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D. J. Fontana

January 01, 1970

Dominic Joseph Fontana (March 15, 1931 – June 13, 2018) was an American musician best known as the drummer for Elvis Presley for 14 years. In 1955, he was hired to play drums for Presley, which marked the beginning of a 15-year relationship. He played on over 460 RCA recordings with Elvis.

D. J. Fontana
Fontana in 2012
Background information
Birth nameDominic Joseph Fontana
Born(1931-03-15)March 15, 1931
Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S.
DiedJune 13, 2018(2018-06-13) (aged 87)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
GenresRock and roll, rockabilly, rhythm and blues, country
Occupation(s)Drummer
Years activeEarly 1950s – 2018
LabelsSun, RCA Victor

Career edit

After serving in Korea with the U.S. Army, Fontana (nicknamed "D.J.") was employed by the Louisiana Hayride to be an in-house drummer on its Saturday night radio broadcast.

Fontana joined a band (originally assembled by Sam Phillips) that was without a drummer.[1] The band included Scotty Moore (lead guitar), Bill Black (bass), and Elvis Presley (rhythm guitar). They called themselves The Blue Moon Boys. This became the band that would perform and record the vast majority of Presley's hits of the 1950s.[2]

Along with the occasional piano and backing vocals from the Jordanaires, The Blue Moon Boys played on several Elvis hits, including "Heartbreak Hotel", "Hound Dog", "Don't Be Cruel", and "Jailhouse Rock". The band toured extensively. Throughout 1956 and 1957, the band had several television appearances, which included The Ed Sullivan Show. The band broke up in 1958.

Although the band had officially broken up, Fontana, Moore, and Elvis still regularly played and recorded together throughout the 1960s. In 1968, Fontana performed on the NBC television special, often referred to as Elvis' 'Comeback' Special.[2] Fontana played with Elvis for 13 years, from 1955 to 1968.

Stan Lynch said of Fontana: "Armed with accuracy, power, swing, dynamics, great time and — the biggest compliment of all — simplicity whenever it was best, D.J. rocked the greatest singer and the greatest songs ... ever. He did it year after year, record after classic record. In a world of one trick ponies and lucky "Rock Stars," D.J. is the real deal."[3]

Moore and Fontana also performed together without Presley, including a 2001 recording with Paul McCartney of "That's All Right (Mama)".[1]

Other work edit

I learned the value of simplicity at the Hayride. I heard Scotty and Bill and Elvis one night and knew that I couldn't mess up that sound. That's why I always play what I feel. If that won't work, I just won't do it again. I think the simple approach comes from my hearing so much big band music. I mixed it with rockabilly.

— D.J. Fontana[4]

In 1983, Fontana published a book in pictorial form, titled D.J. Fontana Remembers Elvis, detailing his years playing with Elvis. Fontana's Life and Times weekly phonecasting debuted on July 3, 2007.

Recognition edit

D. J. Fontana was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame on January 14, 2009, and on April 4, also in 2009, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in the "sidemen" category.[5] English musician Wayne Fontana (born Glyn Geoffrey Ellis) took his stage name from the drummer.

Fontana was played by Ed Begley, Jr. in the 1979 motion picture Elvis, and by Eric William Pierson in the 2005 CBS miniseries Elvis.[6]

Death edit

Fontana died in his sleep on June 13, 2018, in Nashville at the age of 87.[7] At the time of his death, he was suffering from complications of a broken hip.[8]

Recordings edit

Unknown recording duet: Robert Hampton and Johnny Paycheck, "I Love My Jesus" Drummer: D.J. Fontana

  • "Heartbreak Hotel"/"I Was the One" [2 × Platinum]
  • "Blue Suede Shoes"/"Tutti Frutti" [Gold]
  • "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You"/"My Baby Left Me" [Platinum]
  • "Hound Dog"/"Don't Be Cruel" [4 × Platinum]
  • "Love Me Tender"/"Any Way You Want Me" [3 × Platinum]
  • "Too Much"/"Playing for Keeps" [Platinum]
  • "All Shook Up"/"That's When Your Heartaches Begin" [2 × Platinum]
  • "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear"/"Loving You" [2 × Platinum]
  • "Jailhouse Rock"/"Treat Me Nice" [2 × Platinum]
  • "Don't"/"I Beg of You" [Platinum]
  • "Wear My Ring Around Your Neck"/"Doncha' Think It's Time" [Platinum]
  • "Hard Headed Woman"/"Don't Ask Me Why" [Platinum]
  • "I Got Stung"/"One Night" [Platinum]
  • "(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I"/"I Need Your Love Tonight" [Platinum]
  • "A Big Hunk o' Love"/"My Wish Came True" [Gold]
  • "Stuck on You"/"Fame and Fortune" [Platinum]
  • "It's Now or Never"/"A Mess of Blues" [Platinum]
  • "Are You Lonesome Tonight"/"I Gotta Know" [2 × Platinum]
  • "Surrender"/"Lonely Man" [Platinum]
  • "I Feel So Bad"/"Wild in the Country" [Gold]
  • "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame"/"Little Sister" [Gold]
  • "Can't Help Falling in Love"/"Rock-A-Hula Baby" [Platinum]
  • "Good Luck Charm"/"Anything That's Part of You" [Platinum]
  • "She's Not You"/"Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello" [Gold]
  • "Return to Sender"/"Where Do You Come From" [Platinum]
  • "One Broken Heart For Sale"/"They Remind Me Too Much of You" [Gold]
  • "(You're the) Devil in Disguise"/"Please Don't Drag That String Around" [Gold]
  • "Bossa Nova Baby"/"Witchcraft" [Gold]
  • "Kissin' Cousins"/"It Hurts Me" [Gold]
  • "Viva Las Vegas"/"What'd I Say" [Gold]
  • "Ain't That Loving You, Baby"/"Ask Me" [Gold]
  • "Crying in the Chapel"/"I Believe in the Man in the Sky" [Platinum]
  • "I'm Yours"/"Long Lonely Highway" [Gold]
  • "Puppet on a String"/"Wooden Heart" [Gold]
  • "Blue Christmas"/"Santa Claus Is Back in Town" [Platinum]
  • "Tell Me Why"/" Blue River" [Gold]
  • "Frankie and Johnny"/"Please Don't Stop Loving Me" [Gold]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "D.J. Fontana, 87, Elvis Presley's Longtime Drummer, Is Dead". The New York Times. June 14, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "D.J. Fontana has Died". Elvis Australia. June 15, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  3. ^ "D.J. Fontana". Drummerworld.
  4. ^ Morrison, Craig (1996). Go Cat Go!. University of Illinois Press. p. 117. ISBN 0-252-02207-6.
  5. ^ "DJ Fontana". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2009.
  6. ^ Goldsmith, Melissa U. D.; et al. (2016). The Encyclopedia of Musicians and Bands on Film. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 418–419. ISBN 978-1-44226-986-6.
  7. ^ "D.J. Fontana, Elvis Presley's drummer, dead at 87". The Tennessean. June 14, 2018. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  8. ^ . ABC News. June 14, 2018. Archived from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved June 14, 2018.

External links edit

External videos
  Oral History, DJ Fontana shares early moments of his life story. NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Oral History Library
  • ElvisInfoNetwork Interview with DJ Fontana 2010 July 7, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
  • Interview with D. J. Fontana
  • Rockabilly Hall of Fame
  • Drummerworld.com
  • DJ Fontana Interview at NAMM Oral History Library (2001)]

January 01, 1970
fontana, dominic, joseph, fontana, march, 1931, june, 2018, american, musician, best, known, drummer, elvis, presley, years, 1955, hired, play, drums, presley, which, marked, beginning, year, relationship, played, over, recordings, with, elvis, fontana, 2012ba. Dominic Joseph Fontana March 15 1931 June 13 2018 was an American musician best known as the drummer for Elvis Presley for 14 years In 1955 he was hired to play drums for Presley which marked the beginning of a 15 year relationship He played on over 460 RCA recordings with Elvis D J FontanaFontana in 2012Background informationBirth nameDominic Joseph FontanaBorn 1931 03 15 March 15 1931Shreveport Louisiana U S DiedJune 13 2018 2018 06 13 aged 87 Nashville Tennessee U S GenresRock and roll rockabilly rhythm and blues countryOccupation s DrummerYears activeEarly 1950s 2018LabelsSun RCA Victor Contents 1 Career 2 Other work 3 Recognition 4 Death 5 Recordings 6 References 7 External linksCareer editAfter serving in Korea with the U S Army Fontana nicknamed D J was employed by the Louisiana Hayride to be an in house drummer on its Saturday night radio broadcast Fontana joined a band originally assembled by Sam Phillips that was without a drummer 1 The band included Scotty Moore lead guitar Bill Black bass and Elvis Presley rhythm guitar They called themselves The Blue Moon Boys This became the band that would perform and record the vast majority of Presley s hits of the 1950s 2 Along with the occasional piano and backing vocals from the Jordanaires The Blue Moon Boys played on several Elvis hits including Heartbreak Hotel Hound Dog Don t Be Cruel and Jailhouse Rock The band toured extensively Throughout 1956 and 1957 the band had several television appearances which included The Ed Sullivan Show The band broke up in 1958 Although the band had officially broken up Fontana Moore and Elvis still regularly played and recorded together throughout the 1960s In 1968 Fontana performed on the NBC television special often referred to as Elvis Comeback Special 2 Fontana played with Elvis for 13 years from 1955 to 1968 Stan Lynch said of Fontana Armed with accuracy power swing dynamics great time and the biggest compliment of all simplicity whenever it was best D J rocked the greatest singer and the greatest songs ever He did it year after year record after classic record In a world of one trick ponies and lucky Rock Stars D J is the real deal 3 Moore and Fontana also performed together without Presley including a 2001 recording with Paul McCartney of That s All Right Mama 1 Other work editI learned the value of simplicity at the Hayride I heard Scotty and Bill and Elvis one night and knew that I couldn t mess up that sound That s why I always play what I feel If that won t work I just won t do it again I think the simple approach comes from my hearing so much big band music I mixed it with rockabilly D J Fontana 4 In 1983 Fontana published a book in pictorial form titled D J Fontana Remembers Elvis detailing his years playing with Elvis Fontana s Life and Times weekly phonecasting debuted on July 3 2007 Recognition editD J Fontana was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame on January 14 2009 and on April 4 also in 2009 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the sidemen category 5 English musician Wayne Fontana born Glyn Geoffrey Ellis took his stage name from the drummer Fontana was played by Ed Begley Jr in the 1979 motion picture Elvis and by Eric William Pierson in the 2005 CBS miniseries Elvis 6 Death editFontana died in his sleep on June 13 2018 in Nashville at the age of 87 7 At the time of his death he was suffering from complications of a broken hip 8 Recordings editUnknown recording duet Robert Hampton and Johnny Paycheck I Love My Jesus Drummer D J FontanaThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed March 2021 Learn how and when to remove this message Heartbreak Hotel I Was the One 2 Platinum Blue Suede Shoes Tutti Frutti Gold I Want You I Need You I Love You My Baby Left Me Platinum Hound Dog Don t Be Cruel 4 Platinum Love Me Tender Any Way You Want Me 3 Platinum Too Much Playing for Keeps Platinum All Shook Up That s When Your Heartaches Begin 2 Platinum Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear Loving You 2 Platinum Jailhouse Rock Treat Me Nice 2 Platinum Don t I Beg of You Platinum Wear My Ring Around Your Neck Doncha Think It s Time Platinum Hard Headed Woman Don t Ask Me Why Platinum I Got Stung One Night Platinum Now and Then There s A Fool Such as I I Need Your Love Tonight Platinum A Big Hunk o Love My Wish Came True Gold Stuck on You Fame and Fortune Platinum It s Now or Never A Mess of Blues Platinum Are You Lonesome Tonight I Gotta Know 2 Platinum Surrender Lonely Man Platinum I Feel So Bad Wild in the Country Gold Marie s the Name His Latest Flame Little Sister Gold Can t Help Falling in Love Rock A Hula Baby Platinum Good Luck Charm Anything That s Part of You Platinum She s Not You Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello Gold Return to Sender Where Do You Come From Platinum One Broken Heart For Sale They Remind Me Too Much of You Gold You re the Devil in Disguise Please Don t Drag That String Around Gold Bossa Nova Baby Witchcraft Gold Kissin Cousins It Hurts Me Gold Viva Las Vegas What d I Say Gold Ain t That Loving You Baby Ask Me Gold Crying in the Chapel I Believe in the Man in the Sky Platinum I m Yours Long Lonely Highway Gold Puppet on a String Wooden Heart Gold Blue Christmas Santa Claus Is Back in Town Platinum Tell Me Why Blue River Gold Frankie and Johnny Please Don t Stop Loving Me Gold References edit a b D J Fontana 87 Elvis Presley s Longtime Drummer Is Dead The New York Times June 14 2018 Retrieved June 17 2018 a b D J Fontana has Died Elvis Australia June 15 2018 Retrieved June 17 2018 D J Fontana Drummerworld Morrison Craig 1996 Go Cat Go University of Illinois Press p 117 ISBN 0 252 02207 6 DJ Fontana Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2009 Retrieved February 10 2009 Goldsmith Melissa U D et al 2016 The Encyclopedia of Musicians and Bands on Film Rowman amp Littlefield pp 418 419 ISBN 978 1 44226 986 6 D J Fontana Elvis Presley s drummer dead at 87 The Tennessean June 14 2018 Retrieved June 14 2018 Longtime Elvis Presley drummer D J Fontana has died ABC News June 14 2018 Archived from the original on June 15 2018 Retrieved June 14 2018 External links editExternal videos nbsp Oral History DJ Fontana shares early moments of his life story NAMM National Association of Music Merchants Oral History Library ElvisInfoNetwork Interview with DJ Fontana 2010 Archived July 7 2018 at the Wayback Machine D J Fontana TCB website Interview with D J Fontana D J Fontana Phonecasting Channel Rockabilly Hall of Fame Drummerworld com DJ Fontana Interview at NAMM Oral History Library 2001 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title D J Fontana amp oldid 1223151796, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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