For a few days in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the flooding of New Orleans in 2005, Fats Domino was among the missing, and he was widely reported to have died in his Lower 9th Ward home.
But the man—and his piano—turned out to be survivors; he was rescued by boat. Photo by E “Doc” Smith.
The piano fared worse. It was up-ended, submerged and wrecked. Months later, the piano was later reclaimed and is now a brilliant exhibit in the State Museum in the Presbytere in New Orleans.
Sadly, the same cannot be said for the Lower 9th, which is still largely depopulated and un-recovered, despite individual rebuilding of homes, as seen in this Washington Post image.
In Fats’ own immortal words: Ain’t that a shame?
