Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong is one of the world’s most famous jazz musicians. The musical style of jazz became popular around the world largely due to his talent as a cornet and trumpet player, his unique “scatting” singing style, and his strong and charming personality. He was also an important African American public figure during the decades of racial tension leading up to the Civil Rights Movement.

Music in Hardship

Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901 in New Orleans, Louisiana. His father left the family shortly after he was born, and his mother often left him in the care of his grandmother while she went to work. Armstrong himself had to leave school in 5th grade to work and earn money for the family. The neighborhood he lived in was so poverty-stricken and run-down people called it “the battlefield.”

Armstrong first fell in love with music in 1913. He developed his skills at the New Orleans Colored Waif’s Home for Boys, a facility he was sent to a number of times, most notably for firing an empty round from his stepfather’s pistol into the air at a New Year’s Eve party. During his stay, he took cornet lessons and discovered his love for music. After he was released from the home he continued to play, sometimes in public, and gained recognition around New Orleans. Soon he was discovered by the best cornet player in the city, Joe “King” Oliver, who mentored him and let him play in some of his shows.

A Rising Star

A few years later Armstrong took over Oliver’s spot in New Orleans’ most popular band, Kid Ory’s band. In 1919 he took a summer job playing the cornet on a riverboat. This gig taught him how to read music and introduced him to the style of jazz, which he connected with deeply.

 In 1922 Armstrong moved to Chicago with Oliver to play in the Creole Jazz Band. Armstrong enjoyed certain luxuries, living in his own apartment for the first time and having his own private bath. Armstrong and Oliver became well known for playing duets, so they decided to produce some jazz records together. Over the next few years Armstrong also produced some records on his own as well as with some friends from New Orleans. Later he cut ties with Oliver and joined Fletcher Henderson’s Orchestra in New York City. Henderson had a very different style and introduced him to swing music. Henderson’s Orchestra was one of the first “big bands,” and they frequently performed for all-white audiences, which was unusual for African American musicians at the time.

Armstrong Takes the Lead

Armstrong didn’t play in New York for very long before moving back to Chicago and starting his own band, Louis Armstrong and the Hot Five. The artists who played with him enjoyed his fun personality and relaxed conducting style; he tried to feature each musician’s special talents. From 1925 to 1928 they produced over 60 records, some of the most important jazz records in musical history. During that time Armstrong switched from playing cornet to playing the trumpet. He also partnered with pianist Earl “Fatha” Hines to record duets. One of their pieces, “West End Blues,” is considered to be one of the most artful pieces of jazz, and it brought greater respect to the musical style and introduced it to a wider audience.

He faced several ups and downs in his career over the next few decades, but ultimately still remained popular and continued creating new music. He played briefly on Broadway in the 1930s. But, in the same decade he had to take two years off from playing and recording because his lips hurt from playing the trumpet so frequently over the years. However, he did get to restart his career after taking a rest. In the 1940s he recognized that swing music’s days were numbered, so he formed a smaller band that he would play with for the rest of his career. After that, his popularity with international audiences earned him the nickname Ambassador Satch.

Legacy

Armstrong suffered a heart attack in 1959, but that did not stop him; he kept a rigorous touring schedule throughout his life and into the 1960s. In 1967 he produced one of his most well-known songs, “What a Wonderful World.” In 1968 he first began having health problems, although he continued to perform sometimes. In 1971 Armstrong passed away from a heart attack he suffered while sleeping. The following year he was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for having made creative contributions of outstanding significance to the field of recording music. It is just one of the many honors and awards he received.

Armstrong was a significant African American celebrity. He was the first African American jazz musician to write an autobiography, the first to get top billing in a Hollywood movie, and the first to host a national radio show. His personality won over fans of all races, nationalities, and backgrounds. For many years he tried to keep his political and social opinions about the Civil Rights Movement private, but after he saw the consequences of school segregation on TV, he made a public statement against segregation.

 He was also known for his unique musical style. He was very good at musical improvisation, not only on his trumpet but also in singing. “Scatting” is a form of improvisational singing he popularized, in which the singer does not sing pre-written, real words, but instead sings whatever sounds and notes they feel fit with the music in the moment. Armstrong made scat singing an important part of jazz and blues music. He revolutionized jazz from a folksy group performance to an individual performance. He influenced and set the bar for dozens of famous musicians after him, including Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra. A star was unveiled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960, and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.