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Similarly, many of his most influential recordings, like 1928's "West End Blues" and 1955's "Mack the Knife," have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. What was Louis Armstrongs childhood like? His notoriety for being the best jazz player of his time was secured as Armstrong's arrangement of swing and melodic development opened out and changed Henderson's band and in addition jazz overall. Armstrong's home in Corona, Queens was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977; today, the house is home to the Louis Armstrong House Museum, which annually receives thousands of visitors from all over the world. He married Lillian Harden, the pianist in the Oliver band, on February 5, 1924. Armstrong was brought up by his mother, Mary (Albert) Armstrong, and his maternal grandmother. Armstrong used to say that hed been born on July 4, 1900. Contracted to OKeh Records, he began to make a series of recordings with studio-only groups called the Hot Fives or the Hot Sevens. Thereafter until his death in 1971, however, Armstrong never publicly addressed whether he was in fact Sharon's father. The family treated Armstrong like a member, bought him his first trumpet, and encouraged his musical aspirations. Though his popularity was hitting new highs in the 1950s, and despite breaking down so many barriers for his race and being a hero to the African American community for so many years, Armstrong began losing his standing with two segments of his audience: Modern jazz fans and young African Americans. The lights dim, and the velvet curtains slide open. He was born into poverty on August 4, 1901 in the streets of Back o Town (Meckna). During this period, he switched from cornet to trumpet. He also began singing on these recordings, popularizing wordless "scat singing" with his hugely popular vocal on 1926's "Heebie Jeebies.". He began following him and eventually Oliver became Armstrongs mentor. The bottom line of any country in the world is what did we contribute to the world? This pop success was repeated internationally four years later with "What a Wonderful World," which hit number one in the U.K. in April 1968. Show More. "What a Wonderful World" peaked on the U.S. music charts after Armstrong passed away. Armstrong continued to tour extensively, despite a heart attack in June 1959. After recording with Oliver for over a year, Armstrong moved into what would become the most important early-jazz big band, Fletcher Hendersons Orchestra (Shipton 201). This led some to alter his long-time nickname, Satchmo, to "Ambassador Satch.". He also played as a second trumpet for King Oliver. Despite failing to make a new record for two years, Armstrong remained a fan favorite. A year in New York with Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra proved unsatisfying so Armstrong returned to Chicago in 1925 and began making records under his own name for the first time. Why was Louis Armstrong important to New Orleans? However, controversy regarding Armstrong's fatherhood struck in 1954, when a girlfriend that the musician had dated on the side, Lucille "Sweets" Preston, claimed she was pregnant with his child. Mozart, in his own traditional ways, the right away he did the first three of his 22 performances at that opera. He was a groundbreaking musician and a pioneer in the development of jazz music. He was known for both his joyous ways with the trumpet and his peculiarly touching and funny vocal style. Mob bosses from New York City and Chicago threatened Louis Armstrong in attempts to control his management contract. With his amazing voice trumpet he created a band and made some records. After his time in Colored Waifs Home, he wanted to become a musician. In 1922, his mentor, King Oliver, invited him to work his Creole Jazz Band in Chicago. He is remembered as the most influential artist in the early development of jazz. He had a string of pop hits beginning in 1949 and started making regular overseas tours, where his popularity was so great, he was dubbed Ambassador Satch.. Love, baby - love. (Hakim, 58) Although Jazz was very popular itself, a majority of the fans and listeners were younger people. He began touring the country in the 1940s. He found that the only way to reap the benefits of success and be protected was if there was a white captain to back you in the old days (Armstrong). There are two kinds of music, the good and the bad. Armstrong was obligated to leave school in the fifth grade to begin working. Additionally, he became the first African American entertainer to host a nationally sponsored radio show in 1937, when he took over Rudy Vallee's Fleischmann's Yeast Show for 12 weeks. Meanwhile, Armstrong's reputation as a musician continued to grow: In 1918, he replaced Oliver in Kid Ory's band, then the most popular band in New Orleans. That same year, his longtime manager, Joe Glaser, passed away. Armstrongs improvised solos transformed jazz from an ensemble-based music into a soloists art, while his expressive vocals incorporated innovative bursts of scat singing and an underlying swing feel. He studied music there and played cornet and bugle in the school band, eventually becoming its leader. Louis Armstrong was the most important and influential musician in jazz history. One of the first soloists on record, Louis was at the forefront of changing jazz from ensemble-oriented folk music into an art form that emphasized inventive solo improvisations. Armstrong was featured in the 1969 film of Hello, Dolly!, performing the title song as a duet with Barbra Streisand. While only a DNA test could officially prove whether a blood relationship does exist between Armstrong and Sharon and one has never been conducted between the two believers and skeptics can at least agree on one thing: Sharon's uncanny resemblance to the jazz legend. Armstrong continued touring the world and making records with songs like Blueberry Hill (1949), Mack the Knife (1955) and Hello, Dolly! Louis Armstrong was the greatest of all Jazz musicians. Born, August 4, 1901 he started off in a harder life than most people usually do. Louis Armstrong was the first black man in the U.S. to host a radio show. During this period, Armstrong set a number of African American "firsts." Mozart had written over 600 pieces of works, many acknowledged his pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, operatic, and choral music. There were many jazz musicians. Different from most of his recordings of the era, the song features no trumpet and places Armstrong's gravelly voice in the middle of a bed of strings and angelic voices. Shortly thereafter, Armstrong bragged about the child to his manager, Joe Glaser, in a letter that would later be published in the book Louis Armstrong In His Own Words (1999). Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans in 1901. Armstrong's new manager, Joe Glaser, organized a big band for him that had its premiere in Indianapolis on July 1, 1935; for the next several years, he toured regularly. Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans Louisinana, to Mayann, and Willie Armstrong. Louis does a really important trip to Africa this were the states or cities that he went with Cameroon, the Belgian Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Sierra Leone Jul 6, 1971. The sadest event Two days after his birthday of turning 70, Louis In 1993, it gained renewed popularity when it was used in the film Sleepless in Seattle. He grew up in New Orleans where he introduced to jazz and he went on to spread jazz throughout different cities such as Chicago and New York. He wrote songs such as The Pearls, Millenburg Joys, Mr. He was also a gifted singer, and his Seeing "the writing on the wall," Armstrong scaled down to a smaller six-piece combo, the All Stars; personnel would frequently change, but this would be the group Armstrong would perform live with until the end of his career. He was abandoned by his father, a boiler stoker, shortly after his birth and was raised by his paternal grandmother. With his infectious smile and raspy voice, Louis Armstrong (who actually pronounced his own name "Lewis") won over fans worldwide. Armstrong was still a popular attraction around the world in 1963, but hadn't made a record in two years. His music had had a major effect on "swing" and the big band sound. But, as a Bayou State native, Armstrongs favorite dish was always rice and beans. What a Wonderful World struck a chord with moviegoers and was re-released that year, becoming an oft-requested radio hit. Given that Armstrong was only 11, it was (one of) his stepfathers who was responsible for the whole series of events. At the mention jazz music, that person will first think of is likely to be a great figure with a clown image, nicknamed Satchmo. As if it were not enough that Armstrong would rewire instrumental music for the rest of the century, his singing did the same for vocal music. Despite failing to make a new record for two years, Armstrong remained a fan favorite. 2012-02-22 18:06:07. Bebop, a new form of jazz, had blossomed in the 1940s. He was soon able to stop working manual labor jobs and began concentrating full-time on his cornet, playing parties, dances, funeral marches and at local "honky-tonks"a name for small bars that typically host musical acts. Louis Armstrong is one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. 232) Armstrong unlike other black jazz men and women, was one of the first to be welcomed in the upper echelons of white society. He attended Colored Waifs Home in 1913 for eighteen months. Armstrong was arrested at eleven years old for disturbing the peace. The many years of constant touring eventually wore down Armstrong, who had his first heart attack in 1959 and returned to intensive care at Beth Israel Hospital for heart and kidney trouble in 1968. Armstrong's charismatic stage presence impressed not only the jazz world but all of popular music. Armstrong spent his youth singing on the street for spare change, but he didnt receive any formal musical training until age 11. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. However, conditions changed when he was requested to record the title number of a broadway show that went on to become a hit. His charismatic stage presence impressed not only the jazz world but all of popular music. However, Armstrong's southern background didn't mesh well with the more urban, Northern mentality of Henderson's other musicians, who sometimes gave Armstrong a hard time over his wardrobe and the way he talked. Louis Armstrong was the first black man in the U.S. to host a radio show. No ones quite sure why Armstrong lied about his age, but the most popular theories maintain he wanted to join a military band or that he figured he'd have a better shot at landing gigs if he was over 18 years old. His greatest inspiration was Joe King Oliver. In June 1951 he reached the Top Ten of the LP charts with Satchmo at Symphony Hall ("Satchmo" being his nickname), and he scored his first Top Ten single in five years with "(When We Are Dancing) I Get Ideas" later in the year. He sang much as he played, but with a playfulness and a rasp, that would forever be part of American culture (Winfield 167). Each of the books on jazz music will mention his name. To grasp how much the man adored this entre, consider that he often signed his personal letters with Red Beans and Ricely Yours.. He turned to Joe Glaser for help; Glaser had mob ties of his own, having been close with Al Capone, but he had loved Armstrong from the time he met him at the Sunset Caf (Glaser had owned and managed the club). Louis Armstrong is one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time. His influence, both as an artist and cultural icon, is universal and is still relevant today. He was employed by a Jewish family who encouraged him to sing. It started in New Orleans and over the years, stretched out throughout the whole United States. He is also the first African American celebrity to appear in a major Hollywood movie. Armstrong could make an audience cheer, but Roy Eldridge, made those top and bottom notes feel like a natural part of what the horn should do (Friedwald 21). At the school he learned to play cornet. If you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know. One of the first soloists on record, Louis was at the forefront of changing jazz from ensemble-oriented folk music into an art form that emphasized inventive solo improvisations. Eventually tour ended and Louis went back home to continue his. The book was titled Swing That Music. All music is folk music. Wiki User. St. Louis Cardinals prospect Jordan Walker tracks down a flyball during fielding practice at the Cardinals spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. Within a span of three years, Armstrong recorded over sixty records. He was from a very poor family and was sent to reform school when he was twelve after firing a gun in the air on New Year's Eve. It won him a Grammy for best vocal performance. he is important because he was the first black singer. In fifth grade, while being taken care of by his maternal grandmother most of the time, he left school to work. ", Armstrong signed with Columbia Records in the mid-'50s, and soon cut some of the finest albums of his career for producer George Avakian, including Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. He began to grow artistically and perfected his improvisational method (Jazz Stars 2). The material may show why Armstrong was not just a giant of jazz music, but a civil rights leader as well. Pops had a special place in his heart for both Chinese and Italian food. While not officially government-sponsored, there are some who believe the concert was arranged by the CIA, which would make this just one of the many taxpayer-funded appearances hed make abroad during the Cold War in an effort to strengthen diplomatic relations overseas. Its popularity brought many people together, even through the years of racial discrimination and the Great Depression. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Louis's Father left him around childbirth, and his mother often used prostitution for money. He was often left with his grandmother, and left school in fifth grade to start working. Willies habit of devoting all his attention to his second, Because firing guns to welcome in the New Year was a New Orleans custom, he thought (even at 11 years old) that it would be morally acceptable to fire the gun. Its definitely worth checking out. The man was Louis Armstrong. Louis Armstrong was important in the 1920's because he put a whole new meaning to jazz. Sources: By the summer of 1970, Armstrong was allowed to perform publicly again and play the trumpet. After a quick trip with a group of people to Venice, Mozart and his daddy returned back to his hometown Salzburg. This gift, coupled with Louis Armstrongs already present affinity for the musical sounds of the local New Orleans street bands and brass players that lingered around, helped to brew the perfect storm that would create one of the most prolific players of the 20th century. While he still had to work odd jobs selling newspapers and hauling coal to the city's famed red-light district, Armstrong began earning a reputation as a fine blues player. Satchmo didn't let the criticism stop him, however, and he returned an even bigger star when he began a longer tour throughout Europe in 1933. Armstrong had a difficult childhood: His father was a factory worker and abandoned the family soon after Louis's birth. He was by far the most enduringly popular man of all the classical composers, and his influence on following Western art music was very good and intense., Intro Why Is Louis Armstrong Important. They treat me better all over the world than they do in my hometown, he said. Previously, Armstrong had performed throughout Europe, Asia, and Africathough he famously canceled a planned 1957 Soviet Union tour, citing the recent Little Rock crisis. His music was a happiness to individuals and they said he was a gift sent from heaven. The passion for his music made him become famous because he was following his dreams while finding his, How Is Louis Daniel Armstrong Morally Responsible, Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 - July 6, 1971) grew up in a poor neighborhood nicknamed The Battlefield in New Orleans, Louisiana. Duke Ellingtons sense of musical drama was the one that made him stand out from all of the rest., Armstrong became the best jazz soloist on Broadway (Louis Armstrong 1). Since his death, Armstrong's stature has only continued to grow. A YouTube poster named pandasthumb describes the piece. What made jazz continuously popular was the way it progressed. WebThe point is that Armstrong created and codified an entire vocabulary of jazz, setting the standard for vocalists and instrumentalists. Flappers were commonly known during this time. You might be able to buy a little better booze than the wino on the corner. Many great performers have come out of the jazz industry, but the most widely known is Louis Satchmo Armstrong. The letters, dated as far back as 1968, prove that Armstrong had indeed always believed Sharon to be his daughter, and that he even paid for her education and home, among several other things, throughout his life. 1 hit around the world, including in England and South Africa, and eventually became one of Armstrong's most-beloved songs after it was used in the 1986 Robin Williams film Good Morning, Vietnam. That didnt stop him from living his life like a regular boy. Armstrong completed his contract with Decca in 1954, after which his manager made the unusual decision not to sign him to another exclusive contract but instead have him freelance for different labels. See answer (1) Best Answer. He was a master of the trumpet and a skilled improviser, and his style of playing influenced many other jazz musicians. They were always kind to me, Armstrong once reflected, [I] was just a little kid who could use a little word of kindness. Apart from monetary compensation, Armstrong was given a hot meal every evening and regular invitations to Karnofsky Shabbat dinners. He recorded several songs throughout his career, including he is known for songs like "Star Dust," "La Vie En Rose" and "What a Wonderful World. What are some facts about Louis Armstrong?A Jewish immigrant family helped him buy his first horn. Armstrong first received musical training during a stint in juvenile detention. His wife helped jumpstart his solo career. Armstrong was one of the first celebrities to be arrested for drug possession. Louis Armstrong. They also encouraged him to sing and often invited him into their home for meals. In 1922, King Oliver sent for Armstrong to join his band in Chicago. Armstrong was a busy man, he always had more than one thing going on, if he wasnt recording with Hot Five/Seven, he was performing in the Vendome theatre, playing music for silent movies.. After they married in 1924, Hardin made it clear that she felt Oliver was holding Armstrong back. In fact, before marrying his fourth wife, he made sure that she could cook a satisfactory plateful. However, had his upbringing been different, his musical talents may never have been established to grow and thrive into one of the most internationally influential jazz musicians ever. Though he was the product's biggest cheerleader, Armstrong neither requested nor received any payment from its manufacturers. He was one of America's most significant artists by the late 1930s, and had created a sensation in Europe with live performances and records. While growing up, Armstrong did assorted jobs for the Karnofskys, a family of Lithuanian-Jewish immigrants. He spread jazz throughout the world. Armstrong returned home in May 1971, and though he soon resumed playing again and promised to perform in public once more, he died in his sleep on July 6, 1971, at his home in Queens, New York. Jelly Roll Morton was a great pianist and arranger from New Orleans., He not only produce one impressive improvised solo after another, but he also raised the bar for jazz vocals. The solos Armstrong performed along with his popular scat singing helped make jazz musicians more popular along with making the fans take notice of Armstrong and jazz itself (Rennert 8). Louis Armstrong was a jazz trumpeter, bandleader and singer known for songs like "What a Wonderful World, Hello, Dolly, Star Dust and "La Vie En Rose.. Their marriage was not a happy one, however, and they divorced in 1942. Louis continued to spread his style by touring other countries. The boy's mother, Armstrong's cousin, had died in childbirth. Personnel changed over the years but this remained Armstrongs main performing vehicle for the rest of his career. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Outraged, Armstrong refused to stage another concert within the state's borders. His rise to fame peaked in the 1920s, where he stunned the world with his bold trumpet style and idiosyncratic vocals. Armstrong returned to New York with his band for an engagement at Connie's Inn in Harlem in May 1929. Armstrong felt that being subservient to white people, was an unfortunately necessary evil in order for him to live successfully and happily. His rise to the top, though not overnight, occurred quickly, he played with mostly all the major bands in New Orleans over the next few years (Friedwald 350). Armstrong practiced his instrument and eventually he became the jazz great everyone knows today. Blessed with, Armstrong was born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901. Satch Plays Fats, a tribute to Fats Waller, became a Top Ten LP for Columbia in October 1955, and Verve Records contracted Armstrong for a series of recordings with Ella Fitzgerald, beginning with the chart LP Ella and Louis in 1956. WebLouis Armstrong. This newfound popularity introduced Armstrong to a new, younger audience, and he continued making both successful records and concert appearances for the rest of the decade, even cracking the "Iron Curtain" with a tour of Communist countries such as East Berlin and Czechoslovakia in 1965. For the first time, Armstrong was really able to demonstrate his unique voice during those recording sessions. (1964), the latter knocking the Beatles off the top of the pop charts at the height of Beatlemania. When Pops (who adored Thiele and Weiss masterwork) passed away on July 6, 1971, What a Wonderful World seemed destined for stateside obscurity. We contributed Louis Armstrong. These records later went on to become the most influential in jazz history, as it was the first time Armstrong facilitated the evolution of jazz as a ensemble to a soloist art. He was an extraordinary musician and he impacted jazz music immensely. In 1947, the waning popularity of the big bands forced Armstrong to begin fronting a small group, Louis Armstrong and His All Stars. Louis Armstrong recorded many popular songs like La Vie en Rose, and his theme song When its Sleepy Time Down South. Born in 1901 in New Orleans, Louisiana, Armstrong had a difficult childhood. But you get sick just like the next cat and when you die you're just as graveyard dead as he is. His Top Ten version of "Hobo, You Can't Ride This Train," in the charts in early 1933, was on Victor Records; when he returned to the U.S. in 1935, he signed to the recently formed Decca Records and quickly scored a double-sided Top Ten hit, "I'm in the Mood for Love"/"You Are My Lucky Star.". Armstrong defined what it was to play Jazz. The movie he appeared in was Pennies from Heaven (1936). After a successful engagement in Las Vegas, Armstrong began taking engagements around the world, including in London and Washington, D.C. and New York (he performed for two weeks at New York's Waldorf-Astoria). Reel 163 Louis Armstrong, n.d. The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of