Trumpeter, bandleader, singer, songwriter and record producer DAVE BARTHOLOMEW 

was born in Edgard, Louisiana, on December 24, 1918. 

He was a longtime resident of New Orleans and the originator of that city's big beat sound that transformed 

the Crescent City's rhythm and blues music. He began recording as an artist for DeLuxe Records in 1947 

and then two years later, Lew Chudd signed him up to be A&R man and producer for Imperial. 

Out of Dave's first session for that label in November ’49 came a major hit called 3 x 7 = 21 which he’d written 

for a young local girl, Jewel King. It was cut at Cosimo ‘Coz’ Matassa'sJ&M recording studio in New Orleans’ 

French Quarter where all of Dave’s early productions took place. 

Dave and Lew Chudd drove to the local Hideaway club in the city’s 9th Ward 

to see a singer/pianist called Antoine Domino who, in Dave’s words, 'had the place jumpin’. 

Chudd instantly signed Fats and on December 10, 

Dave took the young artist into Coz’s studio and recorded the very first Domino million-seller, 

THE FAT MAN, named after a detective character on a popular radio show. 

I met Dave in August 1985 after  he came to Los Angeles with Fats Domino when Fats and Ricky Nelson 

played a sensational one-niter at the Universal Amphitheater. Dave was fully in command of Fats's half of the show

 with an expertly-chosen band of musicians including legendary saxman Herb Hardesty. I’m proud to say that Dave and I 

were friends from that moment on. Dave passed away on January 23, 2019, leaving a rich legacy of New Orleans’ R&B history. 

A charter member of both the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame and the Songwriters Hall Of Fame, he will be forever remembered 

for his countless achievements and his unforgettable music.   

A complete list of his key songs and productions would be extremely lengthy.

  His successes with Fats Domino alone make up an exhaustive collection. 

Following is a brief listing of just some of the songs that Dave wrote or co-wrote.... 

AIN'T THAT A SHAME 

(Antoine Domino/Dave Bartholomew)

by Fats Domino

Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1955)

 US #1 R&B and #10 Pop in ‘55, UK #23 in '57 

https://youtu.be/50OF4x1lIbg

by Pat Boone

Pro: Randy Wood (Dot: 1955) US #1 Pop, #14 R&B, UK #7

by The Four Seasons

Pro: Bob Crewe (Vee-Jay: 1963) US #22 Pop, UK #38

 https://youtu.be/_hqVoQRqd9o 

by Hank Williams Jr. with The Mike Curb Congregation

Pro: Jim Vienneau & Mike Curb (MGM: 1972) US #7 Country

by Cheap Trick

Pro: Cheap Trick (Epic: 1979) US #35 Pop

ALL BY MYSELF (Dave Bartholomew/Antoine Domino)

by Fats Domino/Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1955) US #1 R&B

   https://youtu.be/nxIT1f4mjqU

THE BELLS ARE RINGING (Overton Lemon/Dave Bartholomew)

by Smiley Lewis/Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1952) US #10 R&B

 I HEAR YOU KNOCKING (Dave Bartholomew/Pearl King)

by Smiley Lewis

Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1955) US #2 R&B

 https://youtu.be/ciAS1h2i72Y

by Gale Storm (Dot: 1955) US #2 Pop

by Dave Edmunds

Pro: Dave Edmunds (MAM: 1970) UK #1 in '70, US #4 in '71

  https://youtu.be/hMjwb13TFCo 

I'M GONE (Dave Bartholomew/Leonard Lee)

by Shirley & Lee

Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Aladdin: 1952) US #2 R&B in '53

  https://youtu.be/CQ1xDvjTLL0 

I'M IN LOVE AGAIN (Dave Bartholomew/Antoine Domino)

by Fats Domino

Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1956) US #1 R&B

I’M SLIPPIN' IN (Dave Bartholomew)

by The Spiders

Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1954) US #6 R&B 

I'M WALKIN' (Dave Bartholomew/Antoine Domino)

by Fats Domino

Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1957) US #1 R&B, #4 Pop, UK #19

  https://youtu.be/CQ1xDvjTLL0

by Ricky Nelson (Verve: 1957) US #4 Pop  

IT KEEPS RAINING (Dave Bartholomew/Antoine Domino/Robert Guidry)

by Fats Domino

Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1961) US #18 R&B, #23 Pop, UK #49

by Bitty Mclean/Pro: Bitty Mclean (Brilliant: 1993) UK #2

LET THE FOUR WINDS BLOW (Dave Bartholomew/ Antoine Domino)

by Roy Brown/Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1957) US #5 R&B, #29 Pop

by Fats Domino/Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1961) US #2 R&B, #15 Pop

by Jack Reno/Pro: Kelso Herston (United Artists: 1974) US #57 Country 

(Song was first recorded by Dave himself as FOUR WINDS)

THE MONKEY (Dave Bartholomew/Pearl King) 

by Dave Bartholomew

Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1957) 

https://youtu.be/LNjuxtjtuWg

MY DING-A-LING (Dave Bartholomew/Sam Rhodes)

by Dave Bartholomew

Pro: Dave Bartholomew (King: 1952)

  https://youtu.be/Fg6-iU_Y4j8

MY GIRL JOSEPHINE (Dave Bartholomew/Antoine Domino)

by Fats Domino

Produced by Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1960) US #7 R&B and #14 Pop in ‘60, UK #32 in ‘61  

by Jerry Jaye (Hi: 1967) US #29 Pop

by Super Cat Featuring Jack Radics (UK Columbia: 1995) UK #22

 Finally, two key records that Dave produced of songs that he didn't write...

BLUEBERRY HILL (Al Lewis/Larry Stock/Vincent Rose) 

by Fats Domino

Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1956) US #1 R&B in '56 and #2 Pop in '57, UK #6 in '57 

https://youtu.be/dh9hHkt7liQ 

LAWDY MISS CLAWDY (Lloyd Price)

by Lloyd Price & His Orchestra

Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Specialty: 1952) US #1 R&B 

https://youtu.be/0uUOcDFXcPo 

 ‘His Orchestra’ in the label’s credit was actually Dave’s band including Fats Domino on piano.

Rock on.

Alan Warner

"If you enjoyed this week's edition of The Door To Yesterday, 

there's more where that came from!"

~ Vol 2, No 18 ~