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Louis Armstrong Biography
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Biography: Life of
Louis Armstrong
Born 1901, Died 1971
Louis Armstrong, the unsurpassed king of jazz, was born on August 1, 1901 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He had a wide mouth, earning him the nickname Satchelmouth and later Satchmo.
Louis Armstrong grew up on the streets of New Orleans and sang with a group of boys on street corners for the change they could earn. As a young teen, Armstrong was arrested for firing a pistol into the air on New Year’s Eve. Sent to the Colored Waifs’ Home, Louis Armstrong began learning to play the cornet and other instruments. After his release from the home in 1914 Armstrong began going to clubs to listen and to learn. There he met King Oliver who taught him to play the cornet and trumpet.
When King Oliver left New Orleans in 1917, Armstrong took over his chair with the King Ory band. Louis Armstrong was an immediate success and improved his playing while with the band. In 1918 he began playing on riverboats. There he learned to read music.
In 1922 Louis Armstrong was asked by King Oliver to join his Creole Jazz Band in Chicago. Here Armstrong switched from the cornet to the trumpet.
Having made a name for himself, in 1924 Armstrong went to Harlem to play with the Fletcher Henderson Band. In Harlem Armstrong began to record under his own name. He made a series of records called the Hot Fives and Hot Sevens. It was during the 1920’s that Louis Armstrong started to scat, singing wordless syllables to replace original lyrics.
Armstrong’s popularity grew and in 1932 he went to Europe to tour. He remained in Europe for over two years. In Europe he was even more popular, not having to deal with the racism encountered in the United States. It was Louis Armstrong’s style which transformed jazz from an ensemble of musicians to a focus on solos and interaction between the musicians.
When he returned to the United States in 1935, Louis Armstrong formed a band with Joe Glaser as his manager. Armstrong toured with various bands and is credited with jazz’s popularity. He made numerous records and over fifty moves.
Although not a social activist, in 1957 Louis Armstrong became outraged at how the black children were treated during the integration of schools in Alabama. He spoke out about the treatment of blacks and publicly criticized President Dwight Eisenhower.
When the big band era was over, Louis Armstrong led the sextet, “Louis Armstrong and his All-Stars”, a Dixieland swing group. He had a star role in the movie, Hello, Dolly, and a number of hit singles, including Hello, Dolly and What A Wonderful World.
Louis Armstrong continued to perform until his death in New York on July 6, 1971.
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