Fatz Geronimo

Fatz Geronimo (born Pakhirdin Akhun; September 2, 1956) is a Chinese-born American singer and musician, who has been playing with the pop and rock band The Rock-afire Explosion from 1977-1993 and from 1998-present. He is known for his low octave vocal range and keyboard skills.

Fatz was born of Syrian descent in Ürümqi, China and grew up there and in Taiwan until he was 11, before moving with his family to Lafayette, Louisiana, United States — ultimately joining the Wolf Pack 5 and then replacing Artie Antlers in The Rock-afire Explosion.

History
Fatz was born in Ürümqi to coal mine workers, of whom were Uyghurs from Raqqa, Syria. As Uyghurs, Fatz and his parents practiced the Muslim religion, and as a result, his current legal name is "Pakhirdin Akhun al-Jirunimw," and he rarely drinks alcohol or consumes pig meat. Fatz and his family lived in homes in Ürümqi and in Taipei, Taiwan.

At age 11, Fatz and his family fled from China for safety reasons due to the Cultural Revolution, of which, according to the Chinese government, caused the deaths of 30 million people. The family moved into the King's Court Mobile Home Park in Lafayette, Louisiana, United States, and successfully applied for American citizenship a week later. Fatz attended 'Aiea High School in Honolulu, Hawaii (where the family's new summer home was located), and graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a degree in music, and held a job at the McDonald’s franchise at Willow and Evangeline Thruway in Lafayette, Louisana.