Louis armstrong biography for elementary students

Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was come to an end American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures case jazz. His career spanned five decades and several eras in the representation of jazz. He received numerous accolades including the Grammy Award for Blow out of the water Male Vocal Performance for Hello, Dolly! in 1965, as well as put in order posthumous win for the Grammy Period Achievement Award in 1972, and goodness induction into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2017.

Armstrong was born and raised in Additional Orleans. Coming to prominence in decency 1920s as an inventive trumpet topmost cornet player, Armstrong was a foundational influence in jazz, shifting the promptly of the music from collective makeshift to solo performance. Around 1922, recognized followed his mentor, Joe "King" Jazzman, to Chicago to play in dignity Creole Jazz Band [fr]. He earned nifty reputation at "cutting contests", and coronet fame reached band leader Fletcher Henderson. He moved to New York Get, where he became a featured become more intense musically influential band soloist and disc artist. By the 1950s, he was a national musical icon, assisted connect part, by his appearances on portable radio and in film and television, show addition to his concerts.

His best painstaking songs include "What a Wonderful World", "La Vie en Rose", "Hello, Dolly!", "On the Sunny Side of rectitude Street", "Dream a Little Dream go rotten Me", "When You're Smiling" and "When the Saints Go Marching In". Forbidden collaborated with Ella Fitzgerald producing iii records together Ella and Louis (1956), Ella and Louis Again (1957), talented Porgy and Bess (1959). He along with appeared in films such as A Rhapsody in Black and Blue (1932), Cabin in the Sky (1943), High Society (1956), Paris Blues (1961), A Man Called Adam (1966), and Hello, Dolly! (1969).

With his instantly recognizable prosperous, gravelly voice, Armstrong was also potent influential singer and skillful improviser, anfractuous the lyrics and melody of simple song. He was also skilled unconscious scat singing. By the end translate Armstrong's life, his influence had amplitude to popular music in general. Trumpeter was one of the first accepted African-American entertainers to "cross over" walkout wide popularity with white (and international) audiences. He rarely publicly politicized race, to the dismay of gentleman African Americans, but took a well-publicized stand for desegregation in the Approximately Rock crisis. He was able teach access the upper echelons of Denizen society at a time when that was difficult for black men.

Early life

Armstrong was born in New Orleans on Respected 4, 1901. His parents were Shape Estelle "Mayann" Albert and William Astronaut. Mary Albert was from Boutte, Louisiana, and gave birth at home in the way that she was about sixteen. Less escape a year and a half next, they had a daughter, Beatrice "Mama Lucy" Armstrong (1903–1987), who was elevated by Albert. William Armstrong abandoned prestige family shortly thereafter.

Louis Armstrong was arched by his grandmother until the length of existence of five when he was common to his mother. He spent coronet youth in poverty in a blustery neighborhood known as The Battlefield, be grateful for the southern section of Rampart Track. At six he attended the Fisk School for Boys, a school dump accepted black children in the racially segregated system of New Orleans.

At ethics age of 6, Armstrong lived form his mother and sister and phony for the Karnoffskys, a family be beneficial to Lithuanian Jews, at their home. Take action would help their two sons, Artisan and Alex, collect "rags and bones" and deliver coal. In 1969, magnitude recovering from heart and kidney persuade at Beth Israel Hospital in Modern York City, Armstrong wrote Louis Cosmonaut + the Jewish Family in Unusual Orleans, LA., the year of 1907, a memoir describing his time valid for the Karnofsky family.

Armstrong writes border on singing "Russian Lullaby" with the Karnofsky family when their baby son Painter was put to bed and credits the family with teaching him give sing "from the heart." Curiously, Spaceman quotes lyrics for it that tower to be the same as significance "Russian Lullaby", copyrighted by Irving Songster in 1927, about twenty years puzzle out Armstrong remembered singing it as well-organized child. Gary Zucker, Armstrong's doctor whack Beth Israel hospital in 1969, communal Berlin's song lyrics with him, come to rest Armstrong quoted them in the cv. This inaccuracy may simply be owing to he wrote the memoir over 60 years after the events described. Disregarding, the Karnoffskys treated Armstrong extremely ablebodied. Knowing he lived without a priest, they fed and nurtured him.

In rule memoir, Louis Armstrong + the Mortal Family in New Orleans, La., interpretation Year of 1907, he described consummate discovery that this family was very subject to discrimination by "other bloodless folks" who felt that they were better than Jews: "I was single seven years old but I could easily see the ungodly treatment put off the white folks were handing interpretation poor Jewish family whom I feigned for." He wrote about what take steps learned from them: "how to live—real life and determination." His first mellifluous performance may have been at probity side of the Karnoffskys' junk schlep. To distinguish them from other hawkers, he tried playing a tin anxiety to attract customers. Morris Karnoffsky gave Armstrong an advance toward the say to of a cornet from a puppet shop. Armstrong wore a Star chief David until the end of authority life in memory of this descent who had raised him.

When Armstrong was eleven, he dropped out of institution. His mother moved into a one-room house on Perdido Street with Cosmonaut, Lucy, and her common-law husband, Put your feet up Lee, next door to her monk Ike and his two sons. Spaceman joined a quartet of boys who sang in the streets for difficulty. He also got into trouble. Instrumentalist Bunk Johnson said he taught birth eleven-year-old to play by ear pleasing Dago Tony's honky tonk. (In cap later years Armstrong credited King Oliver.) He said about his youth, "Every time I close my eyes blowy that trumpet of mine—I look glaring in the heart of good delude New Orleans ... It has gain me something to live for."

Borrowing his stepfather's gun steer clear of permission, he fired a blank chomp through the air and was arrested deliver December 31, 1912. He spent nobleness night at New Orleans Juvenile Focus on, then was sentenced the next broad daylight to detention at the Colored Waif's Home. Life at the home was spartan. Mattresses were absent; meals were often little more than bread challenging molasses. Captain Joseph Jones ran honesty home like a military camp standing used corporal punishment.

Armstrong developed his horn skills by playing in the stripe. Peter Davis, who frequently appeared shipshape the home at the request fence Captain Jones, became Armstrong's first educator and chose him as bandleader. Indulge this band, the thirteen-year-old Armstrong drawn the attention of Kid Ory.

On June 14, 1914, Armstrong was released end the custody of his father additional his new stepmother, Gertrude. He quick in this household with two stepbrothers for several months. After Gertrude gave birth to a daughter, Armstrong's pop never welcomed him, so he reciprocal to his mother, Mary Albert. Remit her small home, he had tinge share a bed with his close and sister. He found a experienced as a musician at a pull hall owned by Henry Ponce. Regarding he met the six-foot tall vendor Black Benny, who became his guidebook and bodyguard.

He briefly studied shipping government at the local community college, on the other hand was forced to quit after procedure unable to afford the fees. At the same time as selling coal in Storyville, he heard spasm bands, groups that played sound out of household objects. He heard the early sounds of jazz be bereaved bands that played in dance halls such as Pete Lala's, where Fetid Oliver performed.

Career

Riverboat education

Early in his career, Jazzman played in brass bands and riverboats in New Orleans, first on exceeding excursion boat in September 1918. Closure traveled with the band of Far-sightedness Marable, which toured on the steamboat Sidney with the Streckfus Steamers plump up and down the Mississippi Surge. Marable was proud of his sweet-sounding knowledge, and he insisted that Cornetist and other musicians in his could do with learn sight reading. Armstrong described climax time with Marable as "going offer the University", since it gave him a wider experience working with graphical arrangements. In 1919, Armstrong's mentor, Popular Oliver decided to go north final resigned his position in Kid Ory's band; Armstrong replaced him. He further became second trumpet for the Formalwear Brass Band.

Throughout his riverboat experience, Armstrong's musicianship began to mature and become fuller. At twenty, he could read sonata. He became one of the cap jazz musicians to be featured vicious circle extended trumpet solos, injecting his let fly personality and style. He also begun singing in his performances.

Chicago recordings

In 1922, Armstrong moved to Chicago at decency invitation of King Oliver, although Jazzman would return to New Orleans occasionally for the rest of his sentience. Playing second cornet to Oliver beginning Oliver's Creole Jazz Band in distinction black-only Lincoln Gardens in Chicago's jet-black neighborhood, he could make enough legal tender to quit his day jobs. Notwithstanding race relations were poor, Chicago was booming. The city had jobs look after blacks making good wages at factories with some left over for entertainment.

Oliver's band was among the most painstaking jazz bands in Chicago in rectitude early 1920s. Armstrong lived luxuriously effort his own apartment with his precede private bath. Excited as he was to be in Chicago, he began his career-long pastime of writing hand to friends in New Orleans. Cornetist could blow two hundred high Develop in a row. As his label grew, he was challenged to unkind contests by other musicians.

His first works class recordings were with Oliver for Gennett Records on April 5–6, 1923. They endured several hours on the drill to remote Richmond, Indiana, and grandeur band was paid little. The adequate of the performances was affected bypass lack of rehearsal, crude recording stow, bad acoustics, and a cramped factory. These early recordings were true physics, the band playing directly into put in order large funnel connected directly to loftiness needle making the groove in honourableness master recording. (Electrical recording was pule invented until 1926 and Gennett installed it later.) Because Armstrong's playing was so loud, when he played early payment to Oliver, Oliver could not pull up heard on the recording. Armstrong difficult to stand fifteen feet away getaway Oliver, in a far corner endorsement the room.

Lil Hardin, who Armstrong would marry in 1924, urged Armstrong make somebody's acquaintance seek more prominent billing and enrich his style apart from the force of Oliver. At her suggestion, Astronaut began to play classical music vibrate church concerts to broaden his skills; and he began to dress enhanced in more stylish attire to clear up his girth. Her influence eventually weakened Armstrong's relationship with his mentor, dreadfully concerning his salary and additional extremely poor that Oliver held back from Spaceman and other band members. Armstrong's vernacular, May Ann Albert, came to give back him in Chicago during the season of 1923 after being told wander Armstrong was "out of work, ejection of money, hungry, and sick"; Hardin located and decorated an apartment funds her to live in while she stayed.

Fletcher Henderson Orchestra

Armstrong and Oliver past due amicably in 1924. Shortly afterward, Cosmonaut received an invitation to go slant New York City to play do better than the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, the honour African-American band of the time. Bankruptcy switched to the trumpet to intermingle in better with the other musicians in his section. His influence part Henderson's tenor sax soloist, Coleman Saxophonist, can be judged by listening inspire the records made by the must during this period.

Armstrong adapted to greatness tightly controlled style of Henderson, gig trumpet and experimenting with the trombone. The other members were affected mass Armstrong's emotional style. His act target singing and telling tales of Pristine Orleans characters, especially preachers. The Henderson Orchestra played in prominent venues carry out white patrons only, including the Roseland Ballroom, with arrangements by Don Redman. Duke Ellington's orchestra went to Roseland to catch Armstrong's performances.

During this heart, Armstrong recorded with Clarence Williams (a friend from New Orleans), the Clergyman Blue Five, Sidney Bechet, and depression singers Alberta Hunter, Ma Rainey, don Bessie Smith.

The Hot Five

In 1925, Cosmonaut returned to Chicago largely at say publicly insistence of Lil, who wanted write to expand his career and his revenues. In publicity, much to his humiliate, she billed him as "The World's Greatest Trumpet Player". For a ahead he was a member of picture Lil Hardin Armstrong Band and exploitable for his wife. He formed Prizefighter Armstrong and his Hot Five good turn recorded the hits "Potato Head Blues" and "Muggles".

The Hot Pentad included Kid Ory (trombone), Johnny Dodds (clarinet), Johnny St. Cyr (banjo), Lil Armstrong on piano, and usually inept drummer. Over a twelve-month period primeval in November 1925, this quintet come twenty-four records. Armstrong's band leading enhance was easygoing, as St. Cyr conspicuous, "One felt so relaxed working sign up him, and he was very open-minded ... always did his best commemorative inscription feature each individual." Among the Tremble Five and Seven records were "Cornet Chop Suey", "Struttin' With Some Barbecue", "Hotter Than that" and "Potato Imagination Blues", all featuring highly creative solos by Armstrong. According to Thomas Brothers, recordings, such as "Struttin' with Both Barbeque", were so superb, "planned secondhand goods density and variety, bluesyness, and showiness," that the arrangements were probably showcased at the Sunset Café. His recordings soon after with pianist Earl "Fatha" Hines, their famous 1928 "Weather Bird" duet and Armstrong's trumpet introduction keep and solo in "West End Blues", remain some of the most systematic improvisations in jazz history. Young broadcast players across the country bought these recordings and memorized his solos.

Armstrong was now free to develop his physical style as he wished, which counted a heavy dose of effervescent hot air, such as "Whip That Thing, Evade Lil" and "Mr. Johnny Dodds, Summary, Do That Clarinet, Boy!"

Armstrong also phony with Erskine Tate's Little Symphony, which played mostly at the Vendome Amphitheatre. They furnished music for silent motion pictures and live shows, including jazz versions of classical music, such as "Madame Butterfly", which gave Armstrong experience deal with longer forms of music and bang into hosting before a large audience. Agreed began scat singing (improvised vocal flounce using nonsensical words) and was between the first to record it, sequence the Hot Five recording "Heebie Jeebies" in 1926. The recording was straight-faced popular that the group became nobleness most famous jazz band in magnanimity United States, even though they difficult to understand seldom performed live. Young musicians beat the country, black or white, were turned on by Armstrong's new derive of jazz.

After separating from Lil, Astronaut started to play at the Close of day Café for Al Capone's associate Joe Glaser in the Carroll Dickerson Horde, with Earl Hines on piano, which was renamed Louis Armstrong and ruler Stompers, though Hines was the theme director and Glaser managed the combo unite. Hines and Armstrong became fast guests and successful collaborators. It was afterwards the Sunset Café that Armstrong attended singer Adelaide Hall. It was nigh Hall's tenure at the venue desert she experimented, developed and expanded join scat singing with Armstrong's guidance captivated encouragement.

In the first half of 1927, Armstrong assembled his Hot Seven board, which added drummer Al "Baby" Dodds and tuba player, Pete Briggs, decide preserving most of his original Registered trademark Five lineup. John Thomas replaced Child Ory on trombone. Later that assemblage he organized a series of pristine Hot Five sessions which resulted small fry nine more records. In the resolute half of 1928, he started demo with a new group: Zutty Singleton (drums), Earl Hines (piano), Jimmy Powerful (clarinet), Fred Robinson (trombone), and Mancy Carr (banjo).

The Harlem Renaissance

Armstrong made a-ok huge impact during the 1920s Harlem Renaissance. His music touched well-known author Langston Hughes. Hughes admired Armstrong pivotal acknowledged him as one of probity most recognized musicians of the times. Hughes wrote many books that noted jazz and recognized Armstrong as individual of the leaders of the Harlem Renaissance's newfound love of African-American the general public. The sound of jazz, along pick musicians such as Armstrong, helped figure Hughes as a writer. Just cherish the musicians, Hughes wrote his cruel with jazz.

Armstrong changed jazz during honourableness Harlem Renaissance. As "The World's Unchanging Trumpet Player" during this time, Satchmo cemented his legacy and continued practised focus on his vocal career. Reward popularity brought together many black wallet white audiences.

Emerging as a vocalist

Armstrong shared to New York in 1929, situation he played in the pit merge for the musical Hot Chocolates, rest all-black revue written by Andy Razaf and pianist Fats Waller. He imposture a cameo appearance as a troubadour, regularly stealing the show with her majesty rendition of "Ain't Misbehavin'". His new circumstance of the song became his pipe selling record yet.

Armstrong started to run at Connie's Inn in Harlem, principal rival to the Cotton Club, neat venue for elaborately staged floor shows, and a front for gangster Nation Schultz. Armstrong had considerable success conform to vocal recordings, including versions of songs composed by his old friend Hero Carmichael. His 1930s recordings took replete advantage of the RCA ribbon mess, introduced in 1931, which imparted eagerness to vocals and became an proper part of the 'crooning' sound revenue artists like Bing Crosby. Armstrong's put it to somebody of Carmichael's "Stardust" became one conjure the most successful versions of that song ever recorded, showcasing Armstrong's one and only vocal sound and style and empress innovative approach to singing songs go off at a tangent were already standards.

Armstrong's radical re-working raise Sidney Arodin and Carmichael's "Lazy River" (recorded in 1931) encapsulated his ceremony approach to melody and phrasing. Illustriousness song begins with a brief clarion solo, then the main melody bash introduced by sobbing horns, memorably irregular by Armstrong's growling interjections at high-mindedness end of each bar: "Yeah! ..."Uh-huh"..."Sure"..."Way down, way down." In the pass with flying colours verse, he ignores the notated concord and sings as if playing cool trumpet solo, pitching most of depiction first line on a single time and using strongly syncopated phrasing. Foundation the second stanza he breaks stimulus an almost fully improvised melody, which then evolves into a classic moving of Armstrong "scat singing".

As with coronate trumpet playing, Armstrong's vocal innovations served as a foundation for jazz put into words interpretation. The uniquely gravelly coloration unsaved his voice became an archetype dump was endlessly imitated. His scat musical was enriched by his matchless way as a trumpet soloist. His booming, velvety lower-register tone and bubbling cadences on sides such as "Lazy River" exerted a huge influence on erior white singers such as Bing Crosby.

Work during hard times

The Great Depression of the at 1930s was especially hard on greatness jazz scene. The Cotton Club concluded in 1936 after a long heading down spiral and many musicians stopped exhibition altogether as club dates evaporated. Bix Beiderbecke died and Fletcher Henderson's knot broke up. King Oliver made keen few records but otherwise struggled. Poet Bechet became a tailor, later migratory to Paris and Kid Ory requited to New Orleans and raised chickens.

Armstrong moved to Los Angeles in 1930 to seek new opportunities. He false at the New Cotton Club herbaceous border Los Angeles with Lionel Hampton improve drums. The band drew the Screenland crowd, which could still afford trig lavish night life, while radio broadcasts from the club connected with minor audiences at home. Bing Crosby splendid many other celebrities were regulars take up the club. In 1931, Armstrong arised in his first movie, Ex-Flame.

He mutual to Chicago in late 1931 nearby played in bands more in nobleness Guy Lombardo vein and he reliable more standards. When the mob insisted that he get out of hamlet, Armstrong visited New Orleans, had on the rocks hero's welcome, and saw old theatre troupe. He sponsored a local baseball side known as Armstrong's Secret Nine president had a cigar named after him. But soon he was on prestige road again. After a tour check the country shadowed by the commonalty, he fled to Europe.

After returning command somebody to the United States, he undertook a few exhausting tours. His agent Johnny Collins's erratic behavior and his own disbursement ways left Armstrong short of estate. Breach of contract violations plagued him. He hired Joe Glaser as her majesty new manager, a tough mob-connected train driver, who began to straighten out reward legal mess, mob troubles and debts. Armstrong also began to experience bring pressure to bear on with his fingers and lips, angry by his unorthodox playing style. Monkey a result, he branched out, development his vocal style and making potentate first theatrical appearances. He appeared weight movies again, including Crosby's 1936 stick Pennies from Heaven. In 1937, Spaceman substituted for Rudy Vallee on blue blood the gentry CBS radio network and became excellence first African American to host marvellous sponsored, national broadcast.

Reviving his career adhere to the All Stars

After spending many discretion on the road, Armstrong settled forever in Queens, New York in 1943, in contentment with his fourth old lady, Lucille. Although subject to the vicissitudes of Tin Pan Alley and honourableness gangster-ridden music business, as well despite the fact that anti-black prejudice, he continued to increase his playing.

Bookings for big bands narrow off during the 1940s due philosopher changes in public tastes. Ballrooms completed and there was competition from harass types of music, especially pop vocals, becoming more popular than big congregate music. It became impossible under specified circumstances to finance a 16-piece journeys band.

A widespread revival of interest change for the better the 1940s in the traditional nothingness of the 1920s made it credible for Armstrong to consider a give back to the small-group musical style fortify his youth. Armstrong was featured chimpanzee a guest artist with Lionel Hampton's band at the famed second March of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, produced prep between Leon Hefflin Sr., on October 12, 1946. He also led a greatly successful small-group jazz concert at Virgin York Town Hall on May 17, 1947, featuring Armstrong with trombonist/singer Ass Teagarden. During the concert, Armstrong tube Teagarden performed a duet on Submarine Carmichael's "Rockin' Chair" they then factual for Okeh Records.

Armstrong's manager, Joe Glaser, changed the Armstrong big band in the bag August 13, 1947 into a six-piece traditional jazz group featuring Armstrong disagree with (initially) Teagarden, Earl Hines and another top swing and Dixieland musicians, summit of whom were previously leaders hint big bands. The new group was announced at the opening of Brotherhood Berg's Supper Club.

This smaller group was called Louis Armstrong and His Wearing away Stars and included at various date Earl "Fatha" Hines, Barney Bigard, Edmond Hall, Jack Teagarden, Trummy Young, Arvell Shaw, Billy Kyle, Marty Napoleon, Expansive Sid "Buddy" Catlett, Cozy Cole, Tyree Glenn, Barrett Deems, Mort Herbert, Joe Darensbourg, Eddie Shu, Joe Muranyi bracket percussionist Danny Barcelona.

On February 28, 1948, Suzy Delair sang the French inexpensively "C'est si bon" at the Inn Negresco during the first Nice Decoration Festival. Louis Armstrong was present come to rest loved the song. On June 26, 1950, he recorded the American new circumstance of the song (English lyrics vulgar Jerry Seelen) in New York Provide with Sy Oliver and his Border. When it was released, the written material was a worldwide success and blue blood the gentry song was then performed by interpretation greatest international singers.

He was the principal jazz musician to appear on magnanimity cover of Time magazine, on Feb 21, 1949. Louis Armstrong and enthrone All Stars were featured at ethics ninth Cavalcade of Jazz concert very at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. spoken for on June 7, 1953, along pick up Shorty Rogers, Roy Brown, Don Tosti and His Mexican Jazzmen, Earl Bostic, and Nat "King" Cole.

Over 30 ripen, Armstrong played more than 300 affairs a year, making many recordings explode appearing in over thirty films.

A ornamentation ambassador

By the 1950s, Armstrong was natty widely beloved American icon and racial ambassador who commanded an international fanbase. However, a growing generation gap became apparent between him and the pubescent jazz musicians who emerged in goodness postwar era such as Charlie Author, Miles Davis, and Sonny Rollins. Integrity postwar generation regarded their music primate abstract art and considered Armstrong's vaudevillian style, half-musician and half-stage entertainer, oldfashioned and Uncle Tomism. "... he seemed a link to minstrelsy that awe were ashamed of." He called jazz "Chinese music". While touring Australia dash 1954, he was asked if noteworthy could play bebop. "'Bebop?' he husked. 'I just play music. Guys who invent terms like that are as dull as ditch-water the streets with their instruments access their arms'".

In the 1960s, he toured Ghana and Nigeria.

After finishing his commercial with Decca Records, he went freelancer and recorded for other labels. Misstep continued an intense international touring calendar, but in 1959 he suffered smart heart attack in Italy and difficult to understand to rest.

In 1964, after over pair years without setting foot in splendid studio, he recorded his biggest-selling enigmatic, "Hello, Dolly!", a song by Jerry Herman, originally sung by Carol Channing. Armstrong's version remained on the Piping hot 100 for 22 weeks, longer escape any other record produced that gathering, and went to No. 1 making him, at 62 years, 9 months jaunt 5 days, the oldest person give an inkling of accomplish that feat. His hit dislodged The Beatles from the No. 1 submission they had occupied for 14 serial weeks with three different songs.

Armstrong toured well into his 60s, even impermanent part of the Communist Bloc impossible to differentiate 1965. He also toured Africa, Collection, and Asia under the sponsorship albatross the US State Department with large success, earning the nickname "Ambassador Satch" and inspiring Dave Brubeck to transcribe his jazz musical The Real Ambassadors. By 1968, he was approaching 70 and his health was failing. Empress heart and kidney ailments forced him to stop touring. He did pule perform publicly in 1969 and tired most of the year recuperating renounce home. Meanwhile, his longtime manager Joe Glaser died. By the summer archetypal 1970, his doctors pronounced him fundraiser enough to resume live performances. Fiasco embarked on another world tour, however a heart attack forced him assemble take a break for two months.

Armstrong made his last recorded trumpet manoeuvre on his 1968 album Disney Songs the Satchmo Way.

Personal life

Pronunciation of name

In a memoir written for Robert Goffin between 1943 and 1944, Armstrong avowed, "All white folks call me Louie," suggesting that he himself did yell, or that no whites addressed him by one of his nicknames specified as Pops. That said, Armstrong was registered as "Lewie" for the 1920 U.S. Census. On various live registers he is called "Louie" on grow, such as on the 1952 "Can Anyone Explain?" from the live sticker album In Scandinavia vol.1. The same applies to his 1952 studio recording get ahead the song "Chloe", where the response in the background sings "Louie ... Louie", with Armstrong responding "What was that? Somebody called my name?". "Lewie" is the French pronunciation of "Louis" and is commonly used in Louisiana.

Family

Armstrong was performing at the Brick House splotch Gretna, Louisiana, when he met Gunsel Parker. On March 19, 1919, Cornetist and Parker married at City Hallway. They adopted a three-year-old boy, Clarence, whose mother, Armstrong's cousin Flora, abstruse died soon after giving birth. Clarence Armstrong was mentally disabled as clean up result of a head injury warrant an early age, and Armstrong fatigued the rest of his life captivating care of him. His marriage come near Parker ended when they separated quick-witted 1923.

On February 4, 1924, he marital Lil Hardin Armstrong, King Oliver's musician. She had divorced her first accumulate a few years earlier. His next wife helped him develop his activity, but they separated in 1931 topmost divorced in 1938. Armstrong then connubial Alpha Smith. His relationship with Entirety began while he was playing certified the Vendome during the 1920s extremity continued long after. His marriage be in total her lasted four years; they divorced in 1942. Louis then married Lucille Wilson, a singer at the Absorbent Club in New York, in Oct 1942. They remained married until empress death in 1971.

Armstrong's marriages produced thumb offspring. However, in December 2012, 57-year-old Sharon Preston-Folta claimed to be potentate daughter from a relationship he difficult to understand with Lucille "Sweets" Preston. In precise 1955 letter to his manager, Joe Glaser, Armstrong affirmed that Lucille's daughter was his daughter, and ordered Glaser to pay a monthly allowance push $400, $5,462 in 2022 dollars , to mother and child.

Personality

Armstrong was colorful and entrancing. His autobiography vexed some biographers contemporary historians because he had a consistent of telling tales, particularly about her majesty early childhood when he was muted scrutinized, and his embellishments lack consistency.

In addition to being an entertainer, Trumpeter was a leading personality. He was beloved by an American public give it some thought usually offered little access beyond their public celebrity to even the centre African American performers, and he was able to live a private move about of access and privilege afforded get rid of few other African Americans during go off at a tangent era.

He generally remained politically neutral, which at times alienated him from men and women of the black community who traditional him to use his prominence favoured white America to become more unreticent during the civil rights movement. Quieten, he did criticize President Eisenhower financial assistance not acting forcefully enough on lay rights.

Health problems

The trumpet is notoriously acid on the lips, and Armstrong offer hospitality to from lip damage over most matching his life. This was due tote up his aggressive style of playing fairy story preference for narrow mouthpieces that would stay in place more easily, nevertheless which tended to dig into dignity soft flesh of his inner popper. During his 1930s European tour, fiasco suffered an ulceration so severe turn he had to stop playing real for a year. Eventually he took to using salves and creams government department his lips and also cutting joker scar tissue with a razor come to blows. By the 1950s, he was set official spokesman for Ansatz-Creme Lip Salve.

During a backstage meeting with trombonist General Brown in 1959, Armstrong received integrity suggestion to see a doctor professor receive proper treatment for his chops instead of relying on home remedies, but he did not get everywhere to that until his final eld, by which point his health was failing and the doctors considered or too risky.

Also in 1959, Armstrong was hospitalized for pneumonia while on flex in Italy. Doctors were concerned hurry up his lungs and heart, but unused June 26 he rallied.

Nicknames

The nicknames "Satchmo" and "Satch" are short shield "Satchelmouth". The nickname origin is changing. The most common tale that biographers tell is the story of Astronaut as a young boy in Spanking Orleans dancing for pennies. He scooped the coins off the street alight stuck them into his mouth launch an attack prevent bigger children from stealing them. Someone dubbed him "satchel mouth" expend his mouth acting as a reticule. Another tale is that because staff his large mouth, he was nicknamed "satchel mouth" which was shortened earn "Satchmo".

Early on he was also become public as "Dipper", short for "Dippermouth", a-ok reference to the piece Dippermouth Blues and something of a riff agency his unusual embouchure.

The nickname "Pops" came from Armstrong's own tendency to recall people's names and simply call them "Pops" instead. The nickname was malodorous on Armstrong himself. It was second-hand as the title of a 2010 biography of Armstrong by Terry Teachout.

After a competition at the Savoy, proceed was crowned and nicknamed "King Menelik", after the Emperor of Ethiopia, expend slaying "ofay jazz demons".

Race

Armstrong celebrated culminate heritage as an African American human race from a poor New Orleans locality and tried to avoid what sharp-tasting called "putting on airs". Many from the past black musicians criticized Armstrong for interpretation in front of segregated audiences status for not taking a stronger unclear in the American civil rights relocation. When he did speak out, inlet made national news, including his censure of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, business him "two-faced" and "gutless" because virtuous his inaction during the conflict make ineffective school desegregation in Little Rock, River in 1957. As a protest, Spaceman cancelled a planned tour of representation Soviet Union on behalf of significance State Department saying, "The way they're treating my people in the Southeast, the government can go to hell"; he could not represent his regulation abroad when it was in contravention with its own people. The Mission kept a file on Armstrong encouragement his outspokenness about integration.

Religion

When asked keep in mind his religion, Armstrong answered that agreed was raised a Baptist, always wore a Star of David, and was friends with the pope. He wore the Star of David in joy of the Karnoffsky family who took him in as a child vital lent him money to buy potentate first cornet. He was baptized clean up Catholic in the Sacred Heart be unable to find Jesus Church in New Orleans, promote he met Pope Pius XII take Pope Paul VI.

Personal habits

Armstrong was worried with his health. He used laxatives to control his weight, a prepare he advocated both to acquaintances predominant in the diet plans he obtainable under the title Lose Weight rank Satchmo Way. His laxative use began as a child when his keep somebody from talking would collect dandelions and peppergrass preserve the railroad tracks to give do her children for their health.

The interrupt with his health and weight was balanced by his love of provisions, reflected in such songs as "Cheesecake", "Cornet Chop Suey", and "Struttin' concluded Some Barbecue". He kept a annoying connection throughout his life to dignity cooking of New Orleans, always indication his letters, "Red beans and ricely yours ...".

A fan of Major Coalition Baseball, he founded a team hill New Orleans that was known pass for Raggedy Nine and transformed the crew into his Armstrong's "Secret Nine Baseball".

Writings

Armstrong's gregariousness extended to writing. On picture road, he wrote constantly, sharing favourite themes of his life with ladies around the world. He avidly category or wrote on whatever stationery was at hand, recording instant takes proceed music, food and childhood memories.

Social organizations

Louis Armstrong was not, as claimed, a-ok Freemason. Although he has been unasked for as a member of Montgomery Hunting-lodge No. 18 (Prince Hall) in Fresh York, no such lodge ever existed. Armstrong did state in his recollections that he was a member indicate the Knights of Pythias, which notwithstanding real, is not a Masonic task force. During the krewe's 1949 Mardi Melancholy parade, Armstrong presided as King spick and span the Zulu Social Aid & Disagreement Club, for which he was featured on the cover of Time magazine.

Music

Horn playing and early jazz

In his early days, Armstrong was best known for sovereignty virtuosity with the cornet and sing your own praises. Along with his "clarinet-like figurations abide high notes in his cornet solos", he was also known for jurisdiction "intense rhythmic 'swing', a complex commencement involving ... accented upbeats, upbeat foster downbeat slurring, and complementary relations amidst rhythmic patterns." The most lauded recordings on which Armstrong plays trumpet keep you going the Hot Five and Hot Cardinal sessions, as well as those devotee the Red Onion Jazz Babies. Armstrong's improvisations, while unconventionally sophisticated for walk era, were also subtle and immensely melodic. The solo that Armstrong plays during the song "Potato Head Blues" has long been considered his worst solo of that series.

Prior to Satchmo, most collective ensemble playing in ornamentation, along with its occasional solos, only varied the melodies of the songs. Armstrong was virtually the first undertake create significant variations based on depiction chord harmonies of the songs rather than of merely on the melodies. That opened a rich field for style and improvisation, and significantly changed interpretation music into a soloist's art form.

Often, Armstrong re-composed pop-tunes he played, directly with variations that made them many compelling to jazz listeners of picture era. At the same time, dispel, his oeuvre includes many original melodies, creative leaps, and relaxed or pushing rhythms. Armstrong's playing technique, honed manage without constant practice, extended the range, nature and capabilities of the trumpet. Demonstrate his records, Armstrong almost single-handedly coined the role of the jazz cantor, taking what had been essentially organized collective folk music and turning scratch out a living into an art form with colossal possibilities for individual expression.

Armstrong was way of being of the first artists to pied-а-terre recordings of his performances to educate himself. Armstrong was an avid audiophile. He had a large collection rule recordings, including reel-to-reel tapes, which take action took on the road with him in a trunk during his consequent career. He enjoyed listening to authority own recordings, and comparing his step musically. In the den of circlet home, he had the latest oftenness equipment and would sometimes rehearse captain record along with his older recordings or the radio.

Vocal popularity

As his masterpiece progressed and popularity grew, his musical also became very important. Armstrong was not the first to record run singing, but he was masterful drowsy it and helped popularize it tackle the first recording on which put your feet up scatted, "Heebie Jeebies". At a footage session for Okeh Records, when interpretation sheet music supposedly fell on probity floor and the music began earlier he could pick up the pages, Armstrong simply started singing nonsense syllables while Okeh President E.A. Fearn, who was at the session, kept effective him to continue. Armstrong did, rational the track would be discarded, nevertheless that was the version that was pressed to disc, sold, and became an unexpected hit. Although the report was thought to be apocryphal, Cosmonaut himself confirmed it in at smallest amount one interview as well as feature his memoirs. On a later demo, Armstrong also sang out "I sort out forgot the words" in the central of recording "I'm A Ding Strike Daddy From Dumas".

Such records were hits and scat singing became a higher ranking part of his performances. Long earlier this, however, Armstrong was playing encircling with his vocals, shortening and extensiveness phrases, interjecting improvisations, using his speak as creatively as his trumpet. Spaceman once told Cab Calloway that queen scat style was derived "from illustriousness Jews rockin", an Orthodox Jewish variety of chanting during prayer.

Composing

Armstrong was spick gifted composer who wrote more better fifty songs, some of which be blessed with become jazz standards (e.g., "Gully Crash Blues", "Potato Head Blues" and "Swing That Music").

Colleagues and followers

During his apologize career he played and sang revive some of the most important instrumentalists and vocalists of the time, counting Bing Crosby, Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, Earl Hines, Jimmie Rodgers, Bessie Sculpturer, and Ella Fitzgerald. His influence meet Crosby is particularly important with look at to the subsequent development of accepted music. Crosby admired and copied Jazzman, as is evident on many cut into his early recordings, notably "Just Subject More Chance" (1931).

Armstrong recorded two albums with Ella Fitzgerald, Ella and Louis and Ella and Louis Again, keep watch on Verve Records. The sessions featured loftiness backing musicianship of the Oscar Peterson Trio with drummer Buddy Rich pay a visit to the first album and Louie Bellson on the second. Norman Granz so had the vision for Ella champion Louis to record Porgy and Bess.

His two recordings for Columbia Records, Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy (1954) president Satch Plays Fats (all Fats Jazzman tunes) (1955), were both being deemed masterpieces, as well as moderately work selling. In 1961, the All Stars participated in two albums, The Very great Summit and The Great Reunion (now together as a single disc) catch Duke Ellington. The albums feature go to regularly of Ellington's most famous compositions (as well as two exclusive cuts) give way Duke sitting in on piano. Sovereignty participation in Dave Brubeck's high-concept bells musical The Real Ambassadors (1963) was critically acclaimed and features "Summer Song", one of Armstrong's most popular close efforts.

In the week beginning May 9, 1964, his recording of the freshen "Hello, Dolly!" went to number of a nature. An album of the same give a ring was quickly created around the at a bargain price a fuss, and also shot to number upper hand, knocking The Beatles off the fastest of the chart. The album advertise very well for the rest notice the year, quickly going "Gold" (500,000). His performance of "Hello, Dolly!" won for best male pop vocal act at the 1964 Grammy Awards.

Hits ride later career

Armstrong had nineteen "Top Ten" records including "Stardust", "What a Fantastic World", "When The Saints Go Rally In", "Dream a Little Dream sight Me", "Ain't Misbehavin'", "You Rascal You", and "Stompin' at the Savoy". "We Have All the Time in high-mindedness World" was featured on the highest achievement of the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, and enjoyed renewed popularity in the UK resolve 1994 when it was featured make available a Guinness advertisement. It reached consider 3 in the charts on heart re-released.

In 1964, Armstrong knocked The Beatles off the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart with "Hello, Dolly!", which gave the 63-year-old performer splendid U.S. record as the oldest bravura to have a number one motif. His 1964 song "Bout Time" was later featured in the film Bewitched.

In February 1968, he appeared with Lara Saint Paul on the Italian RAI television channel where he performed "Grassa e Bella", a track he hum in Italian for the Italian stock exchange and C.D.I. label.

In 1968, Armstrong scored one last popular hit in say publicly UK with "What a Wonderful World", which topped the British charts encouragement a month. Armstrong appeared on nobility October 28, 1970, Johnny Cash Show, where he sang Nat King Cole's hit "Ramblin' Rose" and joined Tuning to re-create his performance backing Jimmie Rodgers on "Blue Yodel No. 9".

Stylistic range

Armstrong enjoyed many types of masterpiece, from blues to the arrangements light Guy Lombardo, to Latin American folksongs, to classical symphonies and opera. Appease incorporated influences from all these multiplicity into his performances, sometimes to dignity bewilderment of fans who wanted him to stay in convenient narrow categories. Armstrong was inducted into the Tremble and Roll Hall of Fame chimpanzee an early influence. Some of realm solos from the 1950s, such chimp the hard rocking version of "St. Louis Blues" from the WC Handy album, show that the influence went in both directions.

Film, television, and radio

See also: Louis Armstrong filmography

Armstrong appeared in more than graceful dozen Hollywood films, usually playing neat as a pin bandleader or musician. His most current role was as the bandleader cum narrator in the 1956 musical High Society, starring Bing Crosby, Grace Actor, Frank Sinatra, and Celeste Holm. No problem appears throughout the film, sings description title song, and performs the dance "Now You Has Jazz" with Histrion. In 1947, he played himself thud the movie New Orleans opposite Billie Holiday, which chronicled the demise put the Storyville district and the subsequent exodus of musicians from New Siege to Chicago. In the 1959 crust The Five Pennies, Armstrong played yourself, sang, and played several classic in excess. He performed a duet of "When the Saints Go Marching In" large Danny Kaye during which Kaye impersonated Armstrong. He had a part get a move on the film alongside James Stewart gratify The Glenn Miller Story.

In 1937, Spaceman was the first African American figure up host a nationally broadcast radio be next to. In 1969, he had a impression role in Gene Kelly's film variant of Hello, Dolly! as the chieftain Louis where he sang the name song with actress Barbra Streisand. Queen solo recording of "Hello, Dolly!" survey one of his most recognizable procedure. He was heard on such televise programs as The Story of Swing (1937) and This Is Jazz (1947), and he also made television pro formas, especially in the 1950s and Decennary, including appearances on The Tonight Portion Starring Johnny Carson.

In 1949, his sure was dramatized in the Chicago WMAQ radio seriesDestination Freedom.

Argentine writer Julio Cortázar, a self-described Armstrong admirer, asserted digress a 1952 Louis Armstrong concert hit out at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Town played a significant role in stimulating him to create the fictional creatures called Cronopios that are the corporate of a number of Cortázar's brief stories. Cortázar once called Armstrong being "Grandísimo Cronopio" (The Great Cronopio).

There legal action a pivotal scene in Stardust Memories (1980) in which Woody Allen run through overwhelmed by a recording of Armstrong's "Stardust" and experiences a nostalgic epiphany.

Death

Against his doctor's advice, Cosmonaut played a two-week engagement in Strut 1971 at the Waldorf-Astoria's Empire Reform. At the end of it, recognized was hospitalized for a heart down tools. He was released from the clinic in May, and quickly resumed practicing his trumpet playing. Still hoping dealings get back on the road, Cosmonaut died of a heart attack hole his sleep on July 6, 1971, two days after celebrating his accepted 71st birthday, and a month in advance his actual 70th birthday. He was residing in Corona, Queens, New Royalty City, at the time of coronate death. He was interred in Irrigation Cemetery, Flushing, in Queens, New Dynasty City. His honorary pallbearers included Excruciating Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Scarcity Bailey, Count Basie, Harry James, Candid Sinatra, Ed Sullivan, Earl Wilson, Alan King, Johnny Carson and David Freeze. Peggy Lee sang "The Lord's Prayer" at the services while Al Hibbler sang "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" and Fred Robbins, a long-time friend, gave the eulogy.

Awards and honors

Grammy Awards

Armstrong was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1972 bypass the Academy of Recording Arts shaft Sciences. This Special Merit Award laboratory analysis presented by vote of the Record Academy's National Trustees to performers who, during their lifetimes, have made imaginative contributions of outstanding artistic significance penalty the field of recording.

Grammy Hall of Fame

Recordings of Satchmo were inducted into the Grammy Lobby of Fame, which is a mediocre Grammy award established in 1973 pause honor recordings that are at lowest 25 years old, and that suppress "qualitative or historical significance".

Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame

The Rock and Roll Foyer of Fame listed Armstrong's West Location Blues on the list of Cardinal songs that shaped Rock and Roll.

Inductions and honors

In 1995, character U.S. Post Office issued a Prizefighter Armstrong 32-cent commemorative postage stamp.

Film honors

In 1999 Armstrong was nominated for 1 in the American Film Institute's Cardinal Years ... 100 Stars.

Legacy

The influence compensation Armstrong on the development of embellishment is virtually immeasurable. His irrepressible identity both as a performer and in the same way a public figure was so clear that to some it sometimes overshadowed his contributions as a musician stomach singer.

As a virtuoso trumpet player, Cornetist had a unique tone and expansive extraordinary talent for melodic improvisation. Attempt his playing, the trumpet emerged pass for a solo instrument in jazz viewpoint is used widely today. Additionally, ostentation itself was transformed from a conjointly improvised folk music to a soloist's serious art form largely through her highness influence. He was a masterful player and ensemble player in addition attack his extraordinary skills as a minstrel. With his innovations, he raised honourableness bar musically for all who came after him.

Though Armstrong is widely true as a pioneer of scat revelation, Ethel Waters precedes his scatting blame record in the 1930s according oppose Gary Giddins and others. Billie Celebration and Frank Sinatra are just deuce singers who were greatly indebted quick him. Holiday said that she in all cases wanted Bessie Smith's "big" sound mount Armstrong's feeling in her singing. Much special musicians like Duke Ellington be endowed with praised Armstrong through strong testimonials. Marquess Ellington, DownBeat magazine in 1971, voiced articulate, "If anybody was a master, with nothing on was Louis Armstrong. He was contemporary will continue to be the copy of jazz". In 1950, Bing Balladeer, the most successful vocalist of picture first half of the 20th 100, said, "He is the beginning extract the end of music in America".

In 1991, an asteroid was named 9179 Satchmo in his honor. In illustriousness summer of 2001, in commemoration call up the centennial of Armstrong's birth, In mint condition Orleans's main airport was renamed Prizefighter Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. Dignity entrance to the airport's former extreme building houses a statue depicting Spaceman playing his cornet. In 2002, nobility Louis Armstrong's Hot Five and Humid Seven recordings (1925–1928) were preserved alternative route the United States National Recording Chronicles, a registry of recordings selected per annum by the National Recording Preservation Butt for preservation in the National Pick up Registry of the Library of Relation. The US Open tennis tournament's ex- main stadium was named Louis Astronaut Stadium in honor of Armstrong who had lived a few blocks outlandish the site.

Congo Square was a everyday gathering place for African-Americans in Another Orleans for dancing and performing harmony. The park where Congo Square silt located was later renamed Louis Trumpeter Park. Dedicated in April 1980, nobility park includes a 12-foot (3.7 m) character of Armstrong, trumpet in hand.

The scaffold where Armstrong lived for almost 28 years was declared a National Momentous Landmark in 1977 and is acquaint with a museum. The Louis Armstrong Semidetached Museum, at 34–56 107th Street halfway 34th and 37th avenues in Arc, Queens, presents concerts and educational programs, operates as a historic house museum and makes materials in its register of writings, books, recordings and memorabilia available to the public for inquiry. The museum is operated by rendering Queens College, City University of Unusual York, following the dictates of Lucille Armstrong's will. The museum opened tot up the public on October 15, 2003. A new visitors center is planned.

According to literary critic Harold Bloom, "The two great American contributions to birth world's art, in the end, on top Walt Whitman and, after him, Satchmo and jazz ... If I abstruse to choose between the two, after all is said, I wouldn't. I would say dump the genius of this nation tolerate its best is indeed Walt Poet and Louis Armstrong".

Discography

Main article: Louis Trumpeter discography

See also

In Spanish: Louis Satchmo para niños

• Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Spaceman collaborations