Fats Domino

Fats Domino and his family spent two days with Louisiana State University quarterback JaMarcus Russell after being rescued from the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina. "I'm not sure where they are headed, but I just feel better knowing that they are OK," a university news release quoted Russell as saying Friday. The 77-year-old R&B singer and his family are friends of the family of Russell's girlfriend, university spokesman Michael Bonnette said.

Antoine "Fats" Domino, the rock 'n' roll pioneer who was feared for days to have been a victim of Hurricane Katrina, is apparently safe. Karen Domino White, one of his daughters, said Thursday that a photo taken Monday of a man being rescued from floodwaters showed her father. Domino's warm, sing-along hits "Ain't That a Shame" and "Blueberry Hill" are among the most famous recordings by a New Orleans artist.

*** FATS DOMINO AND VARIOUS ARTISTS "That's Fats: A Tribute to Fats Domino" EMI Fats Domino often seems to be the forgotten man of rock 'n' roll. Except for Elvis Presley, he had more Top 40 hits than any other artist from the '50s who has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But the New Orleans singer-pianist rarely tours and is seldom cited as an influence by today's generation of rock musicians. His music, however, still delights.

Lee Allen, 66, soulful rhythm and blues saxophonist who backed such singers as Fats Domino and Little Richard. A native of Kansas, Allen moved to New Orleans in 1944 to attend Xavier University on a music and athletic scholarship. Within four years, he was considered a professional saxophonist. Known for his solos, in 1957 Allen had a solo hit record, "Walkin' with Mr. Lee." He later turned to rock and roll, touring in the 1980s with the Rolling Stones and the Blasters. On Oct.

a two-disc, 50-song retrospective of the prolific writer-producer-bandleader--raises some immediate questions. To anyone familiar with Bartholomew's work with '50s rock sensation Fats Domino, the most obvious one is: How could EMI put together a 50-song collection and include only five Domino tracks? After all, Bartholomew collaborated with Domino on almost 60 pop or R&B hits in the '50s and early '60s, including such classics as "Blueberry Hill," "My Blue Heaven" and "Blue Monday."

An Aug. 26 letter from Scott Aylward defended Elvis Presley's role in popular music. Aylward was reacting to a Pop Eye item in which Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid said of Presley: "He was an important performer, but the people around him capitalized on racial divisiveness. . . . Who crowned him king--did anyone ask Little Richard or Chuck Berry or Fats Domino?" It is obvious that Aylward never witnessed or understood the horrendous injustices against African Americans before the 1970s.

Latham asks, "Who cares about a rock and roll museum?" Those of us who enjoy the music of Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, Fats Domino, Ray Charles, et al--that's who! Thank you, Sen. Kopp, for introducing SB 2283. It will give the rock 'n' roll fans in California a reason to celebrate. HAROLD SEWARD Fresno