Walking to New Orleans: Davell Crawford's Tribute to Fats Domino
Pianist Davell Crawford, sometimes called "The Prince of New Orleans," was just 14 years old when he met Fats Domino, sometimes called the "architect of Rock-and-Roll." After inspiring Elvis Presley, selling 65 million records, and surviving Hurricane Katrina, Fats Domino passed away last October at age 89.
Now Crawford is on a tour of City Wineries with "Walking To New Orleans: Davell Crawford’s Tribute to Fats Domino."
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Davell has family connections to several branches of the New Orleans music scene, as well. His grandfather, James "Sugar Boy" Crawford, co-wrote Iko Iko, an essential song in the New Orleans songbook.
Fats Domino was the elder statesman, but he already knew about Crawford when they first met. As a kid, Davell played piano at charity functions all over town, often broadcast on local television. When Davell started going over to Fats Domino's house, Domino would show Davell VHS tapes of the teenager's own local performances. Domino also once asked Davell to demonstrate the new Yahama Clavinova electric piano for him. But the lessons (and good food) were shared both ways.
Crawford told us that Fats Domino didn't need a rhythm section, he could handle the bass with his left hand and keep an audience entertained with just a piano. During their weekly sessions, Fats passed on some of that left hand boogie-woogie technique to Crawford.
Members of Fats Domino's band will join Davell Crawford for this tribute, as well as Cyril Neville, the youngest of the Neville Brothers, and the impeccable drummer Bernard Purdie, who's played with everyone from Louis Armstrong to Aretha Franklin to George Benson.
Clink play on the audio player above to hear a bit of our recent conversation with pianist Davell Crawford, and sign up for the American Standards newsletter here by noon on Friday, August 31st for a chance to win a pair of tickets to his Fats Domino tribute at City Winery in New York on September 4th.
Click here for a chance to win tickets to Walking To New Orleans: Davell Crawford’s Tribute to Fats Domino, or sign up for the American Standards newsletter here by noon on Friday, August 31st.
