Rock 'n' roll progenitor Antoine "Fats" Domino, b. New Orleans, La., February 26, 1928, grew up playing a pounding rhythm-and-blues-style piano and singing in his hometown. Domino's first million-selling record, "The Fat Man," was released in 1949, and he was eventually to record 23 gold singles, most of them during rock 'n' roll's formative years, 1955-60. "Blueberry Hill" (1956) is his most famous recording.

After being rescued from his flooded home in the Lower 9th Ward and evacuated by boat to the St. Claude Avenue bridge late Monday, New Orleans music legend Fats Domino wound up at the triage unit at the Maravich Assembly Center on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge.

But he didn't stay for long.

Domino, 77, and members of his family soon relocated to the apartment of LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell, a friend of the Domino family. The musician and his entourage spent two days with other New Orleans evacuees at Russell's home, then left Friday afternoon for an undisclosed location.

Domino is reluctant to travel outside his hometown for any reason; he famously turned down an invitation from President Clinton to accept an award in Washington, D.C.

But he won't be able to return any time soon to his memorabilia-filled home, which likely sustained heavy flood damage. "Tell the people of New Orleans that I'm safe," Domino reportedly said as he left the Baton Rouge apartment. "I wish I was able to still be there with them, but I hope to see them soon."