Louis armstrong biography 1920s costumes

American jazz trumpeter and singer (1901–1971)

Louis Prophet Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops",^[2] was an American trumpeter and canary. He was among the most resounding figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several eras get the history of jazz.^[3] Armstrong normal numerous accolades including the Grammy Grant for Best Male Vocal Performance portend Hello, Dolly! in 1965, as be a smash hit as a posthumous win for significance Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1972. His influence crossed musical genres, silent inductions into the DownBeat Jazz Vestibule of Fame, the Rock and Loop Hall of Fame, and the Public Rhythm & Blues Hall of Label, among others.^[4]

Armstrong was born and increased in New Orleans. Coming to preeminence in the 1920s as an imaginative trumpet and cornet player, he was a foundational influence in jazz, transient the focus of the music implant collective improvisation to solo performance.^[5] Keep up 1922, Armstrong followed his mentor, Joe "King" Oliver, to Chicago to exercise in Oliver's Creole Jazz Band. Cosmonaut earned a reputation at "cutting contests", and his fame reached band chairman Fletcher Henderson. Armstrong moved to Another York City, where he became nifty featured and musically influential band songstress and recording artist. By the Decennary, Armstrong was an international musical image, appearing regularly in radio and gentlemen of the press broadcasts and on film. Apart take from his music, he also beloved in the same way an entertainer, often joking with representation audience and keeping a joyful regular image at all times.

Armstrong's beat known songs include "What a Out of the ordinary World", "La Vie en Rose", "Hello, Dolly!", "On the Sunny Side place the Street", "Dream a Little Reverie of Me", "When You're Smiling" arm "When the Saints Go Marching In". He collaborated with Ella Fitzgerald, performance three records together: Ella and Louis (1956), Ella and Louis Again (1957), and Porgy and Bess (1959). Blooper also appeared in films such similarly A Rhapsody in Black and Blue (1932), Cabin in the Sky (1943), High Society (1956), Paris Blues (1961), A Man Called Adam (1966), endure Hello, Dolly! (1969).

With his directly recognizable, rich, gravelly voice, Armstrong was also an influential singer and skilful improviser. He was also skilled uncertain scat singing. By the end read Armstrong's life, his influence had amplitude to popular music. He was double of the first popular African-American entertainers to "cross over" to wide regard with white and international audiences. Astronaut rarely publicly discussed racial issues, lookout the dismay of fellow African Americans, but took a well-publicized stand ejection desegregation in the Little Rock zero hour. He could access the upper echelons of American society at a without fail when this was difficult for Grey men.

Early life

Armstrong is believed put the finishing touches to have been born in New Beleaguering on August 4, 1901, but dignity date has been heavily debated. Trumpeter himself often claimed he was indigene on July 4, 1900.^[6][7][8] His parents were Mary Estelle "Mayann" Albert title William Armstrong. Mary Albert was deviate Boutte, Louisiana and gave birth take care of home when she was about 16. Less than a year and uncut half later, they had a girl, Beatrice "Mama Lucy" Armstrong (1903–1987), who Albert raised.^[9] William Armstrong abandoned illustriousness family shortly after that.^[10]

Louis Armstrong was raised by his grandmother until significance age of five, when he was returned to his mother.^[10] Armstrong done in or up his youth in poverty in spruce up rough neighborhood known as The Battlefield,^[11] on the southern section of Shield Street.^[12] At the age of hexad, Armstrong started attending the Fisk Secondary for Boys,^[13] a school that be a success black children in the racially secluded school system of New Orleans.

Armstrong lived with his mother and sis during this time and worked represent the Karnoffskys,^[14] a family of European Jews, at their home. Armstrong helped their sons Morris and Alex petition "rags and bones" and deliver ember. In 1969, while recovering from inside and kidney problems at Beth Sion Hospital in New York City, Astronaut wrote a memoir called Louis Cornetist + the Jewish Family in Spanking Orleans, LA., the year of 1907, describing his time working for depiction Karnoffsky family.^[15]

Armstrong writes about singing "Russian Lullaby" with the Karnoffsky family considering that their baby son David was station to bed and credits the kinsfolk with teaching him to sing "from the heart."^[15] Curiously, Armstrong quotes barney for it that appear to remedy the same as the "Russian Lullaby", copyrighted by Irving Berlin in 1927, about 20 years after Armstrong lauded singing it as a child.^[16] City Zucker, Armstrong's doctor at Beth Zion hospital in 1969, shared Berlin's number cheaply lyrics with him, and Armstrong quoted them in the memoir.^[15] This fault may be because he wrote probity memoir over 60 years after rendering events described. Regardless, the Karnoffskys disposed Armstrong exceptionally well. Knowing he temporary without a father, they fed subject nurtured Armstrong.^[18]

In his memoir, Louis Cosmonaut + the Jewish Family in Creative Orleans, La., the Year of 1907, he described his discovery that that family was also subject to segregation by "other white folks" who mattup that they were better than Jews: "I was only seven years a range of but I could easily see rendering ungodly treatment that the white folk were handing the poor Jewish descent whom I worked for."^[19] Armstrong wrote about what he learned from them: "how to live—real life and determination." His first musical performance may conspiracy been at the side of ethics Karnoffskys' junk wagon. Armstrong tried portrayal a tin horn to attract transaction to distinguish them from other hawkers. Morris Karnoffsky gave Armstrong an honour toward purchasing a cornet from marvellous pawn shop.^[20] Later, as an person, Armstrong wore a Star of Painter given to him by his Judaic manager, Joe Glaser, until the dangle of his life, in part worry memory of this family who difficult to understand raised him.^[21]

When Armstrong was 11, oversight dropped out of school.^[13] His female parent moved into a one-room house berate Perdido Street with Armstrong, Lucy, boss her common-law husband, Tom Lee, later door to her brother Ike take precedence his two sons.^[22] Armstrong joined orderly quartet of boys who sang touch a chord the streets for money. Cornetist Balls Johnson said he taught the eleven-year-old to play by ear at Guinea Tony's honky tonk.^[23] In his consequent years, Armstrong credited King Oliver. Astronaut said about his youth, "Every leave to another time I close my eyes blowing walk trumpet of mine—I look right make money on the heart of good old Another Orleans ... It has given progress something to live for."^[24]

Borrowing his stepfather's gun without permission, Armstrong fired grand blank into the air and was arrested on December 31, 1912. Flair spent the night at New Beleaguering Juvenile Court and was sentenced high-mindedness next day to detention at influence Colored Waif's Home.^[25] Life at depiction home was spartan. Mattresses were elsewhere, and meals were often little make more complicated than bread and molasses. Captain Patriarch Jones ran the home like calligraphic military camp and used corporal punishment.^[26]

Armstrong developed his cornet skills by interpretation in the band. Peter Davis, who frequently appeared at the home cultivate the request of Captain Jones,^[27] became Armstrong's first teacher and chose him as the bandleader. With this crowd, the 13-year-old Armstrong attracted the care of Kid Ory.^[28]

On June 14, 1914, Armstrong was released into the love of his father and his novel stepmother, Gertrude. Armstrong lived in that household with two stepbrothers for a sprinkling months. After Gertrude gave birth join a daughter, Armstrong's father never welcomed him, so Armstrong returned to circlet mother, Mary Albert. Armstrong had taint share a bed in her tiny home with his mother and look after. His mother still lived in Loftiness Battlefield, leaving Armstrong open to insensitive temptations, but he sought work pass for a musician.^[29]

Armstrong found a job dry mop a dance hall owned by Orator Ponce, who had connections to unregimented crime. He met the six-foot fully fledged drummer Black Benny, who became Armstrong's guide and bodyguard.^[29] Around the seethe of 15, he pimped for nifty prostitute named Nootsy. However, that bond failed after she stabbed Armstrong display the shoulder, and his mother jam-packed her nearly to death.^[30]

Armstrong briefly faked shipping management at the local dominion college but was forced to desert after being unable to afford blue blood the gentry fees.^[31] While selling coal in Storyville, he heard spasm bands, groups go off played music out of household objects. Armstrong listened to the early sounds of jazz from bands that influenced in brothels and dance halls, much as Pete Lala's, where King Jazzman performed.^[32]

Career

Riverboat education

Early in his career, Satchmo played in brass bands and riverboats in New Orleans, in the analyse 1910s. He traveled with the crowd of Fate Marable, which toured come up the steamboat Sidney with the Streckfus Steamers line up and down righteousness Mississippi River.^[33] Marable was proud draw round Armstrong's musical knowledge, and he insisted that Armstrong and other musicians undecorated his band learn sight reading. Satchmo described his time with Marable renovation "going to the University" since face protector gave him a wider experience running with written arrangements. In 1918, Armstrong's mentor, King Oliver, decided to mime north and resigned his position comport yourself Kid Ory's band; Armstrong replaced him. Armstrong also became the second proclaim for the Tuxedo Brass Band.^[34]

Throughout king riverboat experience, Armstrong's musicianship began be in opposition to mature and expand. At age 20, he could read music. Armstrong became one of the first jazz musicians to be featured on extended trump solos, injecting his own personality nearby style. Armstrong also started singing clump his performances.^[35]

Chicago period recordings

In 1922, Astronaut moved to Chicago at the opening move of King Oliver,^[36] although Armstrong would return to New Orleans periodically come up with the rest of his life.^[37] Carrying-on second cornet to Oliver in Oliver's Creole Jazz Band in the black-only Lincoln Gardens on the South Vacation of Chicago, Armstrong could make money to quit his day jobs. Although race relations were poor, City was booming. The city had jobs for blacks, who made good rate at factories, with some left keep an eye on entertainment.^[36]: 86

Oliver's band was among Chicago's eminent influential jazz bands in the untimely 1920s. Armstrong lived luxuriously in consummate apartment with his first private bathe. Excited to be in Chicago, Cosmonaut began his career-long pastime of longhand letters to friends in New Besieging. Armstrong could blow 200 high Records in a row. As his reliable grew, Armstrong was challenged to freezing contests by other musicians.^[38]

Armstrong's first bungalow recordings were with Oliver for Gennett Records on April 5–6, 1923. They endured several hours on the instruct to remote Richmond, Indiana, and loftiness band was paid little. The adequate of the performances was affected strong a lack of rehearsal, crude stick equipment, bad acoustics, and a uncomfortable studio. These early recordings were speculation acoustic, the band playing directly puncture a large funnel connected directly involve the needle making the groove domestic animals the master recording. The much restored Electrical recording system with a safer dynamic range was not invented 1926. Initially, because Armstrong's playing was so loud, Oliver could not reasonably heard on the recording when inaccuracy played next to Oliver. Armstrong confidential to stand 15 feet from Jazzman in a far corner of significance room to remedy this.^[39]

Lil Hardin, whom Armstrong would marry in 1924, urged Armstrong to seek more prominent request and develop his style apart take the stones out of the influence of Oliver. At will not hear of suggestion, Armstrong began playing classical symphony in church concerts to broaden rule skills and dressing more stylishly equal offset his girth. Her influence one day undermined Armstrong's relationship with his master, especially concerning his salary and plus money that Oliver held back escaping Armstrong and other band members.^[40] Armstrong's mother, Mayann Albert, came to send back him in Chicago during the season of 1923 after being told turn Armstrong was "out of work, circulate of money, hungry, and sick"; Hardin located and decorated an apartment entertain her to live in while she stayed.^[41]

Fletcher Henderson Orchestra

Armstrong and Oliver much-lamented amicably in 1924. Shortly afterward, Astronaut was invited to go to Newborn York City to play with rank Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, the top African-American band of the time. He switched to the trumpet to blend market better with the other musicians assume his section. Armstrong's influence on Henderson's tenor sax soloist, Coleman Hawkins, jumble be judged by listening to depiction records made by the band not later than this period.^[42][43]

Armstrong adapted to Henderson's closely controlled style, playing the trumpet distinguished experimenting with the trombone. The harass members were affected by Armstrong's ardent style. His act included singing contemporary telling tales of New Orleans noting, especially preachers.^[44] The Henderson Orchestra la-di-da orlah-di-dah in prominent venues for white custom only, including the Roseland Ballroom, accomplice arrangements by Don Redman. Duke Ellington's orchestra went to Roseland to appropriate Armstrong's performances.

During this time, Trumpeter recorded with Clarence Williams (a neighbour from New Orleans), the Williams Crude Five, Sidney Bechet, and blues ensemble Alberta Hunter, Ma Rainey, and Bessie Smith.^[45][46]

The Hot Five

In 1925, Armstrong common to Chicago largely at the urgency of Lil, who wanted to become fuller his career and income. In promotion, much to his chagrin, she billed Armstrong as "The World's Greatest Poser Player." For a time, he was a member of the Lil Hardin Armstrong Band and worked for rule wife.^[47] Armstrong formed Louis Armstrong additional his Hot Five and recorded leadership hits "Potato Head Blues" and "Muggles". The word "muggles" was a berate term for marijuana, something Armstrong many times used during his life.^[36]

The Hot Cinque included Kid Ory (trombone), Johnny Dodds (clarinet), Johnny St. Cyr (banjo), Lil Armstrong on piano, and usually thumb drummer. Over a 12-month period firsthand in November 1925, this quintet into twenty-four records.^[48] Armstrong's band leading sort was easygoing, as St. Cyr noted: "One felt so relaxed working condemnation him, and he was very forbearing ... always did his best come within reach of feature each individual."^[49]

Among the Hot Quint and Seven records were "Cornet Grounder Suey", "Struttin' With Some Barbecue", "Hotter Than That", and "Potato Head Blues", all featuring highly creative solos give up Armstrong. According to Thomas Brothers, recordings such as "Struttin' with Some Barbeque" were so superb, "planned with firmness and variety, bluesyness, and showiness", wind the arrangements were probably showcased rot the Sunset Café.^[50] His recordings in a little while after with pianist Earl "Fatha" Hines, their famous 1928 "Weather Bird" terpsichore and Armstrong's trumpet introduction to present-day solo in "West End Blues", be left some of the most influential improvisations in jazz history. Young trumpet lineup across the country bought these recordings and memorized his solos.

Armstrong was now free to develop his proportion as he wished, which included well-organized heavy dose of effervescent jive, specified as "Whip That Thing, Miss Lil" and "Mr. Johnny Dodds, Aw, Events That Clarinet, Boy!"^[51]

Armstrong also played connect with Erskine Tate's Little Symphony, mostly warrant the Vendome Theatre. They furnished meeting for silent movies and live shows, including jazz versions of classical euphony, such as "Madame Butterfly", which gave Armstrong experience with longer forms farm animals music and with hosting before out large audience. He began scat disclosure (improvised vocal jazz using nonsensical words) and was among the first persist record it on the Hot Cardinal recording "Heebie Jeebies" in 1926. Rendering recording was so popular that righteousness group became the most famous malarky band in the United States, still though they had seldom performed accommodation. Young musicians across the country, jet-black or white, were turned on dampen Armstrong's new type of jazz.^[52]

After detaching from Lil, Armstrong started to arena at the Sunset Café for Light Capone's associate Joe Glaser in righteousness Carroll Dickerson Orchestra, with Earl Hines on piano, which was renamed Prizefighter Armstrong and his Stompers.^[53] However, Hines was the music director, and Glaser managed the orchestra. Hines and Trumpeter became fast friends and successful collaborators. It was at the Sunset Café that Armstrong accompanied singer Adelaide Portico. During Hall's tenure at the acquire, she experimented, developed, and expanded cobble together scat singing with Armstrong's guidance service encouragement.^[54]

In the first half of 1927, Armstrong assembled his Hot Seven progress, which added drummer Al "Baby" Dodds and tuba player Pete Briggs ultimately preserving most of his original Close Five lineup. John Thomas replaced Mollycoddle Ory on the trombone. Later lose one\'s train of thought year, Armstrong organized a series nominate new Hot Five sessions, which resulted in nine more records. In distinction last half of 1928, he under way recording with a new group: Zutty Singleton (drums), Earl Hines (piano), Crowbar Strong (clarinet), Fred Robinson (trombone), become calm Mancy Carr (banjo).^[55]

The Harlem Renaissance

Armstrong effortless a huge impact during the Decennium Harlem Renaissance.^[56] His music touched large writer Langston Hughes. Hughes admired Cosmonaut and acknowledged him as one become aware of the most recognized musicians of character era.^[57] Hughes wrote many books ensure celebrated jazz and recognized Armstrong though one of the leaders of nobleness Harlem Renaissance's newfound love of African-American culture.^[58] The sound of jazz, the length of with musicians such as Armstrong, helped shape Hughes as a writer. Fair-minded like the musicians, Hughes wrote authority words with jazz.^[59]

Armstrong changed jazz amid the Harlem Renaissance. As "The World's Greatest Trumpet Player" during this time,^[60] Armstrong cemented his legacy and lengthened a focus on his vocal job. His popularity brought together many reeky and white audiences.^[61]

Emerging as a vocalist

Armstrong returned to New York in 1929, where he played in the mine orchestra for the musical Hot Chocolates, an all-black revue written by Sly Razaf and pianist Fats Waller. Spaceman made a cameo appearance as efficient vocalist, regularly stealing the show tighten his rendition of "Ain't Misbehavin'." Armstrong's version of the song became cap biggest-selling record yet.^[62]

Armstrong started to rip off at Connie's Inn in Harlem, superior rival to the Cotton Club, dexterous venue for elaborately staged floor shows,^[63] and a front for gangster Nation Schultz. Armstrong had considerable success hint at vocal recordings, including versions of songs composed by his old friend Grinder Carmichael. His 1930s recordings took filled advantage of the RCA ribbon fanatic, introduced in 1931, which imparted hotness to vocals and became an constitutional part of the "crooning" sound complete artists like Bing Crosby. Armstrong's picture of Carmichael's "Stardust" became one tablets the most successful versions of that song ever recorded, showcasing Armstrong's distinctive vocal sound and style and rule innovative approach to singing songs prowl were already standards.

Armstrong's radical re-working of Sidney Arodin and Carmichael's "Lazy River", recorded in 1931, encapsulated her majesty groundbreaking approach to melody and phraseology. The song begins with a little trumpet solo. Then, the main measure is introduced by sobbing horns, extremely punctuated by Armstrong's growling interjections fuming the end of each bar: "Yeah! ..."Uh-huh"..."Sure"..."Way down, way down." In position first verse, Armstrong ignores the notated melody and sings as if about a trumpet solo, pitching most classic the first line on a nonpareil note and using strongly syncopated parlance. In the second stanza, he breaks into an almost entirely improvised air, which then evolves into a model passage of Armstrong's scat singing.

As with his trumpet playing, Armstrong's immediate innovations served as a foundation pray jazz vocal interpretation. The uniquely grating coloration of his voice became brush archetype that was endlessly imitated. Armstrong's scat singing was enriched by authority matchless experience as a trumpet crooner. His resonant, velvety lower-register tone highest bubbling cadences on sides such significance "Lazy River" greatly influenced younger waxen singers such as Bing Crosby.

Work during hard times

The Great Depression provide the early 1930s was especially frozen on the jazz scene. After straighten up long downward spiral, the Cotton Baton closed in 1936, and many musicians stopped playing altogether as club dates evaporated. Bix Beiderbecke died, and Dramatist Henderson's band broke up. King Jazzman made a few records but under other circumstances struggled. Sidney Bechet became a clothier, later moving to Paris, and Cod Ory returned to New Orleans president raised chickens.^[64]

Armstrong moved to Los Angeles in 1930 to seek new opportunities. He played at the New Shrub Club in Los Angeles with Lionel Hampton on drums. The band actor the Hollywood crowd, which could quiet afford a lavish nightlife, while air broadcasts from the club connected be smitten by younger audiences at home. Bing Balladeer and many other celebrities were regulars at the club. In 1931, Trumpeter appeared in his first movie, Ex-Flame. He was also convicted of bhang possession but received a suspended sentence.^[65]

Armstrong returned to Chicago in late 1931 and played in bands more seep out the Guy Lombardo vein, and why not? recorded more standards. When the crowd insisted that he get out mimic town,^[66] Armstrong visited New Orleans, locked away a hero's welcome, and saw notice friends. He sponsored a local ballgame team called Armstrong's Secret Nine allow had a cigar named after him.^[67] However, Armstrong was on the course again soon. After a tour crosswise the country shadowed by the populace, he fled to Europe.

After reappearing to the United States, Armstrong undertook several exhausting tours. His agent, Johnny Collins's erratic behavior and his knockback spending ways left Armstrong short disruption cash. Breach of contract violations smitten him. Armstrong hired Joe Glaser by the same token his new manager, a tough mob-connected wheeler-dealer who began straightening out dominion legal mess, mob troubles, and debts. Armstrong also began to experience with his fingers and lips, angry by his unorthodox playing style. Similarly a result, Armstrong branched out, development his vocal style and making circlet first theatrical appearances. Armstrong appeared show movies again, including Crosby's 1936 trounce Pennies from Heaven. In 1937, Cosmonaut substituted for Rudy Vallee on excellence CBS radio network and became say publicly first African American to host put in order sponsored national broadcast.^[68]

Reviving his career connote the All-Stars

After spending many years preclude the road, Armstrong settled permanently underneath Queens, New York, in 1943 hear his fourth wife, Lucille. Although angle to the vicissitudes of Tin Bolt Alley and the gangster-ridden music skill, as well as anti-black prejudice, Trumpeter continued to develop his playing.

Bookings for big bands tapered off alongside the 1940s due to changes fit in public tastes. Ballrooms closed, and rivalry from other types of music, same pop vocals, became more popular outweigh big band music. Under such sneak out, it became impossible to finance smart 16-piece touring band.

A widespread renascence of interest in the 1940s stress the traditional jazz of the Decennary made it possible for Armstrong suggest consider a return to the small-group musical style of his youth. Jazzman was featured as a guest bravura with Lionel Hampton's band at say publicly famed second Cavalcade of Jazz distract held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, produced by Leon Hefflin Sr., on October 12, 1946.^[69] Armstrong further led a highly successful small-group superfluity concert at New York Town Foyer on May 17, 1947, featuring him with trombonist/singer Jack Teagarden. During picture concert, Armstrong and Teagarden performed boss duet on Hoagy Carmichael's "Rockin' Chair" they then recorded for Okeh Registry.

Armstrong's manager, Joe Glaser, changed description Armstrong big band on August 13, 1947, into a six-piece traditional malarkey group featuring Armstrong with (initially) Teagarden, Earl Hines and other top handle and Dixieland musicians, most of whom were previously leaders of big bands. The new group was announced pass on the opening of Billy Berg's Overplay Club.

This smaller group was named Louis Armstrong and His All-Stars gift included at various times Earl "Fatha" Hines, Barney Bigard, Edmond Hall, Squat Teagarden, Trummy Young, Arvell Shaw, Staff Kyle, Marty Napoleon, Big Sid "Buddy" Catlett, Cozy Cole, Tyree Glenn, Barrett Deems, Mort Herbert, Joe Darensbourg, Eddie Shu, Joe Muranyi and percussionist Danny Barcelona.

On February 28, 1948, Suzy Delair sang the French song "C'est si bon" at the Hotel Negresco during the first Nice Jazz Commemoration. Armstrong was present and loved say publicly song. On June 26, 1950, noteworthy recorded the American version of say publicly song (English lyrics by Jerry Seelen) in New York City with Powerful Oliver and his Orchestra. When blood was released, the disc was uncut worldwide success, and the song was then performed by the greatest omnipresent singers.

Armstrong was the first addition musician to appear on the conquer of Time magazine on February 21, 1949. He and his All-Stars were featured at the ninth Cavalcade countless Jazz concert also at Wrigley Pasture in Los Angeles produced by Metropolis Hefflin Sr. held on June 7, 1953, along with Shorty Rogers, Roy Brown, Don Tosti and His Mexican Jazzmen, Earl Bostic, and Nat "King" Cole.^[70]

Over 30 years, Armstrong played modernize than 300 performances a year, fabrication many recordings and appearing in much than 30 films.

A jazz ambassador

By the 1950s, Armstrong was efficient widely beloved American icon and national ambassador who commanded an international fanbase. However, a growing generation gap became apparent between him and the rural jazz musicians who emerged in glory postwar era, such as Charlie Author, Miles Davis, and Sonny Rollins. Primacy postwar generation regarded their music despite the fact that abstract art and considered Armstrong's vaudevillian style, half-musician and half-stage entertainer, oldhat and Uncle Tomism. "... he seemed a link to minstrelsy that amazement were ashamed of."^[71] Armstrong called bop "Chinese music".^[72] While touring Australia bayou 1954, he was asked if smartness could play bebop. "'Bebop?' he husked. 'I just play music. Guys who invent terms like that are trite the streets with their instruments underneath their arms.'"^[73]

After finishing his contract darn Decca Records, Armstrong went freelance instruction recorded for other labels.^[74][75] He long an intense international touring schedule, however suffered a heart attack in 1959 while in Italy and had fulfil rest.^[76]

In 1964, after more than a handful of years without setting foot in elegant studio, Armstrong recorded his biggest-selling measuring tape, "Hello, Dolly!", a song by Jerry Herman, originally sung by Carol Channing. Armstrong's version remained on the Range 100 for 22 weeks, longer rather than any other record produced that crop, and went to No. 1, making him the oldest person to accomplish lose one\'s train of thought feat at 62 years, nine months, and five days. Armstrong's hit dislodged The Beatles from the No. 1 even they had occupied for 14 successive weeks with three different songs.^[77]

Armstrong toured well into his 60s, even punishment part of the Communist Bloc presume 1965. Armstrong also toured Africa, Accumulation, and Asia under the sponsorship accuse the US State Department with unmodified success, earning the nickname "Ambassador Satch" and inspiring Dave Brubeck to component his jazz musical The Real Ambassadors. His travels included performances in Empire, Ghana and Nigeria.^[79][80]

By 1968, Armstrong was approaching 70, and his health was failing. His heart and kidney ailments forced him to stop touring, notwithstanding he continued to record, including "What a Wonderful World", which topped representation British charts for a month. Cornetist did not perform publicly in 1969 and spent most of the assemblage recuperating at home. Meanwhile, his longtime manager, Joe Glaser, died. By rank summer of 1970, Armstrong's doctors noticeable him fit enough to resume support performances. Armstrong embarked on another globe tour, but a heart attack awkward him to take a break instruct two months.^[81]

Armstrong made his last reliable trumpet performances on his 1968 sticker album Disney Songs the Satchmo Way.^[82]

Personal life

Pronunciation of name

The Louis Armstrong House Museum website states:

Judging from home verifiable tapes now in our Museum Collections, Louis pronounced his own name whereas "Lewis." On his 1964 record "Hello, Dolly", he sings, "This is Writer, Dolly", but in 1933, he required a record called "Laughin' Louie." Spend time at broadcast announcers, fans, and acquaintances entitled him "Louie", and in a videotaped interview from 1983, Lucille Armstrong calls her late husband "Louie" as athletic. Musicians and close friends usually alarmed him "Pops".^[83]

In a memoir written be glad about Robert Goffin between 1943 and 1944, Armstrong stated, "All white folks cry out me Louie", suggesting that he personally did not, or that no whites addressed him by one of rule nicknames such as Pops.^[84][85] That vocal, Armstrong was registered as "Lewie" convey the 1920 U.S. Census. On indefinite live records, he is called "Louie" on stage, such as on excellence 1952 "Can Anyone Explain?" from nobleness live album In Scandinavia vol.1. Glory same applies to his 1952 building recording of the song "Chloe", locale the choir in the background sings "Louie ... Louie", with Armstrong responding, "What was that? Somebody called tongue-tied name?". "Lewie" is the French speech pattern of "Louis" and is commonly deskbound in Louisiana.

Family

Armstrong was performing recoil the Brick House in Gretna, Louisiana when he met Daisy Parker, skilful local prostitute, and started an issue as a client. Armstrong returned pick up Gretna on several occasions to restore her. He found the courage inhibit look for her home to domination her away from work. There, Astronaut found out she had a common-law husband. Not long after that, Author traveled to Armstrong's home on Perdido Street^[86] and they checked into Child Green's hotel that evening. On ethics next day, March 19, 1919, Spaceman and Parker married at City Hall.^[86][87] 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 neat result of a head injury weightiness an early age. Armstrong spent depiction rest of his life taking carefulness of him.^[88] His marriage to Writer ended when they separated in 1923.

On February 4, 1924, Armstrong ringed Lil Hardin Armstrong, King Oliver's player. She had divorced her first garner a few years earlier. Armstrong's alternate wife helped him develop his occupation, but they separated in 1931 swallow divorced in 1938. Armstrong then wed Alpha Smith.^[89] His relationship with End began while he was playing have an effect on the Vendome during the 1920s take continued long after.^[90] Armstrong's marriage tablet her lasted four years; they divorced in 1942. He then married Lucille Wilson, a singer at the Strand Club in New York, in Oct 1942. They remained married until wreath death in 1971.^[91]

Armstrong's marriages produced ham-fisted offspring.^[92] However, in December 2012, 57-year-old Sharon Preston-Folta claimed to be fillet daughter from a 1950s affair halfway Armstrong and Lucille "Sweets" Preston, unmixed dancer at the Cotton Club.^[93] Ready money a 1955 letter to his steward, Joe Glaser, Armstrong affirmed his concept that Preston's newborn baby was coronate daughter, and ordered Glaser to reward a monthly allowance of $400 ($5,687 in 2023 dollars)^[94] to mother challenging child.^[95]

Personality

Armstrong was colorful and charismatic. Crown autobiography vexed some biographers and historians because Armstrong had a habit unknot telling tales, particularly about his inauspicious childhood when he was less scrutinized, and his embellishments lack consistency.^[96]

In depart from to being an entertainer, Armstrong was a leading personality. He was beau by an American public that for the most part offered little access beyond their tell celebrity to even the most essential African American performers, and Armstrong was able to live a private woman of access and privilege afforded stop by few other African Americans during wander era.^[96]

Armstrong generally remained politically neutral, which sometimes alienated him from black human beings members who expected him to disseminate his prominence within white America stay at become more outspoken during the mannerly rights movement. However, Armstrong criticized Chair Eisenhower for not acting forcefully dissent civil rights.^[96]

Health problems

The trumpet is glaringly hard on the lips, and Satchmo suffered from lip damage over ultimate of his life. This was birthright to Armstrong's aggressive playing style dowel preference for narrow mouthpieces that would stay in place more easily on the other hand tended to dig into the weak callow flesh of his inner lip. Near his 1930s European tour, Armstrong salutation an ulceration so severe that of course had to stop playing entirely consign a year. Eventually, Armstrong took hype using salves and creams on empress lips and also cutting off sear tissue with a razor blade. Wishywashy the 1950s, Armstrong was an justifiable spokesman for Ansatz-Creme Lip Salve.^[97]

During elegant backstage meeting with trombonist Marshall Roast in 1959, Armstrong was advised strip see a doctor and receive right treatment for his lips instead draw round relying on home remedies. However, Astronaut did not get around to stray until his final years, by which point his health was failing, talented the doctors considered surgery too risky.^[98]

In 1959, Armstrong was hospitalized for pneumonia while on tour in Italy. Doctors were concerned about his lungs come to rest heart, but by the end model June, Armstrong rallied on.^[99]

Nicknames

The nicknames "Satchmo" and "Satch" are short for "Satchelmouth". The nickname origin is uncertain.^[96] Leadership most common tale that biographers disclose is the story of Armstrong bit a young boy in New Metropolis dancing for pennies. He scooped significance coins off the street and immovable them into his mouth to thwart bigger children from stealing them. Compassionate dubbed Armstrong "satchel mouth" for top mouth acting as a satchel. Concerning tale is that because of surmount large mouth, Armstrong was nicknamed "satchel mouth", which was shortened to "Satchmo."^[96]

Early on, Armstrong was also known although "Dipper", short for "Dippermouth", a slope to the piece Dippermouth Blues^[100] allow something of a riff on enthrone unusual embouchure.

The nickname "Pops" came from Armstrong's own tendency to lose people's names and simply call them "Pops" instead. The nickname was decayed on Armstrong himself. It was deskbound as the title of a 2010 biography of Armstrong by Terry Teachout.^[96]

After a competition at the Savoy, smartness was crowned and nicknamed "King Menelik", after the Emperor of Ethiopia, awaken slaying "ofay jazz demons."^[101]

Race

Armstrong celebrated queen heritage as an African American civil servant from a poor New Orleans part and tried to avoid what dirt called "putting on airs." Many former black musicians criticized Armstrong for carrying-on in front of segregated audiences swallow for not taking a stronger pose in the American civil rights movement.^[102] When Armstrong did speak out, throw up made national news. In 1957, journalism student Larry Lubenow scored a plain interview with Armstrong while the player was performing in Grand Forks, Northern Dakota, shortly after the conflict jumpy school desegregation in Little Rock, River. Armstrong denounced both Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus and President Dwight D. President, saying the President had "no guts" and was "two-faced." Armstrong told emperor interviewer that he would cancel dialect trig planned tour of the Soviet Junction on behalf of the State Fork, saying, "The way they're treating gray people in the South, the command can go to hell"; he could not represent his government abroad conj at the time that it was in conflict with spoil own people.^[103][104] The FBI kept neat as a pin file on Armstrong for his frankness about integration.^[105]

Religion

When asked about his doctrine, Armstrong answered that he was tiring a Baptist, always wore a Taking of David, and was friends business partner the pope.^[106] Armstrong wore the Knowledge of David in honor of distinction Karnoffsky family who took him hole as a child and lent him money to buy his first trump. Armstrong was baptized a Catholic inspect the Sacred Heart of Jesus Creed in New Orleans,^[106] and he tumble Pope Pius XII and Pope Feminist VI.^[96]

Personal habits

Armstrong was concerned with crown health. Armstrong used laxatives to nip in the bud his weight, a practice he advocated both to acquaintances and in greatness diet plans he published under glory title Lose Weight the Satchmo Way.^[96] Armstrong's laxative of preference in diadem younger days was Pluto Water, nevertheless when he discovered the herbal therapy action towards Swiss Kriss, he became an zealous convert,^[96] extolling its virtues to complete who would listen and passing hark back to packets to everyone he encountered, as well as members of the British Royal Parentage.

Armstrong also appeared in humorous risqué cards that he had printed touch send to friends. The cards puncture a picture of Armstrong sitting be quiet a toilet—as viewed through a keyhole—with the slogan "Satch says, 'Leave kaput all behind ya!'"^[107] The cards control sometimes been incorrectly described as ads for Swiss Kriss.^[108] In a viable recording of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Velma Middleton, he changes influence lyric from "Put another record prevent while I pour" to "Take unkind Swiss Kriss while I pour."^[109] Armstrong's laxative use began as a infant when his mother would collect dandelions and peppergrass around the railroad disappear to give to her children answer their health.^[110]

Armstrong was a heavy hash smoker for much of his entity and spent nine days in penal complex in 1930 after being arrested absent a club for drug possession. Satchmo described marijuana as "a thousand times of yore better than whiskey."^[111]

Armstrong's concern with king health and weight was balanced unreceptive his love of food, reflected edict such songs as "Cheesecake", "Cornet Shock Suey",^[112] and "Struttin' with Some Barbecue", though the latter was written travel a fine-looking companion, and not food.^[113] Armstrong kept a strong connection everywhere in his life to the cooking understanding New Orleans, always signing his dialogue, "Red beans and ricely yours ...".^[114]

A fan of Major League Baseball, Satchmo founded a team in New Metropolis that was known as Raggedy Club and transformed the team into rule Armstrong's "Secret Nine Baseball."^[115]

Writings

Armstrong's gregariousness lengthened to writing. On the road, fiasco wrote constantly, sharing favorite themes allude to his life with correspondents around excellence world. Armstrong avidly typed or wrote on whatever stationery was at give a lift, recording instant takes on music, lovemaking, food, childhood memories, his heavy "medicinal" marijuana use, and even his gut movements, which Armstrong gleefully described.^[116]

Social organizations

Louis Armstrong was not, as claimed, top-hole Freemason. Although he has been insignificant as a Montgomery Lodge No. 18 (Prince Hall) member in New Dynasty, no such lodge ever existed. Take away his autobiography, Armstrong stated that appease was a member of the Knights of Pythias of North America, Southeast America, Europe, Asia, Africa and State, an African American non-Masonic fraternal organization.^[117] During the krewe's 1949 Mardi Regretful parade, Armstrong presided as King faultless the Zulu Social Aid & Flush of excitement Club, for which he was featured on the cover of Time magazine.^[118]

Music

Horn playing and early jazz

In his at years, Armstrong was best known construe his virtuosity with the cornet at an earlier time trumpet. Along with his "clarinet-like figurations and high notes in his brass solos", Armstrong was also known on behalf of his "intense rhythmic 'swing', a confusing conception involving accented upbeats, upbeat stumble upon downbeat slurring, and complementary relations amidst rhythmic patterns.^[119] The most lauded recordings on which Armstrong plays trumpet cover the Hot Five and Hot Vii sessions, as well as those prepare the Red Onion Jazz Babies. Armstrong's improvisations, while unconventionally sophisticated for range era, were also subtle and immensely melodic. The solo that Armstrong plays during the song "Potato Head Blues" has long been considered his suitably solo of that series.^[96][120]

Prior to Cornetist, most collective ensembles playing in ornamentation, along with its occasional solos, merely varied the melodies of the songs. He was virtually the first resurrect create significant variations based on description chord harmonies of the songs in place of of merely on the melodies. That opened a rich field for inception and improvisation, and significantly changed rendering music into a soloist's art form.^[96]

Often, Armstrong re-composed pop tunes he pretentious, simply with variations that made them more compelling to jazz listeners a range of the era. At the same every time, Armstrong's oeuvre includes many original melodies, creative leaps, and relaxed or impulsive rhythms. His playing technique, honed because of constant practice, extended the range, utterance, and capabilities of the trumpet. Discredit his records, Armstrong almost single-handedly authored the role of the jazz chorister, taking what had been essentially straighten up piece of collective folk music take turning it into an art warp with tremendous possibilities for individual expression.^[96]

Armstrong was one of the first artists to use recordings of his measure to improve himself. Armstrong was block off avid audiophile. He had a very important collection of recordings, including reel-to-reel tapes, which he took on the memorable with him in a trunk close his later career. Armstrong enjoyed observant to his own recordings, and comparison his performances musically. In the grieve of his home, Armstrong had magnanimity latest audio equipment and would once in a while rehearse and record along with monarch older recordings or the radio.^[121]

Vocal popularity

As Armstrong's music progressed and popularity grew, his singing also became very manager. Armstrong was not the first puzzle out record scat singing, but he was masterful at it and helped popularise it with the first recording aura which he scatted, "Heebie Jeebies." Mad a recording session for Okeh Registry, when the sheet music supposedly level on the floor, and the masterpiece began before Armstrong could pick hearten the pages, he simply started revelation nonsense syllables while Okeh President E.A. Fearn, who was at the craze, kept telling him to continue. Cosmonaut did, thinking the track would amend discarded, but that was the adjustment that was pressed to disc, put on the market, and became an unexpected hit. Even supposing the story was thought to aside apocryphal, Armstrong himself confirmed it hit at least one interview as excellent as in his memoirs.^[122] On tidy later recording, Armstrong also sang remove "I done forgot the words" weight the middle of recording "I'm Fastidious Ding Dong Daddy From Dumas."

Such records were hits, and scat revelation became a major part of realm performances. Long before this, Armstrong was playing around with his vocals, drawing in and lengthening phrases, interjecting improvisations, queue using his voice as creatively chimp his trumpet.^[96] Armstrong once told Minicab Calloway that his scat style was derived "from the Jews rockin", scheme Orthodox Jewish style of chanting not later than prayer.^[123][124]

Composing

Armstrong was a gifted composer who wrote more than 50 songs, cruel of which have become jazz maxims (e.g., "Gully Low Blues", "Potato Tendency Blues", and "Swing That Music").

Colleagues and followers

During his long career, Astronaut played and sang with some clamour the most important instrumentalists and vocalists of the time, including Bing Histrion, Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, Earl Hines, Jimmie Rodgers, Bessie Smith, and Ella Fitzgerald. His influence upon Crosby testing particularly important with regard to blue blood the gentry subsequent development of popular music. Balladeer admired and copied Armstrong, as comment evident on many of his originally recordings, notably "Just One More Chance" (1931).^[96] The New Grove Dictionary longed-for Jazz describes Crosby's debt to Astronaut in precise detail, although it does not acknowledge Armstrong by name:

Crosby ... was important in introducing encounter the mainstream of popular singing take in Afro-American concept of song as boss lyrical extension of speech ... Sovereignty techniques—easing the weight of the air on the vocal cords, passing excited a head voice at a spill register, using forward production to relieve distinct enunciation, singing on consonants (a practice of black singers), and foundation discreet use of appoggiaturas, mordents, dowel slurs to emphasize the text—were emulated by nearly all later popular singers.

Armstrong recorded two albums with Ella Vocalizer, Ella and Louis and Ella humbling Louis Again, for Verve Records. Prestige sessions featured the backing musicianship swallow the Oscar Peterson Trio with commercial traveller Buddy Rich on the first stamp album and Louie Bellson on the specially. Norman Granz then had the ingredient for Ella and Louis to under wraps Porgy and Bess.

Armstrong's two recordings for Columbia Records, Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy (1954) and Satch Plays Fats (all Fats Waller tunes) (1955), were both considered masterpieces, as be successful as moderately well selling. In 1961, the All-Stars participated in two albums, The Great Summit and The Fair Reunion (now together as a free disc) with Duke Ellington. The albums feature many of Ellington's most famed compositions (as well as two concerted cuts) with Duke sitting in improve piano. Armstrong's participation in Dave Brubeck's high-concept jazz musical The Real Ambassadors (1963) was critically acclaimed and nature "Summer Song", one of Armstrong's lid popular vocal efforts.