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Biography
Infobox musical artist | name = Dominic Joseph Fontana| image =| caption =| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist| birth_name = Dominic Joseph Fontana| birth_date = birth date and age|1931|03|15|birth_place = Shreveport, Louisiana , USA | origin =| genre = Rock and roll | associated_acts = The Blue Moon Boys , Elvis Presley | occupation = Drummer | years_active =| label = Sun Records|Sun , RCA records|RCA | website = Dominic Joseph Fontana (born March 15, 1931, in Shreveport, Louisiana ) is an United States|American musician best known as the drummer for Elvis Presley for 14 years. He played on over 460 RCA cuts with Elvis.
Nicknamed "D. J.", he was employed by the Louisiana Hayride to be an in-house drummer on its Saturday night radio broadcast. In October 1954 he was hired to play drums for Presley that marked the beginning of a fifteen year relationship. He performed on the NBC television special known as the '' Elvis (1968 TV program)|'68 Comeback Special .
Fontana, joined a band (originally assembled by Sam Phillips without a drummer) consisting of Scotty Moore (lead guitar), Bill Black (bass) and Elvis Presley (rhythm guitar), calling themselves "The Blue Moon Boys". The band became the band that would perform and record the vast majority of the Elvis Presley hits of the 50's (some also including piano and backing vocals from the Jordanaires ) including " Heartbreak Hotel ", " Hound Dog (song)|Hound Dog ", " Don't Be Cruel ", and " Jailhouse Rock (song)|Jailhouse Rock ". The band also toured extensively and performed on several television appearances including The Ed Sullivan Show through 1956 and 1957.
quote|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.Go Cat Go& #33; Craig Morrison. 1996. University of Illinois Press. page 117. ISBN 0-252-02207-6 The band officially broke up in 1958 although Fontana and Elvis still played and recorded together regularly throughout the 1960s. Moore would sometimes join them. Moore and Fontana have also performed together, including a 2002 recording of " That's All Right (Mama) with Paul McCartney . After 1958,Black never played with the band again. Bill Black died in 1965.
In 1983 he published a book in pictorial form titled " D. J. Fontana Remembers Elvis " about his years playing with Presley.
Fontana's Life and Times weekly phonecasting debuted on July 3, 2007.
Fontana's pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame . He was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in Cleveland on January 14, 2009.
On April 4, 2009, Fontana was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the sidemen category.Cite web|title=DJ Fontana|url= http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/dj-fontana|year=2009|accessdate=2009-02-10| publisher = Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Appearances
May 14, 2011 - 3:00 PM - Fontana played drums at the Hippodrome Performing Arts Center in Baltimore Maryland during the Elvis tribute show 'Heart of the King'
January 7, 2007 - 7:00 PM - Fontana played drums in honor of Elvis Presley 's birthday at the Cleveland Square Play House in Cuyahoga County in Cleveland Ohio .
October 25, 2008 - 5:00 PM - Fontana played drums for the first time in Quebec City , Canada with Carl Brandon and the Remember Elvis Band , at the Centre Jacques Duval, in front of an audience of 400 spectators. It was also the 400th anniversary of Quebec City . He have also made several tours in Sweden with The Cadillac band and Swedish famous singer Svenne Hedlund .D.J. made regular appearances at The Rockabilly Hall of Fame in Jackson, Tennessee where he played with such artists as Paul Burlison , The Evolutionary Tree Incident and led, along with W.S. Holland the largest gathering of drummers at one time ever assembled together to simultaneously play a song.
Portrayals
Fontana has been portrayed by Ed Begley Jr. in the film Elvis (1979 film)|Elvis (1979). And by Eric William Pierson in the CBS mini-series Elvis (2005 Mini-series)|Elvis (2005).
Recordings
Heartbreak Hotel/I Was the One, 2x 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 4X Platinum
Love Me Tender/Any Way You Want Me, 3X Platinum
Too Much/Playing for Keeps, Platinum
All Shook Up/That's When Your Heartaches Begin, 2X Platinum
(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear/Loving You, 2x Platinum
Jailhouse Rock/Treat Me Nice, 2X 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, 2X 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
Persondata | NAME = Fontana, D. J. | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH = March 15, 1931 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Shreveport, Louisiana , USA | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Fontana, D. J. Category:1931 births Category:Living people Category:American drummers Category:Elvis Presley Category:Rockabilly Hall of Fame inductees Category:People from Shreveport, Louisiana Category:Musicians from Louisiana
