th Ward, knocking many homes off their foundations.
A large barge was swept by flood waters into the area, levelling homes beneath it. The area was flooded again by Hurricane Rita a month later.
