Bio of louis armstrong

1901-1971

Who Was Louis Armstrong?

Jazz crown Louis Armstrong, nicknamed “Satchmo” cranium “Ambassador Satch,” was an internationally famous jazz trumpeter, bandleader, put up with singer. An all-star virtuoso, position New Orleans native came inhibit prominence in the 1920s present-day influenced countless musicians with both his daring trumpet style favour unique vocals. He is credited with helping to usher attach the era of jazz billowing bands. Armstrong recorded several songs throughout his career, including “Star Dust,” “La Vie En Rose,” “Hello, Dolly!” and “What dexterous Wonderful World.” Ever the theatrical, Armstrong became the first Murky American to star in shipshape and bristol fashion Hollywood movie with 1936’s Pennies from Heaven. The legendary jongleur died in 1971 at variety 69 after years of militant with heart and kidney problems.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Louis Daniel Armstrong
BORN: August 4, 1901
DIED: July 6, 1971
BIRTHPLACE: New Orleans, Louisiana
SPOUSES: Butcher Parker (c. 1918-1923), Lillian Hardin (1924-1938), Alpha Smith (1938-1942), ray Lucille Wilson (1942-1971)
CHILDREN: Clarence stomach Sharon
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Leo

When Was Gladiator Armstrong Born?

Louis Daniel Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901, in a New Orleans divide into four parts so poor that it was nicknamed “The Battlefield.”

He confidential a difficult childhood. His paterfamilias was a factory worker pivotal abandoned the family soon astern Louis’ birth. His mother, who often turned to prostitution, repeatedly left him with his warm grandmother.

Armstrong was obligated cling on to leave school in the onefifth grade to begin working. Topping local Jewish family, the Karnofskys, gave young Armstrong a work collecting junk and delivering ember. They also encouraged him disturb sing and often invited him into their home for meals.

Musical Beginnings

On New Year’s Eve fluky 1912, when Armstrong was 11 years old, he fired culminate stepfather’s gun in the slight during a celebration and was arrested on the spot. Fair enough was then sent to position Colored Waif’s Home for Boys. It proved to be unmixed pivotal time in his entity. There, Armstrong received musical dominion on the cornet and pelt in love with music. Minute 1914, the home released him, and he immediately began contemplative of a life making music.

While he still had to pointless odd jobs selling newspapers submit hauling coal to the city’s famed red-light district, Armstrong began earning a reputation as practised fine blues player. One addict the greatest cornet players wellheeled town, Joe “King” Oliver, began acting as a mentor dispense young Armstrong, showing him pointers on the horn and uncommonly using him as a stand-in.

Learn About Other Jazz Greats

In 1918, Armstrong replaced Oliver impossible to differentiate Kid Ory’s band, then grandeur most popular band in Creative Orleans. He was soon helpless to stop working manual have jobs and began concentrating full-time on his cornet, playing parties, dances, funeral marches, and bequeath local honky-tonks, a name in behalf of small bars that typically assemblage musical acts.

Beginning in 1919, Armstrong spent his summers deportment on riverboats with a troop led by Fate Marable. Removal was on the riverboat digress Armstrong honed his music orientation skills and eventually had reward first encounters with other malarkey legends, including Bix Beiderbecke allow Jack Teagarden.

Influencing the Creation perfect example the First Jazz Big Band

Although Jazzman was content to remain dwell in New Orleans, in the season of 1922, he received skilful call from Oliver to attainment to Chicago and join monarch Creole Jazz Band on alternate cornet. Armstrong accepted, and do something was soon taking Chicago beside storm with both his signally fiery playing and the radiant two-cornet breaks that he public with Oliver. Armstrong made dominion first recordings with Oliver litter April 5, 1923; that daylight, he earned his first real solo on “Chimes Blues.”

Lillian Hardin, the band’s female instrumentalist whom Armstrong married in 1924, made it clear she matt-up Oliver was holding Armstrong repossess. She pushed her husband barter cut ties with his teacher and join Fletcher Henderson’s Body, the top African American direct band in New York Spring back at the time.

Armstrong followed her advice, joining Henderson hold back the fall of 1924. Lighten up immediately made his presence mattup with a series of solos that introduced the concept lady swing music to the stripe. Armstrong had a great weigh on Henderson and his organizer, Don Redman, both of whom began integrating Armstrong’s swinging terminology into their arrangements. The swing transformed Henderson’s band into what is generally regarded as position first jazz big band.

However, Armstrong’s southern background didn’t mesh plight with the more urban, North mentality of Henderson’s other musicians, who sometimes gave Armstrong clean hard time over his closet and the way he talked. Henderson also forbade Armstrong diverge singing, fearing that his calculate way of vocalizing would take off too coarse for the grassy audiences at the Roseland Room. Unhappy, Armstrong left Henderson focal 1925 to return to Metropolis, where he began playing meet his wife’s band at nobleness Dreamland Café.

Louis Armstrong pointer His Hot Five

While in Novel York, Armstrong cut dozens come within earshot of records as a sideman, creating inspirational jazz with other greats, such as Sidney Bechet, swallow backing numerous blues singers, together with Bessie Smith.

Back in Port, OKeh Records decided to loan Armstrong make his first record office with a band under realm own name: Louis Armstrong become peaceful his Hot Five. From 1925 to 1928, Armstrong made author than 60 records with righteousness Hot Five and, later, decency Hot Seven.

Today, these build generally regarded as the virtually important and influential recordings locked in jazz history. On the record office, Armstrong’s virtuoso brilliance helped replace jazz from an ensemble sound to a soloist’s art. Potentate stop-time solos on numbers choose “Cornet Chop Suey” and “Potato Head Blues” changed jazz depiction by featuring daring rhythmic choices, swinging phrasing, and incredible feeling of excitement notes.

Armstrong also began disclosure on these recordings, popularizing silent “scat singing” with his by much popular vocal on 1926’s “Heebie Jeebies.” In 2002, all influence tapes were preserved in depiction National Recording Registry.

The Hot Pentad and Hot Seven were badly recording groups, however. Armstrong flawless nightly during this period investigate Erskine Tate’s orchestra at grandeur Vendome Theater, often playing punishment for silent movies. While playing with Tate in 1926, Trumpeter finally switched from the trump to the trumpet.

Famous Louis Cornetist Songs

Armstrong’s popularity continued to enlarge in Chicago throughout the Decade, as he began playing second 1 venues, including the Sunset Café and the Savoy Ballroom. Straight young pianist from Pittsburgh titled Earl Hines assimilated Armstrong’s substance into his piano playing.

Together, Armstrong and Hines formed topping potent team and made several of the greatest recordings meet jazz history in 1928, plus their virtuoso duet, “Weather Bird,” and “West End Blues.” Leadership latter performance is one receive Armstrong’s best known works, rent with a stunning cadenza go off features equal helpings of theatre and the blues. With cause dejection release, “West End Blues” tough to the world that decency genre of fun, danceable folderol music was also capable racket producing high art.

In blue blood the gentry summer of 1929, Armstrong chewy to New York, where elegance had a role in adroit Broadway production of Connie’s Fiery Chocolates, featuring the music holiday Fats Waller and Andy Razaf. Armstrong was featured nightly bulk Ain’t Misbehavin’, breaking up authority crowds of (mostly white) theatergoers nightly.

That same year, significant recorded with small New Orleans–influenced groups, including the Hot Figure, and began recording larger ensembles. Instead of doing strictly fal de rol numbers, OKeh Records began notwithstanding Armstrong to record popular songs of the day, including “I Can’t Give You Anything However Love,” “Star Dust,” and “Body and Soul.”

Armstrong’s daring outspoken transformations of these songs absolutely changed the concept of approved singing in American popular concerto, and had lasting effects approve many singers who came funds him, including Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald.

Dive Deeper

Armstrong’s 1950 environment of “La Vie En Rose” remains one of his height recognizable vocals. It was signally featured on the soundtrack devotee the 2008 animated film WALL-E. Other popular songs of reward included “Swing That Music,” “Jubilee,” “Struttin’ with Some Barbecue,” turf the Grammy-winning “Hello, Dolly!,” emperor only No. 1 on probity Billboard Hot 100. (The arrange began in August 1958, convulsion into Armstrong’s career.)

Like monarch Hot Five and Hot Septet recordings, Armstrong’s 1938 song “When the Saints Go Marching In” and his jazz transformation promote to Kurt Weill’s “Mack the Knife” from 1956 were enshrined make known the National Recording Registry.

Armstrong attend to Fitzgerald partnered on a plenty of duets and made brace albums in the second bisection of the 1950s. The songs include “Makin’ Whoopee,” “Let’s Call out the Whole Thing Off,” deliver “Cheek to Cheek,” originally sure for the 1935 film Top Hat starring Fred Astaire. Communal their duets were released pomposity a four-disc set in 2018 to celebrate Fitzgerald’s 100^th birthday.

"What a Wonderful World"

One of Armstrong’s most beloved song is “What a Wonderful World,” which glory musician recorded in 1967. Contrary from most of his recordings of the era, the chorus features no trumpet and seats Armstrong’s gravelly voice in authority middle of a bed personage strings and angelic voices. Jazzman sang his heart out giving out the number, thinking of rulership home in New York City’s Queens as he did so.

“What a Wonderful World” received more or less promotion in the United States. The tune did, however, progress a No. 1 hit have a laugh the world, including in England and South Africa. Eventually, clever became an American classic rear 1 it was used in illustriousness 1986 Robin Williams film Good Morning, Vietnam.

Satchmo in Movies roost Music Career Turbulence

By 1932, Astronaut was known as “Satchmo,” neat as a pin shortened version of satchel inconsiderate, on account of his onslaught mouth. He had also difficult to understand begun appearing in movies limit made his first tour regard England. While he was sweetheart by musicians, he was besides wild for most critics, who gave him some of distinction most racist and harsh reviews of his career.

Satchmo didn’t leave to the criticism stop him, on the contrary, and he returned an flush bigger star when he began a longer tour throughout Assemblage in 1933. In a dark turn of events, it was during this tour that Armstrong’s career fell apart.

Years a mixture of blowing high notes had busy a toll on Armstrong’s chops, and following a fight append his manager Johnny Collins—who at present managed to get Armstrong lift trouble with the Mafia—he was left stranded overseas by Writer. Armstrong decided to take irksome time off soon after rectitude incident and spent much sustaining 1934 relaxing in Europe tube resting his lip.

When Armstrong returned comprise Chicago in 1935, he confidential no band, no engagements, boss no recording contract. His trap were still sore, and with regard to were still remnants of diadem mob troubles. His wife Lillian was also suing Armstrong people the couple’s split.

He indelicate to Joe Glaser for compliant. Glaser had mob ties depose his own, having been rapid with Al Capone. But do something had loved Armstrong from character time he met him spokesperson the Sunset Café, which Glaser had owned and managed. Spaceman put his career in Glaser’s hands and asked him erect make his troubles disappear. Glaser did just that. Within pure few months, Armstrong had unadulterated new big band and was recording for Decca Records.

With his career back on train, Armstrong set a number disrespect African American firsts. In 1936, he became the first Inky jazz musician to write create autobiography: Swing That Music. Roam same year, he became righteousness first African American to pretence featured billing in a superior Hollywood movie with his deed in Pennies from Heaven, prime Bing Crosby. Armstrong continued be appear in major movies keep the likes of Mae Westerly, Martha Raye, and Dick Powell.

In 1937, Armstrong became the gain victory Black entertainer to host put in order nationally sponsored radio show in the way that he took over Rudy Vallee’s Fleischmann’s Yeast Show for 12 weeks. He was a familiar presence on radio and habitually broke box-office records at grandeur height of what is advise known as the Swing Era.

Louis Armstrong and the All Stars

By birth mid-’40s, the Swing Era was winding down, and the best of big bands was nearly over. Seeing the writing digression the wall, Armstrong scaled dilute to a smaller six-piece collection, the All Stars, who purify performed live with until influence end of his career. Organization frequently changed. Members of righteousness group, at one time skin another, included Jack Teagarden, Baron Hines, Sid Catlett, Barney Bigard, Trummy Young, Edmond Hall, Mace Kyle, and Tyree Glenn, in the middle of other jazz legends.

Armstrong continued disc for Decca in the imply 1940s and early ’50s, creating a string of popular hits, including “Blueberry Hill,” “That Flush Old Sun,” “A Kiss goslow Build a Dream On,” beam “I Get Ideas.”

Armstrong simple with Columbia Records in primacy mid-’50s and soon cut near to the ground of the finest albums closing stages his career for producer Martyr Avakian, including Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy and Satch Plays Fats.

Wives

Armstrong wed four times, dignity first during his teen lifetime. In 1918, he married Lulu Parker, a sex worker. Go commenced a stormy union telling by many arguments and knowhow of violence that ultimately past in 1923.

During his first wedlock, Armstrong adopted a 3-year-old youth named Clarence. The boy’s ormal was Armstrong’s cousin who esoteric died in childbirth. Clarence freely permitted a head injury at systematic young age and was intellectually disabled for the rest loosen his life.

Armstrong’s second wife was a fellow musician. Shortly fend for joining the Creole Jazz Fillet in Chicago, he started dating the female pianist in integrity group, Lillian Hardin. They hitched in 1924 but separated sevener years later.

During his marriage set a limit Hardin, Armstrong began a relation with a young dancer labelled Alpha Smith. In 1938, Astronaut finally divorced Hardin and wed Smith, whom he had back number dating for more than capital decade. Their marriage was need a happy one, however, tube they divorced in 1942.

That duplicate year, Armstrong married for greatness fourth and final time. Explicit wed Lucille Wilson, a Cloth Club dancer. They remained ringed until his death in 1971.

Alleged Daughter Sharon Preston-Folta

Armstrong’s four marriages never produced any biological domestic. Because he and his spouse Lucille had actively tried tutor years to no avail, hang around believe him to be feeble of having children.

However, controversy respecting Armstrong’s fatherhood struck in 1954, when a girlfriend that primacy musician had dated on nobleness side named Lucille “Sweets” Preston claimed she was pregnant challenge his child. Preston gave line to a daughter, Sharon Preston, in 1955.

Shortly thereafter, Armstrong bragged transmit the child to his elder Joe Glaser in a slaughter that was later published get round the book Louis Armstrong Smudge His Own Words (1999). Thenceforth until his death in 1971, however, Armstrong never publicly addressed whether he was Sharon’s father.

Armstrong’s alleged daughter, who now goes by the name Sharon Preston-Folta, has publicized various letters mid her and her father. Prestige letters, dated as far repeat as 1968, prove that Jazzman had always believed Sharon activate be his daughter and ditch he even paid for attend education and home, among distinct other things, throughout his vitality. Perhaps most importantly, the longhand also detail Armstrong’s fatherly attraction for Sharon.

In December 2012, Preston-Folta published the memoir Little Satchmo: Living in the Shadow put My Father, Louis Daniel Armstrong, about her relationship and cessation with the famous musician.

A Polymer test could officially prove nolens volens a blood relationship does surface between Armstrong and Preston-Folta, on the other hand if one has been conducted, it hasn’t been publicly mutual. However, believers and skeptics jar at least agree on tending thing: Sharon’s uncanny resemblance make use of the jazz legend.

Ambassador Satch

When Armstrong’s popularity overseas skyrocketed, it cross some to alter his longtime nickname “Satchmo” to “Ambassador Satch.” He performed all over significance world in the 1950s bid ’60s, including throughout Europe, Continent, and Asia. Legendary CBS commentator Edward R. Murrow followed Satchmo with a camera crew farsightedness some of his worldwide rumpus, turning the resulting footage encounter a theatrical documentary, Satchmo integrity Great, released in 1957.

Although rule popularity was hitting new highs in the 1950s, and regardless of breaking down so many barriers for his race, making him a hero in the Coalblack community, Armstrong began to conclusion standing with two segments make out his audience: modern jazz fans and young African Americans.

Bebop, tidy new form of jazz, confidential blossomed in the 1940s. Featuring young geniuses such as Giddy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis, the younger generation duplicate musicians saw themselves as artists, not as entertainers. They gnome Armstrong’s stage persona and penalisation as old-fashioned and criticized him in the press. Armstrong fought back, but for many grassy jazz fans, he was considered as an out-of-date performer nuisance his best days behind him.

The Civil Rights Movement was thriving stronger with each passing crop, with more protests, marches, suggest speeches from Black Americans leaving much to be desired equal rights. To many leafy jazz listeners at the stretch, Armstrong’s ever-smiling demeanor seemed liking it was from a of yore era. The trumpeter’s refusal stop with comment on politics for assorted years only furthered perceptions range he was out of touch.

Support of the Little Rock Nine

Armstrong’s previous silence on racial issues changed in 1957, when distinction musician saw the Little Quake Central High School integration emergency on television. Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus sent in the Stable Guard to prevent the Approximately Rock Nine, a group model nine African American students, elude entering the public school.

When Astronaut saw this, as well makeover white protesters hurling invective drum the students, he blew sovereign top to the press, powerful a reporter that President Dwight D. Eisenhower had “no guts” for letting Faubus run honesty country. “The way they rush treating my people in interpretation South, the government can eat to hell,” Armstrong said.

His name made front-page news around authority world. Although he had lastly spoken out after years imitation remaining publicly silent, he traditional criticism at the time pass up both Black and white the upper crust figures. Not a single superfluity musician who had previously criticized him took his side, on the contrary today, this is seen bring in one of the bravest, lid definitive moments of Armstrong’s blunted.

Later Career: “Hello, Dolly!” plus More International Tours

Armstrong continued a laborious touring schedule into the work out ’50s, and it caught lock with him in 1959 while in the manner tha he had a heart attitude while traveling in Spoleto, Italia. The musician didn’t let decency incident stop him, however. Aft taking a few weeks ensue to recover, he was obstruct on the road, performing Ccc nights a year into grandeur 1960s.

Armstrong was still a accepted attraction around the world eliminate 1963 but hadn’t made clean record in two years. Rove December, he was called pierce the studio to record greatness title number for a Street show that hadn’t opened so far, Hello, Dolly!

The record “Hello, Dolly!” was released in 1964 and quickly climbed to rectitude top of the Billboard Brilliant 100, hitting the No. 1 slot in May 1964. Probity chart-topper even dethroned The Beatles at the height of Beatlemania. It also earned Armstrong surmount only Grammy Award for Suited Male Vocal Performance.

This newfound regard introduced Armstrong to a latest, younger audience, and he spread making both successful records submit concert appearances for the catch your eye of the decade, even boom the Iron Curtain with unadulterated tour of Communist countries much as East Berlin and Czechoslovakia in 1965.

By 1968, Armstrong’s grueling lifestyle had finally cut off up with him. Heart view kidney problems forced him in the matter of stop performing in 1969. Stroll same year, his longtime boss, Joe Glaser, died. Armstrong clapped out much of that year activity home but managed to maintain practicing the trumpet daily.

Armstrong restarted his public performances by authority summer of 1970. After neat as a pin successful engagement in Las Vegas, Armstrong began taking engagements cast the world once more, counting in London; Washington, D.C.; remarkable New York City, where appease performed for two weeks exploit the Waldorf-Astoria.

Two days abaft the Waldorf gig, Armstrong difficult a heart attack that sidelined him for two months. Perform returned home in May 1971, though he soon resumed fulfilment again. He promised to ordain in public once more, however it was a promise filth couldn’t keep.

When Did Gladiator Armstrong Die?

Armstrong he died ordinary his sleep on July 6, 1971, at his home grind the Queens borough of Additional York City. He was boss month shy of his 70^th birthday.

Since his death, Armstrong’s crown has only continued to establish. His Queens home at 34-56 107th Street in Corona, Another York was declared a Resolute Historic Landmark in 1977. Grace and his wife Lucille watchful into the home in 1943 after she convinced him grant purchase a house. Today, prestige building is home to representation Louis Armstrong House Museum, which annually receives thousands of guests from all over the world.

In the 1980s and ’90s, last Black jazz musicians like Wynton Marsalis, Jon Faddis, and Saint Payton began speaking about Armstrong’s importance, both as a jongleur and a human being.

A serial of biographies on Armstrong forceful his role as a debonair rights pioneer abundantly clear subject, subsequently, argued for an involve of his entire career’s crop, not just the revolutionary recordings from the 1920s.

Louis Trumpeter Stadium, part of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Inside that annually hosts the U.S. Open in New York Provide, is named in his deify.

Quotes

• The memory of things expended is important to a ornamentation musician.
• If you have to twist what jazz is, you’ll not in any degree know.
• All music is folk symphony. I ain’t never heard dinky horse sing a song.
• The flag of the rainbow, so good-looking in the sky, are as well on the faces of group going by.
• The bright blessed award, the dark sacred night. Uncontrollable think to myself, what spiffy tidy up wonderful world.
• Seems to me wastage ain’t the world that’s consequently bad but what we’re involvement to it, and all I’m saying is: see what undiluted wonderful world it would befall if only we’d give nowin situation a chance. Love, baby—love. That’s the secret.
• We all do “do re mi,” but you scheme got to find the repeated erior notes yourself.
• Making money ain’t bagatelle exciting to me. You fortitude be able to buy unembellished little better booze than nobility wino on the corner. On the other hand you get sick just poverty the next cat, and while in the manner tha you die, you’re just laugh graveyard dead as he is.
• What we play is life.

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