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
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
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
THE BELLS ARE RINGING (Overton Lemon/Dave Bartholomew)
by Smiley Lewis/Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1952) US #10 R&B
BLUE MONDAY (Dave Bartholomew/Antoine Domino)
by Fats Domino
Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1956) US #1 R&B and #5 Pop, UK #23 in '57
COUNTRY BOY (Dave Bartholomew)
by Dave Bartholomew & His Orchestra (DeLuxe: 1950) US #14 R&B
THE FAT MAN (Antoine Domino/Dave Bartholomew)
by Fats Domino
Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1950) US #2 R&B in '50
GOING TO THE RIVER (Dave Bartholomew/Antoine Domino)
by Fats Domino
Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1953) US #12 R&B
I HEAR YOU KNOCKING (Dave Bartholomew/Pearl King)
by Smiley Lewis
Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1955) US #2 R&B
by Gale Storm (Dot: 1955) US #2 Pop
by Dave Edmunds
Pro: Dave Edmunds (MAM: 1970) UK #1 in '70, US #4 in '71
I'M GONE (Dave Bartholomew/Leonard Lee)
by Shirley & Lee
Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Aladdin: 1952) US #2 R&B in '53
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
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)
MY DING-A-LING (Dave Bartholomew/Sam Rhodes)
by Dave Bartholomew
Pro: Dave Bartholomew (King: 1952)
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
ONE NIGHT
(Dave Bartholomew/Pearl King)
by Smiley Lewis
Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1956) US #11 R&B
by Elvis Presley
Pro: Steve Sholes (RCA: 1958) US #4 Pop and #24 Country in '58, UK #1 in '59
by Jeannie C. Riley/Pro: Jim Vienneau (MGM: 1972) US #57 Country
by Mud/Pro: Mike Chapman in association w/Nicky Chinn (RAK: 1975) UK #32
by Roy Head/Pro: Bud Logan (ABC/Dot: 1976) US #51 Country
POOR ME (Dave Bartholomew/Antoine Domino)
by Fats Domino
Produced by Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1955)
US #1 R&B
3 x 7 = 21 (Dave Bartholomew)
by Jewel King
Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1950) US #4 R&B
by The Spiders (as 21)
Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1955)
US #9 R&B
SICK AND TIRED (Chris Kenner/Dave Bartholomew)
by Chris Kenner
Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1957) US #13 R&B
TEND TO YOUR BUSINESS (Dave Bartholomew)
by James Waynes
(Sittin’ in with: 1951) US #2 R&B
TRY ROCK 'N' ROLL (Dave Bartholomew/Pearl King)
by Bobby Mitchell
Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1956) US #14 Pop
VALLEY OF TEARS (Dave Bartholomew/Antoine Domino)
by Fats Domino
Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1957)
US #2 R&B, #8 Pop
WALKING TO NEW ORLEANS (Dave Bartholomew/Robert Guidry)
by Fats Domino
Pro: Dave Bartholomew
(Imperial: 1960) US #2 R&B, #6 Pop, UK #19
WITCHCRAFT (Dave Bartholomew/Pearl King)
by The Spiders
Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Imperial: 1955) US #5 R&B in '56
by Elvis Presley (RCA: 1963) US #32 Pop
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
LAWDY MISS CLAWDY (Lloyd Price)
by Lloyd Price & His Orchestra
Pro: Dave Bartholomew (Specialty: 1952) US #1 R&B
‘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!"