Louis Armstrong
Louis Daniel Armstrong was born in New Orleans on the 4th of August 1901. He grew up in a rough neighborhood known as The Battlefield on Rampart Street. His mother Mary Estelle Albert gave birth to him at home when she was about sixteen years old. William Armstrong abandoned the family shortly after his daughter Beatrice arrived less than a year and a half later. Louis lived with his grandmother until he turned five before returning to his mother.
He worked for the Karnoffsky family of Lithuanian Jews who collected rags and bones and delivered coal. The family fed and nurtured him despite having no father figure present. In 1969 while recovering from heart problems at Beth Israel Hospital in New York City he wrote a memoir describing this time. He recalled singing Russian Lullaby with them when their baby son David went to bed. Morris Karnoffsky gave him an advance toward purchasing a cornet from a pawn shop.
Armstrong wore a Star of David given to him by his Jewish manager Joe Glaser until the end of his life. He remembered seeing ungodly treatment that white folks handed the poor Jewish family whom he worked for. This experience taught him how to live real life and determination. His first musical performance may have been at the side of the Karnoffskys junk wagon where he played a tin horn.
In 1922 Armstrong moved to Chicago at the invitation of King Oliver. He played second cornet to Oliver in Oliver's Creole Jazz Band at Lincoln Gardens on the South Side. The band made recordings for Gennett Records starting the 5th of April 1923. They endured several hours on a train to remote Richmond Indiana and received little pay. The quality suffered due to crude recording equipment and bad acoustics.
Lil Hardin urged Armstrong to seek more prominent billing and develop his style apart from Oliver. She helped locate and decorate an apartment for his mother Mayann Albert who visited during summer 1923. In 1925 Armstrong returned to Chicago because he was disillusioned with New York. Lil set up a recording session with Okeh for him as well as a gig at the Dreamland Cafe.
Armstrong formed Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five and recorded hits like Potato Head Blues and Muggles. The word muggles was slang for marijuana which Armstrong often used during his life. Over twelve months starting November 1925 this quintet produced twenty-four records. Young trumpet players across the country bought these recordings and memorized his solos.
During a recording session for Okeh Records sheet music supposedly fell on the floor before Armstrong could pick up the pages. He simply started singing nonsense syllables while Okeh President E.A. Fearn kept telling him to continue. That version became pressed to disc sold and turned into an unexpected hit called Heebie Jeebies in 1926.
His uniquely gravelly coloration of voice became an archetype endlessly imitated by younger singers. Armstrong once told Cab Calloway that his scat style derived from Jews rockin an Orthodox Jewish style of chanting during prayer. His resonant velvety lower-register tone and bubbling cadences greatly influenced white singers such as Bing Crosby.
In 1930s recordings he took full advantage of the RCA ribbon microphone introduced in 1931. This imparted warmth to vocals and became intrinsic part of crooning sound. His interpretation of Hoagy Carmichael's Stardust became one of most successful versions ever recorded showcasing his unique vocal sound and innovative approach.
In 1957 journalism student Larry Lubenow scored a candid interview with Armstrong while performing in Grand Forks North Dakota. This occurred shortly after conflict over school desegregation in Little Rock Arkansas. Armstrong denounced both Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus and President Dwight D. Eisenhower saying the President had no guts and was two-faced.
He told his interviewer he would cancel a planned tour of Soviet Union on behalf of State Department. He stated government could go to hell since they were treating his people badly in South. He could not represent his government abroad when it was in conflict with its own people. FBI kept file on Armstrong for his outspokenness about integration.
His outburst drew praise from figures like Jackie Robinson and Lena Horne while a Mississippi radio station banned his records. His longtime road manager Pierre Tallerie attempted to walk back comments prompting sharp public rebuke from Armstrong who nearly fired Tallerie and insisted on speaking for himself going forward.
By 1964 Armstrong toured part of Communist Bloc with great success earning nickname Ambassador Satch. He also toured Africa Europe and Asia under sponsorship of US State Department. His travels included performances in Egypt Ghana and Nigeria inspiring Dave Brubeck to compose jazz musical The Real Ambassadors.
In 1950 Bing Crosby said Armstrong was beginning and end of music in America. Duke Ellington called him embodiment of jazz in DownBeat magazine 1971. By 1968 Armstrong approached seventy years old and health was failing. Heart and kidney ailments forced him stop touring though he continued record including What A Wonderful World which topped British charts for month.
Armstrong made last recorded trumpet performances on 1968 album Disney Songs the Satchmo Way. He appeared on the 28th of October 1970 Johnny Cash Show where he sang Nat King Cole's hit Ramblin Rose and joined Cash re-create performance backing Jimmie Rodgers on Blue Yodel No 9.
In week beginning the 9th of May 1964 Armstrong recording of Hello Dolly went to number one. Album of same title quickly created around song shot to number one knocking Beatles off top chart. The album sold very well rest year quickly going Gold meaning five hundred thousand copies. Performance won best male pop vocal performance at 1964 Grammy Awards making him oldest person accomplish feat at sixty two years nine months five days.
He appeared in more than dozen Hollywood films usually playing bandleader or musician. Most familiar role was bandleader cum narrator in 1956 musical High Society starring Bing Crosby Grace Kelly Frank Sinatra and Celeste Holm. In 1937 Armstrong became first African American host nationally broadcast radio show.
His solo recording of Hello Dolly is one most recognizable performances. He had part in film alongside James Stewart in Glenn Miller Story. In 1969 he had cameo role Gene Kelly film version as bandleader Louis singing title song with actress Barbra Streisand.
Trumpet notoriously hard on lips and Armstrong suffered from lip damage over most life due to aggressive playing style. During 1930s European tour he suffered ulceration so severe he stopped playing entirely for year. Eventually he took salves creams cutting scar tissue with razor blade. By 1950s he official spokesman Ansatz-Creme Lip Salve.
In 1959 Armstrong hospitalized for pneumonia while touring Italy. Doctors concerned about lungs heart but by end June he rallied. Against doctor advice he played two-week engagement March 1971 at Waldorf-Astoria Empire Room. At end hospitalized for heart attack released May quickly resumed practicing trumpet playing.
Still hoping get back road Armstrong died heart attack sleep the 6th of July 1971. He resided Corona Queens New York City time death. Interred Flushing Cemetery Flushing Queens New York City honorary pallbearers included Bing Crosby Ella Fitzgerald Duke Ellington Dizzy Gillespie Pearl Bailey Count Basie Harry James Frank Sinatra Ed Sullivan Earl Wilson Benny Goodman Alan King Johnny Carson David Frost.
In 1952 DownBeat magazine inducted Armstrong into Jazz Hall of Fame as first inductee. In 1995 US Post Office issued Louis Armstrong thirty-two-cent commemorative postage stamp. In summer 2001 New Orleans main airport renamed Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport entrance houses statue depicting him playing cornet.
Congo Square common gathering place blacks dancing performing music later renamed Louis Armstrong Park dedicated April 1980 includes statue holding trumpet. House where Armstrong lived almost twenty-eight years declared National Historic Landmark opened public guided tours the 15th of October 2003. Museum website includes digitized Armstrong Archives searchable public twenty-four hours day.
A Wonderful World musical based life story had world premiere run Miami New Drama the 4th of December 2021 to the 16th of January 2021 after mounting previews beginning the 5th of March 2020 canceling opening night March 14 due COVID concerns. Show stars James Monroe Iglehart makes pre-Broadway stops New Orleans October 1-8 2023 and Chicago October 11-29 2023 debut Broadway 2024.
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Common questions
When and where was Louis Armstrong born?
Louis Daniel Armstrong was born in New Orleans on the 4th of August 1901. He grew up in a rough neighborhood known as The Battlefield on Rampart Street.
How did Louis Armstrong get his start playing music?
His first musical performance may have been at the side of the Karnoffskys junk wagon where he played a tin horn. Morris Karnoffsky gave him an advance toward purchasing a cornet from a pawn shop after feeding and nurturing him.
What happened during the Okeh Records session that created Heebie Jeebies?
Sheet music fell on the floor before Armstrong could pick it up so he started singing nonsense syllables while Okeh President E.A. Fearn told him to continue. That version became pressed to disc sold and turned into an unexpected hit called Heebie Jeebies in 1926.
Why did Louis Armstrong cancel his planned tour of the Soviet Union in 1957?
Armstrong denounced Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus and President Dwight D. Eisenhower for their treatment of African Americans following conflict over school desegregation in Little Rock Arkansas. He stated government could go to hell since they were treating his people badly in South and could not represent his government abroad when it was in conflict with its own people.
When did Louis Armstrong die and what caused his death?
Louis Armstrong died of a heart attack in sleep the 6th of July 1971. He resided in Corona Queens New York City at the time of his death.