Louis Armstrong

Who Was Louis Armstrong?

Louis Armstrong, renowned jazz musician and widely recognized by his nicknames “Satchmo” and “Ambassador Satch,” was an influential trumpeter, bandleader, and vocalist. Hailing from New Orleans, Armstrong gained prominence in the 1920s and significantly impacted the jazz genre with his innovative trumpet technique and distinctive vocal style. His contributions were instrumental in the evolution of jazz big bands. Armstrong’s extensive discography includes iconic tracks such as “Star Dust,” “La Vie En Rose,” “Hello, Dolly!,” and “What a Wonderful World.” Additionally, he broke racial barriers in the film industry as the first Black American to star in a Hollywood film with his role in the 1936 movie Pennies from Heaven. Armstrong’s illustrious career came to an end in 1971, when he passed away at the age of 69 after struggling with heart and kidney ailments.

When Was Louis Armstrong Born?

Louis Daniel Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901, in a New Orleans neighborhood known as “The Battlefield” due to its severe poverty.

Armstrong’s early life was marked by significant challenges. His father, a factory worker, abandoned the family shortly after Louis’ birth, and his mother, who struggled with economic hardship and resorted to prostitution, frequently left him in the care of his maternal grandmother.

Due to financial constraints, Armstrong was forced to leave school after the fifth grade to support himself. During this time, a local Jewish family, the Karnofskys, employed him in junk collection and coal delivery. They also provided encouragement for his musical talents and offered him meals and a sense of community.

Musical Beginnings

On New Year’s Eve in 1912, at the age of 11, Louis Armstrong discharged his stepfather’s gun into the air during a celebration, leading to his immediate arrest. Subsequently, he was sent to the Colored Waif’s Home for Boys. This period proved to be a crucial turning point in Armstrong’s life. At the home, he received formal musical instruction on the cornet and developed a profound passion for music. By 1914, upon his release, Armstrong was determined to pursue a musical career.

Despite continuing to work various odd jobs, such as selling newspapers and hauling coal, Armstrong started to gain recognition as a skilled blues player. His talent caught the attention of Joe “King” Oliver, one of the city’s premier cornet players, who took Armstrong under his wing, offering guidance and occasionally employing him as a substitute.

In 1918, Armstrong succeeded Oliver in Kid Ory’s band, which was then the most prominent ensemble in New Orleans. This opportunity allowed Armstrong to leave behind manual labor jobs and devote himself entirely to his music, performing at parties, dances, funeral marches, and local honky-tonks.

Starting in 1919, Armstrong spent his summers performing on riverboats with a band led by Fate Marable. This experience not only enhanced his music-reading skills but also provided him with valuable interactions with other jazz luminaries, including Bix Beiderbecke and Jack Teagarden.

Influencing the Creation of the First Jazz Big Band

In the summer of 1922, despite his contentment in New Orleans, Louis Armstrong received an invitation from King Oliver to join his Creole Jazz Band in Chicago as second cornetist. Armstrong accepted the offer and quickly captivated the city with his fiery playing and the innovative two-cornet breaks he performed alongside Oliver. His first recording session with Oliver took place on April 5, 1923, where he made his recording debut with the solo on “Chimes Blues.”

Lillian Hardin, the band’s pianist and Armstrong’s future wife, believed that Oliver was limiting Armstrong’s potential. She encouraged him to sever ties with his mentor and join Fletcher Henderson’s Orchestra, the leading African American dance band in New York City at the time.

Following her advice, Armstrong joined Henderson’s band in the fall of 1924. His arrival brought a fresh perspective, introducing the concept of swing music to the ensemble. Armstrong’s influence extended to Henderson and his arranger, Don Redman, who began incorporating Armstrong’s swinging style into their arrangements. This evolution is widely recognized as the formation of the first jazz big band.

Despite his significant contributions, Armstrong’s Southern roots created tension with Henderson’s more urban musicians, who often criticized his appearance and mannerisms. Furthermore, Henderson prohibited Armstrong from singing, concerned that his vocal style might be too rough for the refined audiences at the Roseland Ballroom. Disheartened, Armstrong left Henderson in 1925 and returned to Chicago, where he began performing with his wife’s band at the Dreamland Café.

Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five

During his time in New York, Louis Armstrong recorded extensively as a sideman, collaborating with jazz luminaries such as Sidney Bechet and providing accompaniment for numerous blues singers, including Bessie Smith.

Upon returning to Chicago, OKeh Records allowed Armstrong to record with his own band, which he named Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five. Between 1925 and 1928, Armstrong recorded over 60 tracks with the Hot Five, and later with the Hot Seven.

These recordings are now widely recognized as pivotal in jazz history. Armstrong’s exceptional skill played a crucial role in evolving jazz from ensemble-based music to a soloist’s art form. His innovative stop-time solos on tracks like “Cornet Chop Suey” and “Potato Head Blues” are celebrated for their bold rhythmic choices, swinging phrasing, and remarkable high notes.

Armstrong also began to showcase his vocal talents during this period, popularizing the technique of “scat singing” with his 1926 recording of “Heebie Jeebies.” In 2002, these influential recordings were preserved in the National Recording Registry.

Despite the Hot Five and Hot Seven being strictly recording ensembles, Armstrong was a regular performer with Erskine Tate’s orchestra at the Vendome Theater, where he frequently played for silent films. During this time, in 1926, Armstrong transitioned from cornet to trumpet.

Notable Louis Armstrong Songs

Louis Armstrong’s prominence continued to ascend in Chicago throughout the 1920s as he expanded his performance venues to include the Sunset Café and the Savoy Ballroom. During this period, Armstrong’s innovative approach to jazz significantly influenced his contemporaries, including a young pianist from Pittsburgh named Earl Hines. The collaboration between Armstrong and Hines yielded some of the most acclaimed recordings in jazz history, such as their virtuoso duet “Weather Bird” and the iconic “West End Blues.” The latter, renowned for its impressive cadenza blending opera and blues, showcased jazz’s potential for high artistic expression.

In the summer of 1929, Armstrong relocated to New York, where he took part in the Broadway production Connie’s Hot Chocolates, featuring music by Fats Waller and Andy Razaf. Armstrong’s nightly performances of “Ain’t Misbehavin’” captivated audiences, predominantly consisting of white theatergoers.

That same year, Armstrong recorded with small New Orleans–influenced groups, including the Hot Seven, and began working with larger ensembles. His recordings were not limited to jazz but also encompassed popular songs of the era, such as “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” “Star Dust,” and “Body and Soul.” Armstrong’s innovative vocal renditions of these songs revolutionized popular singing in American music, leaving a lasting impact on subsequent artists such as Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald.

Among Armstrong’s notable works is his 1950 recording of “La Vie En Rose,” which remains one of his most recognizable performances. This recording was prominently featured in the soundtrack of the 2008 animated film WALL-E. Other significant songs include “Swing That Music,” “Jubilee,” “Struttin’ with Some Barbecue,” and the Grammy-winning “Hello, Dolly!,” which became his only No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart following its inception in August 1958. Additionally, Armstrong’s 1938 rendition of “When the Saints Go Marching In” and his 1956 jazz adaptation of Kurt Weill’s “Mack the Knife” were enshrined in the National Recording Registry.

In the latter half of the 1950s, Armstrong collaborated with Ella Fitzgerald on a series of duets, resulting in three albums featuring songs like “Makin’ Whoopee,” “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” and “Cheek to Cheek,” originally composed for the 1935 film Top Hat. To honor Fitzgerald’s 100th birthday, all their duets were released on a four-disc set in 2018.

What a Wonderful World

One of Louis Armstrong’s most cherished songs is “What a Wonderful World,” which he recorded in 1967. Unlike many of his other recordings from that period, this ballad is notable for its absence of trumpet and instead features Armstrong’s distinctive gravelly voice set against a backdrop of strings and ethereal choirs. As he performed, Armstrong was inspired by his home in Queens, New York, pouring heartfelt emotion into the song.

Although “What a Wonderful World” received minimal promotion in the United States, it achieved significant global success, topping charts in countries such as England and South Africa. The song eventually gained iconic status in America following its inclusion in the 1986 film “Good Morning, Vietnam,” starring Robin Williams.

Satchmo: Career Resilience Amidst Turbulence

By 1932, Louis Armstrong, affectionately known as “Satchmo” (a contraction of “Satchel Mouth” due to his distinctive large mouth), had begun to make significant strides in both film and music. His burgeoning career saw him touring England for the first time, though his unorthodox style attracted a mix of admiration from peers and scorn from critics, who often delivered harsh and racially prejudiced reviews.

Undeterred by the criticism, Armstrong embarked on an extended European tour in 1933, only to face an unexpected downturn in his career. The relentless demand on his high notes had taken a toll on his lips, and a contentious dispute with his manager, Johnny Collins—who had already entangled Armstrong with organized crime—resulted in Armstrong being abandoned overseas. In the wake of this turmoil, Armstrong chose to rest and recuperate in Europe throughout 1934.

Upon returning to Chicago in 1935, Armstrong found himself without a band, engagements, or a recording contract. His lips remained tender, and his legal troubles persisted, compounded by his wife Lillian’s lawsuit following their separation.

Seeking assistance, Armstrong turned to Joe Glaser, a manager with connections to organized crime but a longstanding admirer of Armstrong’s talent from his days managing the Sunset Café. Under Glaser’s stewardship, Armstrong’s career was revitalized; within months, he had assembled a new big band and secured a recording contract with Decca Records.

Armstrong’s resurgence marked a series of historic achievements. In 1936, he became the first African American jazz musician to publish an autobiography, Swing That Music. That same year, he made history as the first African American to receive prominent billing in a major Hollywood film, appearing in Pennies from Heaven alongside Bing Crosby. His film career flourished with notable appearances with Mae West, Martha Raye, and Dick Powell.

In 1937, Armstrong achieved another milestone as the first Black entertainer to host a nationally sponsored radio show, taking over Rudy Vallee’s Fleischmann’s Yeast Show for 12 weeks. His presence on radio and in film became a significant force during the Swing Era, marked by record-breaking box office successes and widespread acclaim.

Louis Armstrong and the All Stars

By the mid-1940s, the Swing Era was diminishing, and the dominance of big bands was nearing its end. Anticipating this shift, Louis Armstrong transitioned to a smaller ensemble, the All Stars, which he led for the remainder of his career. The group, which underwent frequent personnel changes, featured prominent jazz figures such as Jack Teagarden, Earl Hines, Sid Catlett, Barney Bigard, Trummy Young, Edmond Hall, Billy Kyle, and Tyree Glenn, among others.

During the late 1940s and early 1950s, Armstrong continued to record with Decca Records, producing a series of successful hits including “Blueberry Hill,” “That Lucky Old Sun,” “A Kiss to Build a Dream On,” and “I Get Ideas.”

In the mid-1950s, Armstrong signed with Columbia Records and, under the guidance of producer George Avakian, released some of his most acclaimed albums, including Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy and Satch Plays Fats.

Marriages of Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong was married four times, beginning with his first marriage in his teenage years. In 1918, he wed Daisy Parker, a sex worker. This marriage was turbulent, characterized by frequent arguments and incidents of violence, and it ended in 1923.

During his first marriage, Armstrong adopted a three-year-old boy named Clarence. Clarence was the child of Armstrong’s cousin, who had died during childbirth. Clarence sustained a head injury at a young age and lived with mental disabilities for the rest of his life.

Armstrong’s second marriage was to fellow musician Lillian Hardin. Shortly after joining the Creole Jazz Band in Chicago, Armstrong began a relationship with Hardin, who was the group’s pianist. They married in 1924 but separated seven years later.

While married to Hardin, Armstrong began a relationship with Alpha Smith, a young dancer. In 1938, Armstrong divorced Hardin and married Smith, with whom he had been in a long-term relationship. Their marriage, however, was also fraught with difficulties, leading to their divorce in 1942.

Later that same year, Armstrong married for the fourth and final time. He wed Lucille Wilson, a dancer from the Cotton Club. Their marriage lasted until Armstrong’s death in 1971.

Alleged Daughter: Sharon Preston-Folta

Despite Armstrong’s four marriages, he did not have any biological children. He and his wife Lucille attempted to conceive for years without success, leading many to believe he was infertile.

In 1954, controversy arose when Lucille “Sweets” Preston, a former girlfriend of Armstrong, claimed that she was pregnant with his child. Preston gave birth to a daughter, Sharon Preston, in 1955.

Shortly after, Armstrong mentioned the child in a letter to his manager, Joe Glaser, which was later featured in the book Louis Armstrong In His Own Words (1999). Despite this acknowledgment, Armstrong never publicly confirmed his paternity of Sharon during his lifetime, which continued until his death in 1971.

Sharon Preston, now known as Sharon Preston-Folta, has made public various letters exchanged with her father, dating back to 1968. These letters reveal Armstrong’s acknowledgment of Sharon as his daughter, his financial support for her education and living expenses, and his expressions of paternal affection.

In December 2012, Preston-Folta published a memoir titled Little Satchmo: Living in the Shadow of My Father, Louis Daniel Armstrong, detailing her relationship with the renowned musician.

While a DNA test could definitively confirm their biological connection, no such results have been publicly disclosed. Nonetheless, both supporters and skeptics note Sharon’s striking resemblance to Armstrong.

Ambassador Satch

As Louis Armstrong’s international fame surged, his longstanding nickname “Satchmo” evolved into “Ambassador Satch.” During the 1950s and 1960s, Armstrong’s global performances spanned Europe, Africa, and Asia. Notably, CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow documented Armstrong’s travels with a camera crew, culminating in the 1957 theatrical release Satchmo the Great.

Despite reaching unprecedented levels of fame and breaking significant racial barriers, Armstrong’s appeal began to wane among certain audience segments. The rise of bebop in the 1940s, led by innovative artists like Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis, signaled a shift towards a new jazz ethos. This genre emphasized artistic expression over entertainment, leading some younger jazz musicians to view Armstrong’s style as outdated. His attempts to address these criticisms met with limited success, and he was increasingly perceived as a performer whose prime had passed.

Additionally, during the intensifying Civil Rights Movement, characterized by growing protests and calls for racial equality, Armstrong’s ever-present smile and reluctance to engage in political commentary further contributed to perceptions of him as disconnected from contemporary struggles and issues.

Support of the Little Rock Nine

In 1957, Louis Armstrong, known for his previous reticence on racial matters, broke his silence following the crisis at Little Rock Central High School. The event, which was broadcast on television, involved Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus deploying the National Guard to block the entry of the Little Rock Nine—nine African American students—into the public school.

Disturbed by the unfolding situation and the vitriol directed at the students by white protesters, Armstrong expressed his outrage publicly. He criticized President Dwight D. Eisenhower for his inaction, declaring that Eisenhower lacked the resolve to challenge Faubus and condemning the federal government’s stance on the matter. Armstrong’s vehement statements included, “The way they are treating my people in the South, the government can go to hell.”

These remarks were prominently featured in global news outlets, marking a significant departure from Armstrong’s earlier public silence on racial issues. Despite facing criticism from both Black and white figures, including jazz musicians who had previously criticized him, Armstrong’s stand is now regarded as one of the most courageous and defining moments of his career.

Later Career: “Hello, Dolly!” and International Tours

Louis Armstrong maintained an intense touring schedule into the late 1950s, a regimen that led to a heart attack in 1959 while he was traveling in Spoleto, Italy. Despite this setback, Armstrong resumed his performances after a brief recovery, continuing to tour extensively and perform approximately 300 nights a year through the 1960s.

By 1963, Armstrong remained a popular global performer, although he had not recorded in two years. In December of that year, he was invited to the studio to record the title track for an upcoming Broadway show, Hello, Dolly!. Released in 1964, the single swiftly ascended the Billboard Hot 100, reaching the No. 1 position in May and even surpassing The Beatles during the peak of Beatlemania. This achievement earned Armstrong his only Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal Performance.

The success of “Hello, Dolly!” introduced Armstrong to a new, younger audience and invigorated his career, leading to continued success in both recordings and live performances throughout the decade. Notably, in 1965, he made a historic tour of Communist countries, including East Berlin and Czechoslovakia, breaking through the Iron Curtain.

However, by 1968, the toll of his demanding lifestyle began to affect Armstrong’s health. Heart and kidney issues forced him to cease performing in 1969, a year marked by the death of his longtime manager, Joe Glaser. Armstrong spent much of this time at home but maintained a daily practice regimen.

He resumed public performances in the summer of 1970, beginning with a successful engagement in Las Vegas. He subsequently undertook international tours, including engagements in London, Washington, D.C., and New York City, where he performed for two weeks at the Waldorf-Astoria.

Just two days after his Waldorf-Astoria engagement, Armstrong suffered another heart attack, which sidelined him for two months. Although he returned home in May 1971 and began to play again, he was ultimately unable to fulfill his promise of a return to public performances.

When Did Louis Armstrong Die?

Louis Armstrong passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 6, 1971, at his residence in the Queens borough of New York City, just one month shy of his 70th birthday.

Since his passing, Armstrong’s legacy has only grown in stature. His former home at 34-56 107th Street in Corona, New York, where he and his wife Lucille moved in 1943, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977. This residence now serves as the Louis Armstrong House Museum, attracting thousands of visitors from around the world each year.

During the 1980s and 1990s, younger Black jazz musicians such as Wynton Marsalis, Jon Faddis, and Nicholas Payton highlighted Armstrong’s profound impact both as a musician and as a person. A series of biographies further elucidated his role as a civil rights pioneer and advocated for an appreciation of his entire body of work, not solely his groundbreaking recordings from the 1920s.

Additionally, Louis Armstrong Stadium, located within the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center which hosts the U.S. Open in New York City, is named in his honor.

Quotes

• “The memory of things gone is important to a jazz musician.”
• “If you have to ask what jazz is, you will never truly understand it.”
• “All music is folk music. I have never heard a horse sing a song.”
• “The colors of the rainbow, so beautiful in the sky, are also reflected in the faces of people passing by.”
• “The bright, blessed day and the dark, sacred night make me think to myself, what a wonderful world.”
• “It seems to me that the world itself is not so bad, but rather what we are doing to it. Just imagine how wonderful the world could be if we gave it a chance. Love—love is the secret.”
• “We all start with the basics, but you must discover the other notes on your own.”
• “The pursuit of wealth does not excite me. While you may be able to afford better luxuries than someone less fortunate, ultimately, you are subject to the same human experiences. In the end, we all face the same fate.”