Taking Care Of New Orleans R&B

Al “Lil’ Fats” Jackson pays tribute to Fats Domino.

- John Wirt

If you listen to Al “Lil’ Fats” Jackson sing without seeing him, you may assume you’re hearing Fats Domino.

There’s good reason for that. When Jackson was a child in Bridge City, he listened to the stacks of 45-rpm vinyl records his grandfather brought home from the jukebox in the family’s bar: dozens of classics by Domino, Ernie K-Doe, Earl King, Huey “Piano” Smith and more 1950s and ’60s New Orleans artists.

Domino, the local star who sold 65 million records, filled a big place in Jackson’s childhood soundtrack. Daily exposure to Domino’s music plus the Creole and New Orleans accents in Jackson’s family and his own natural talent culminated in him being the ultimate Domino tribute artist.

Jackson’s April gigs include the French Quarter Festival, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Gala and WWOZ’s Piano Night. The Jazz Fest gala and Piano Night are tributes to Domino, who died last year at 89.

Both Jackson’s speaking voice and his singing voice sound like Domino. “When I first started singing,” he said, “people would always say, ‘Okay, we know what Fats sound like. Now, what do you do sound like?’ This is what I sound like. I couldn’t change if I wanted to. I never wanted to because, when I open my mouth, it’s like going home.”