Born, August 4, 1901 he started off in a harder life than most people usually do. There was a cheerful impatience in his playing, an optimistic confidence that led him to risk going over the top (Shipton 157). ", Louis Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901, in New Orleans, Louisiana, in a neighborhood so poor that it was nicknamed "The Battlefield.". The Hot Five and Hot Seven were strictly recording groups; Armstrong performed nightly during this period with Erskine Tate's orchestra at the Vendome Theater, often playing music for silent movies. It was on the riverboat that Armstrong honed his music reading skills and eventually had his first encounters with other jazz legends, including Bix Beiderbecke and Jack Teagarden. Mozart, in his own traditional ways, the right away he did the first three of his 22 performances at that opera. He was also a frequent presence on radio, and often broke box-office records at the height of what is now known as the "Swing Era. Armstrong continued to appear in major films with the likes of Mae West, Martha Raye and Dick Powell. 232) Armstrong unlike other black jazz men and women, was one of the first to be welcomed in the upper echelons of white society. In July, Armstrong sailed to England for a tour. Henderson also forbade Armstrong from singing, fearing that his rough way of vocalizing would be too coarse for the sophisticated audiences at the Roseland Ballroom. He attended school until he was in the 5th grade, he stopped going to help support his family. Louis Armstrong is considered a hero for many reasons. WebLouis Armstrong was the most important and influential musician in jazz history. Seems to me it ain't the world that's so bad but what we're doing to it, and all I'm saying is: see what a wonderful world it would be if only we'd give it a chance. He adds, "He was also more than a jazz musician he was an enormously popular entertainer"(pp. In 1918, he married Daisy Parker, a prostitute, commencing a stormy union marked by many arguments and acts of violence. 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. In a 1951 interview with Esquire, Armstrong claimed to have come prepared with printed lyrics that day. However, conditions changed when he was requested to record the title number of a broadway show that went on to become a hit. Heebie Jeebies and Hotter Than That, was some of the earliest recordings of Armstrongs scat singing., He was a major piece in the history of jazz music and his career lasted for more than 50 years. Louis Armstrong, also known as the king of jazz was born on Augest 4th, 1901, in New Orleans Louisiana; he died July 6, 1971 in Corona Queens New York. Armstrong continued touring the world and making records with songs like Blueberry Hill (1949), Mack the Knife (1955) and Hello, Dolly! Eldridge is the obvious link between Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie. He was released on June 16, 1914, and did manual labor while trying to establish himself as a musician. His greatest inspiration was Joe King Oliver. Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 4, 1901. The brilliance of his playing, the warmth of his vocals, and his integrity as a human being simply inspires me. Armstrongs mentor, King Oliver, had Armstrong move to Chicago to be in his band; in Olivers, Aside from the typical cultural, social, and political factors influencing any musicians style, an early life filled with poverty and hardship also shaped Louis Armstrongs musical development. As an artist, Armstrong was embraced by two distinctly different audiences: jazz fans who revered him for his early innovations as an instrumentalist but were occasionally embarrassed by his lack of interest in later developments in jazz, especially his willingness to serve as a light entertainer; and pop fans, who delighted in his joyous performances, particularly as a vocalist, but were largely unaware of his significance as a jazz musician. Instead he used his talent as a ticket to improve his lot and create a meaningful life. Armstrong soon began dating the female pianist in the band, Lillian Hardin. Why does Louis Armstrong sound like that WebLouis Armstrongas a musician, as a man, as an icon. He was a master of the trumpet and a skilled improviser, and his style of playing influenced many other jazz musicians. He also learned to sing. 34-56 107th Street, Queens, NY 11368 718-478-8274 2023 Louis Armstrong House Museum, 34-56 107th Street, Queens, NY 11368 718-478-8274, The Louis Armstrong House Museum is a constituent of the. Music historians recognize this as the first popular, mass-market scat ever recorded. His rise to fame peaked in the 1920s, where he stunned the world with his bold trumpet style and idiosyncratic vocals. Hes a professional jazz performer who played with Oliver and Henderson. You might be able to buy a little better booze than the wino on the corner. he put his soul and dedicated his life to his music. During his span, he composed thousands of songs for everyone to hear. In the 1950s, he was sometimes criticized for his onstage persona and called an Uncle Tom but he silenced critics by speaking out against the governments handling of the Little Rock Nine high school integration crisis in 1957. 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. Coupled with his astonishing performing skills and charismatic stage presence, Armstrong took the world by storm and popularized jazz as we know it today. Louis Armstrongs significance and most famous songs In 1936, he became the first African American jazz musician to write an autobiography. Why was Louis Armstrong important to the Harlem Renaissance? Louis was the illegitimate son of William Armstrong and Mary Est Mayann Albert. He was an all-star virtuoso, and came to prominence in the 1920s playing cornet and trumpet with an excitingly new and improvisational style. 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. In 1936, Louis Armstrong became the first African American jazz musician to write an autobiography, Swing That Music. WebRather than appealing simply to the crowd of already established jazz lovers, Louis Armstrong was effective at bridging the gap and reaching out to those that may not have been as familiar with the genre and effectively serving as one of the best ambassadors that the jazz world has ever known. he is important because he was the first black singer. Louis Armstrong WebLouis Armstrong remains an icon of American history and 20 th century popular culture. He also began appearing in the orchestra of Hot Chocolates, a Broadway revue, and was given a featured spot singing "Ain't Misbehavin'." Armstrong practiced his instrument and eventually he became the jazz great everyone knows today. Louis Armstrong (Aug 4th, 1901 - Jul 6th, 1971) was an American trumpeter, composer, singer and occasional actor who became one of the most influential figures in jazz. A jazz pioneer, Louis Armstrong was the first important soloist to emerge in jazz, and he became the most influential musician in the music's history. For this, he is revered by jazz fans. Louis was arrested by Police When he was eleven. The first important trend in New York Jazz was Hot Jazz that was an incendiary style introduced by Louis Armstrong (Winfield 170). Only Charlie Parker comes close to having as much influence on the history of Jazz as Louis Armstrong did. The civil rights movement was growing stronger with each passing year, with more protests, marches and speeches from African Americans wanting equal rights. As swing and jazz was dominant as the pop music of the early 20th century, his influence is also evident in the transition from swing and jump blues into rock and roll. He first came to prominence in the 1920s as a trumpeter and cornet player with no technique as well as being very skilled in scat singing, Armstrong was a foundational influence in jazz, influencing many later jazz artists as well as shifting the focus of the music from collective improvisation to solo performance.With his very well-known and recognizable gravelly voice, a technique that was later named crooning, Armstrong was an incredibly influential singer, demonstrating great dexterity as an improviser by bending the lyrics and melody of a song for expressive purposes on demand. Here is one paragraph from the post: From the very first note of West End Blues, a tune composed by Joe King Oliver, one can immediately sense the shift that Louis Armstrong Musician Facts | Mental Floss He spread jazz throughout the world. 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. Eventually tour ended and Louis went back home to continue his. Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington "Jazz His crucial contribution to American and world culture continues to reverberate into the 21 st century. The most important and influential musician in jazz history, and one of the leading singers and entertainers from the 1920s through the '50s. He dropped out of school at 11 to join an informal group, but on December 31, 1912, he fired a gun during a New Year's Eve celebration, and was sent to reform school. At His Majestys command, several of the biggest names in jazz took their talents to Buckingham Palace, and in 1932, Armstrong was requested for a royal performance. He is also the first African American celebrity to appear in a major Hollywood movie. Armstrong put his career in Glaser's hands and asked him to make his troubles disappear. ", 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. Armstrong continued to tour extensively, despite a heart attack in June 1959. Like almost all early Jazz musicians, Louis was from New Orleans. 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's daring vocal transformations of these songs completely changed the concept of popular singing in American popular music, and had lasting effects on all singers who came after him, including Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. The first recording of What a Wonderful World was produced by ABC Records, which made no attempt to advertise it domestically. Louis Armstrong is famous for his stunning jazz performance, unique vocals, and amazing styles with the trumpet/cornet. 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). Louis Armstrong 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). In fact, before marrying his fourth wife, he made sure that she could cook a satisfactory plateful. (She was the second of his four wives.) 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. 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 same year, his longtime manager, Joe Glaser, passed away. Armstrong was an African American child growing up in the slums of New Orleans, close to abandonment, impoverished, and with too few constant people, resources, or homes. 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. He made his first recordings with Oliver on April 5, 1923; that day, he earned his first recorded solo on "Chimes Blues.". He is remembered as the most influential artist in the early development of jazz. Back in Chicago, OKeh Records decided to let Armstrong make his first records with a band under his own name: Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five. Copy. Louis Armstrong was important in the 1920's because he put a whole new meaning to jazz. Louis's Father left him around childbirth, and his mother often used prostitution for money. Louis Armstrong Facts | Britannica 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). 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. 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. Louis Armstrong was the first black man in the U.S. to host a radio show. Why Is Charlie Parker Important When Pops (who adored Thiele and Weiss masterwork) passed away on July 6, 1971, What a Wonderful World seemed destined for stateside obscurity. LOUIS ARMSTRONG 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 Daniel (Louie) Armstrong is perhaps the most important and influential person in the history of jazz music, swing music, and jazz vocal styling. He was one of the most influential figures in jazz music. Famous for his innovative methods of playing the trumpet and cornet, he was also a highly talented singer, blessed with a powerful gravelly voice. Known for his improvisation, Armstrong could induce dramatic effects with his music. Wiki User. Louis Armstrong was called "the single most important figure in the history of jazz" by Billboard magazine, a publication that tracks the recording industry. But, as a Bayou State native, Armstrongs favorite dish was always rice and beans. Louis Armstrong is one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time. In fifth grade, while being taken care of by his maternal grandmother most of the time, he left school to work. Revisiting Louis Armstrong in the Context https://www.britannica.com/facts/Louis-Armstrong, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (1990), jazz: The cornetist breaks away: Louis Armstrong and the invention of swing. Without the jazz musicians, jazz music would not have been possible. Between the two, Armstrong has been the more unsullied figure in historical treatments and biographies. He has many nicknames in which some are Satchmo and Pops. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. The lights dim, and the velvet curtains slide open. 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 spent much of that year at home, but managed to continue practicing the trumpet daily. Armstrong was arrested at eleven years old for disturbing the peace. There, he received musical instruction on the cornet and fell in love with music. Why Louis Armstrong Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans in 1901. WebLouis Armstrongs ability to use his career to change the music and jazz industry forever is another great example of why Louis Armstrong exhibits the right. The pistol should have been stored in a locked, Armstrong did not define himself by his background and could have grown up to be just another poor child from a broken home. A few weeks later after his birth his father leaves his mother alone with a family. By the start of 1932, he had switched from the "race"-oriented OKeh label to its pop-oriented big sister Columbia, for which he recorded two Top Five hits, "Chinatown, My Chinatown" and "You Can Depend on Me" before scoring a number one hit with "All of Me" in March 1932; another Top Five hit, "Love, You Funny Thing," hit the charts the same month. Another one of Armstrongs notable qualities, scat singing (wordless singing/mummering) was also popularized during this. The records by Louis Armstrong and His Fiveand later, Hot Sevenare the most influential in jazz. 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. At the school he learned to play cornet. Previously, Armstrong had performed throughout Europe, Asia, and Africathough he famously canceled a planned 1957 Soviet Union tour, citing the recent Little Rock crisis. Love, baby - love. He also began singing on these recordings, popularizing wordless "scat singing" with his hugely popular vocal on 1926's "Heebie Jeebies.". He was also a talented singer, and his recordings of songs like What a With his daring rhythmic choice, swinging vocabulary, and incredibly high notes; changing jazz history once again. Armstrong made his first trip abroad, to Europe, and received the nickname Satchmo from his original nickname Satchelmouth, because of his big lips. Armstrong had a difficult childhood: His father was a factory worker and abandoned the family soon after Louis's birth. Contracted to OKeh Records, he began to make a series of recordings with studio-only groups called the Hot Fives or the Hot Sevens. He was arrested for firing a pistol in 1 slot in May 1964, and knocking the Beatles off the top at the height of Beatlemania. Some even theorize that it was Armstrongs difficult upbringing that made his music so wise, so unique, and so revolutionary. WebLouis Armstrong is arguably the most important musician that the United States has ever produced (Shipton 160). Why is Louis Armstrong Though he was the product's biggest cheerleader, Armstrong neither requested nor received any payment from its manufacturers. Why was Louis Armstrong important to New Orleans? He faced tremendous adversity, ignorance and hatred in his life, and fought back without sinking to the level of those who opposed him. After being released at age fourteen, he worked selling papers, unloading boats, and selling coal from a cart. 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). Armstrong decided to take some time off soon after the incident, and spent much of 1934 relaxing in Europe and resting his lip. In recent years, Armstrong's alleged daughter, who now goes by the name Sharon Preston Folta, has publicized various letters between her and her father. He was also a gifted singer, and his By that point, Armstrong began dating the pianist in the band, Lillian Hardin. In 1937, Louis Armstrong became the first African American entertainer to host a nationally sponsored radio show. During this time, Armstrong adopted a three-year-old boy named Clarence. Louis Armstrong WebHe overcame poverty to become one of the most important people in the history of music. Louis Armstrong is arguably the most important musician that the United States has ever produced (Shipton 160). Louis Armstrong, nicknamed "Satchmo," "Pops" and, later, "Ambassador Satch," was a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. Is Louis Eldridge is the obvious link between Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie. He was employed by a Jewish family who encouraged him to sing. In 1947, the waning popularity of the big bands forced Armstrong to begin fronting a small group, Louis Armstrong and His All Stars. 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. We contributed Louis Armstrong. Louis Armstrong - Biography, Jazz Musician, Trumpeter, Millions of people, starting in the 1930s until today, have agreed with Louis Armstrongs famous words and have been huge fans of the famous musician. How Did Louis Armstrong Impact Society Jelly Roll, Doctor Jazz, Original Jelly Roll Blues, and many other famous pieces. 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.. While he was beloved by musicians, he was too wild for most critics, who gave him some of the most racist and harsh reviews of his career. The Hot Fives' recording of "Muskrat Ramble" gave Armstrong a Top Ten hit in July 1926, the band for the track featuring Kid Ory on trombone, Johnny Dodds on clarinet, Lillian Harden Armstrong on piano, and Johnny St. Cyr on banjo. Throughout the years, jazz musicians have created many new styles, new arrangements, and put this genre of music on the map., He affected the heading of jazz music and spontaneous creation. He was a master of the trumpet and a pioneer of jazz. He wrote songs such as The Pearls, Millenburg Joys, Mr. Armstrong spent the last decade of his life similarly that he had spent the four past enthralling groups of onlookers all through the world., Louis Blues, Overall Armstrong wrote and performed some of the most popular and well known jazz songs of all time. Jazz was born there and I remember when it was no crime for cats of any color to get together and blow. Nine years later, after this ban had finally lifted, he again took the stage in New Orleans on October 31, 1965. Clarence, who had become mentally disabled from a head injury he had suffered at an early age, was taken care of by Armstrong his entire life. Midway through the recording session, he accidentally dropped them and scatted to fill the ensuing silence. When Armstrong was eleven years old, he got in trouble for shooting a gun on New Years Eve to ring in the new year, 1912. You feel butterflies in your stomach as you take your seat. Many great performers have come out of the jazz industry, but the most widely known is Louis Satchmo Armstrong. The way they are treating my people in the South, declared Armstrong, the government can go to hell.. However, a heart attack two days after the Waldorf gig sidelined him for two months. Ironically, Armstrong later wrote the whole thing off as a big blunder on his part. Louis Armstrong While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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. One of the first many New Orleans style jazz artists is Jelly Roll Morton. 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. He was an extraordinary musician and he impacted jazz music immensely. Its definitely worth checking out. 149 Copy quote. He began to grow artistically and perfected his improvisational method (Jazz Stars 2). According to Armstrong, that nights biggest laugh came right before his group started playing You Rascal, You. Without warning, he looked straight up at the monarch and hollered, This ones for you, Rex!, Fresh off the wild success of his Hello, Dolly! cover, Armstrong made a trip to communist East Berlin in 1965, where he gave a two-hour concert that earned a standing ovation. He was a master of the trumpet and cornet, and his style of playing was unique and instantly recognizable. Armstrongs unique singing and masterful improvisation transitioned jazz from the traditional style to a newer, more rhythmic style. Louis Armstrong - Black History Month - LibGuides at Pillars of Life 3 y Related Why was jazz so important? For live dates, he appeared with the orchestras led by Erskine Tate and Carroll Dickerson. WebLouis Armstrong is arguably the most important musician that the United States has ever produced (Shipton 160). 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. Armstrong had a great influence on Henderson and his arranger, Don Redman, both of whom began integrating Armstrong's swinging vocabulary into their arrangementstransforming Henderson's band into what is generally regarded as the first jazz big band. Why is Louis Armstrong important to blacks? 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. Jews Who Adopted Louis Armstrong A local Jewish family, the Karnofskys, gave young Armstrong a job collecting junk and delivering coal. Louis Armstrong in The Civil Rights Movement The man was Louis Armstrong. 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. He played dramatic works of simple structure in Orleans jazz style and with the accompaniment of Dick jazz music. Aristotle did not consider children as morally responsible as adults because they have not had sufficient time to move beyond their backgrounds and upbringing. That same year, Armstrong married for the fourth and final time; he wed Lucille Wilson, a Cotton Club dancer. How did Louis Armstrong influence others? We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! Together, Armstrong and Hines formed a potent team and made some of the greatest recordings in jazz history in 1928, including their virtuoso duet, "Weather Bird," and "West End Blues.". Blessed with, Armstrong was born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901. Armstrong was still a popular attraction around the world in 1963, but hadn't made a record in two years. At the mention jazz music, that person will first think of is likely to be a great figure with a clown image, nicknamed Satchmo. 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 returned to New York with his band for an engagement at Connie's Inn in Harlem in May 1929. He was known for both his joyous ways with the trumpet and his peculiarly touching and funny vocal style. he put his soul and dedicated his life to his music. Though Armstrong was content to remain in New Orleans, in the summer of 1922, he received a call from Oliver to come to Chicago and join his Creole Jazz Band on second cornet.