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Some even theorize that it was Armstrongs difficult upbringing that made his music so wise, so unique, and so revolutionary. Why Louis Armstrong By the '50s, Armstrong was widely recognized, even traveling the globe for the US. His music was a happiness to individuals and they said he was a gift sent from heaven. 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. One day, they even advanced him the $5 he used to buy his very first horn. 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. As a trumpet virtuoso, his playing, beginning with the 1920s studio recordings he made with his Hot Five and Hot Seven ensembles, charted a future for jazz in highly imaginative, emotionally charged improvisation. In 16967, Armstrong recorded his most renowned tune, What a Wonderful Word that surprisingly featured no trumpet. He also began appearing in the orchestra of Hot Chocolates, a Broadway revue, and was given a featured spot singing "Ain't Misbehavin'." This is where Armstrong first fell in love with music; he would listen to people playing any chance that he would get(Tirro). 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. The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky are also on the faces of people going by. Though he had finally spoken out after years of remaining publicly silent, he received criticism at the time from both Black and white public figures. WebWhy Is Louis Armstrong Important. Every time I close my eyes blowing that trumpet of mine, I look right into the heart of good old New Orleans. These records later went on to become the most influential in jazz history, as it was the first time Armstrong facilitated the evolution of jazz as a ensemble to a soloist art. Louis Armstrong is famous for his stunning jazz performance, unique vocals, and amazing styles with the trumpet/cornet. After a quick trip with a group of people to Venice, Mozart and his daddy returned back to his hometown Salzburg. No ones quite sure why Armstrong lied about his age, but the most popular theories maintain he wanted to join a military band or that he figured he'd have a better shot at landing gigs if he was over 18 years old. Armstrong had a difficult childhood: His father was a factory worker and abandoned the family soon after Louis's birth. WebLouis Armstrong is arguably the most important musician that the United States has ever produced (Shipton 160). In 1947, the waning popularity of the big bands forced Armstrong to begin fronting a small group, Louis Armstrong and His All Stars. According to this document, the performers actual birth date was August 4, 1901. Louis began playing at a young age when he was growing up in New Orleans. Louis Armstrong Why does Louis Armstrong sound like that Show More. In 1964, he scored a surprise hit with his recording of the title song from the Broadway musical Hello, Dolly!, which reached number one in May, followed by a gold-selling album of the same name. In a 1951 interview with Esquire, Armstrong claimed to have come prepared with printed lyrics that day. West End Blues by Louis Armstrong is one of the most important songs in jazz. While he still had to work odd jobs selling newspapers and hauling coal to the city's famed red-light district, Armstrong began earning a reputation as a fine blues player. 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. Instead of doing strictly jazz numbers, OKeh began allowing Armstrong to record popular songs of the day, including "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," "Star Dust" and "Body and Soul.". 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. At the start of Armstrongs career, he married Daisy Parker. During this period, he switched from cornet to trumpet. Jelly Roll, Doctor Jazz, Original Jelly Roll Blues, and many other famous pieces. During this time, Armstrong taught the band how to swing. Armstrong was a busy man, he always had more than one thing going on, if he wasnt recording with Hot Five/Seven, he was performing in the Vendome theatre, playing music for silent movies.. Love, baby - love. 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. The records by Louis Armstrong and His Fiveand later, Hot Sevenare the most influential in jazz. He influenced other jazz musicians by his fearless trumpet styles and distinctive vocals. Why is Louis Armstrong important to blacks? Back in America in 1935, Armstrong hired Joe Glaser as his manager and began fronting a big band, recording pop songs for Decca, and appearing regularly in movies. Born in 1901 in New Orleans, Louisiana, Armstrong had a difficult childhood. WebA 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. He began to grow artistically and perfected his improvisational method (Jazz Stars 2). Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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. 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. Making money ain't nothing exciting to me. Louis's Father left him around childbirth, and his mother often used prostitution for money. He was a master of the trumpet and a skilled improviser, and his style of playing influenced many other jazz musicians. Importance of Louis Armstrong LOUIS ARMSTRONG Louis Armstrong By 1932, Armstrong, who was now known as Satchmo, had begun appearing in movies and made his first tour of England. 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. Instead he used his talent as a ticket to improve his lot and create a meaningful life. Heart and kidney problems forced him to stop performing in 1969. How Did Louis Armstrong Impact Society He was especially known for his spectacular trumpet playing, unmistakable voice, and exceptionally recognizable, broad smile., In three years they recorded over 60 records, which now are considered the most influential recordings in jazz history. Armstrong joined Henderson in the fall of 1924 and immediately made his presence felt with a series of solos that introduced the concept of swing music to the band. By the end of his teens, Armstrong had grown up fast. However, Armstrong's southern background didn't mesh well with the more urban, Northern mentality of Henderson's other musicians, who sometimes gave Armstrong a hard time over his wardrobe and the way he talked. It's also worth noting that even though he brought it into popularity, Armstrong in no way invented the technique, which dates back to at least 1906. Reel 163 Louis Armstrong, n.d. 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. To grasp how much the man adored this entre, consider that he often signed his personal letters with Red Beans and Ricely Yours.. Then, at the age of five, he was returned to the care of his mother, who at the time worked as a laundress. Rock Icon KISS Is Saying Goodbye (For Real), DOWNLOAD BIOGRAPHY'S LOUIS ARMSTRONG FACT CARD, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Louis Armstrong, Birth Year: 1901, Birth date: August 4, 1901, Birth State: Louisiana, Birth City: New Orleans, Birth Country: United States, Best Known For: 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., Astrological Sign: Leo. He was raised by his mother Mayann in a neighborhood so dangerous it was called The Battlefield. He only had a fifth-grade education, dropping out of school early to go to work. If the gun was not so easily accessible, his firing it and being arrested could have been prevented. 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. Why is Louis Armstrong important Armstrong continued to tour extensively, despite a heart attack in June 1959. WebThrough the internet and books we find out why Louis Armstrong is such a great person to learn about. They also encouraged him to sing and often invited him into their home for meals. William Armstrong, his father, was a factory worker who abandoned the family soon after the boy's birth. "Hotter Than That" was in the Top Ten in May 1928, followed in September by "West End Blues," which later became one of the first recordings named to the Grammy Hall of Fame. We all do 'do re mi,' but you have got to find the other notes yourself. Finding Yourself, Dropping, Halfway. Fletcher Henderson also influenced jazz music. He was often left with his grandmother, and left school in fifth grade to start working. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Best Known For: 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.. The material may show why Armstrong was not just a giant of jazz music, but a civil rights leader as well. Armstrong used to say that hed been born on July 4, 1900. 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. Jazz is a genre of music that brought a whole community of people together. (She was the second of his four wives.) In 1924, Armstrong married Hardin, who urged Armstrong to leave Oliver and try to make it on his own. ", Armstrong's fully healed lip made its presence felt on some of the finest recordings of career, including "Swing That Music," "Jubilee" and "Struttin' with Some Barbecue.". His mother, who often turned to prostitution, frequently left him with his maternal grandmother. Louis Armstrong was important in the 1920's because he put a whole new meaning to jazz. 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. Being in many bands before he was not new to this. .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}DOWNLOAD BIOGRAPHY'S LOUIS ARMSTRONG FACT CARD. He interprets and contributes to the genre of jazz, creates great form through his performance in the Hot Chocolates, and his work represents a whole for equality and the civil rights movement. Armstrong could make an audience cheer, but Roy Eldridge, made those top and bottom notes feel like a natural part of what the horn should do (Friedwald 21). He began following him and eventually Oliver became Armstrongs mentor. But Armstrong also became an enduring figure in popular music due to his distinctively phrased baritone singing and engaging personality, which were on display in a series of vocal recordings and film roles. Each of the books on jazz music will mention his name. Similarly, many of his most influential recordings, like 1928's "West End Blues" and 1955's "Mack the Knife," have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Louis Daniel (Louie) Armstrong is perhaps the most important and influential person in the history of jazz music, swing music, and jazz vocal styling. There, under the tutelage of Peter Davis, he learned how to properly play the cornet, eventually becoming the leader of the Waifs Home Brass Band. Louis Armstrong, nicknamed "Satchmo," "Pops" and, later, "Ambassador Satch," was a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. There was a cheerful impatience in his playing, an optimistic confidence that led him to risk going over the top (Shipton 157). Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. 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. There, he received musical instruction on the cornet and fell in love with music. He also learned to sing. Louis Armstrong was the greatest of all Jazz musicians. What a Wonderful World struck a chord with moviegoers and was re-released that year, becoming an oft-requested radio hit. 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. His resurgence in the '60s with hit recordings like 1965's Grammy-winning "Hello Dolly" and 1968's classic "What a Wonderful World" solidified his legacy as a musical and cultural icon. Given his popularity, his long career, and the extensive label-jumping he did in his later years, as well as the differing jazz and pop sides of his work, his recordings are extensive and diverse, with parts of his catalog owned by numerous companies. He was abandoned by his father, a boiler stoker, shortly after his birth and was raised by his paternal grandmother. One of the most important figures in 20th century music, Armstrong's innovations as a trumpeter and vocalist are widely recognized today, and will continue to be for decades to come. He wrote songs such as The Pearls, Millenburg Joys, Mr. Armstrong's four marriages never produced any children, and because he and wife Lucille Wilson had actively tried for years to no avail, many believed him to be sterile, incapable of having children. Why With the assistance of the jazz musicians, the music industry, Making his voice sound like a musical instrument and singing nonsense syllables with no words created Scat singing. Armstrong returned home in May 1971, and though he soon resumed playing again and promised to perform in public once more, he died in his sleep on July 6, 1971, at his home in Queens, New York. It was also for Columbia that Armstrong scored one of the biggest hits of his career: His jazz transformation of Kurt Weill's "Mack the Knife. Armstrong's popularity continued to grow in Chicago throughout the decade, as he began playing other venues, including the Sunset Caf and the Savoy Ballroom. 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). But you get sick just like the next cat and when you die you're just as graveyard dead as he is. Death Year: 1971, Death date: July 6, 1971, Death State: New York, Death City: Corona, Queens, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Louis Armstrong Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/louis-armstrong, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: January 29, 2021, Original Published Date: April 3, 2014. Study now. His greatest inspiration was Joe King Oliver. He was taken under the wing of cornetist Joe "King" Oliver, and when Oliver moved to Chicago in June 1918, Armstrong replaced him in the Kid Ory Band. However, controversy regarding Armstrong's fatherhood struck in 1954, when a girlfriend that the musician had dated on the side, Lucille "Sweets" Preston, claimed she was pregnant with his child. He also took a series of small parts in motion pictures, beginning with Pennies from Heaven in December 1936, and he continued to record for Decca, resulting in the Top Ten hits "Public Melody Number One" (August 1937), "When the Saints Go Marching In" (April 1939), and "You Won't Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart)" (April 1946), the last a duet with Ella Fitzgerald. Doctors advised him not to play but Armstrong continued to practice every day in his Corona, Queens home, where he had lived with his fourth wife, Lucille, since 1943. But, as a Bayou State native, Armstrongs favorite dish was always rice and beans. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! I play the good kind (Armstrong). Even the scepter of Uncle Tom that shadowed the outsized Satchmo during his career, and that Ellington essentially concurred with in an interview with Carter Harman in 1964, has faded. Armstrong practiced his instrument and eventually he became the jazz great everyone knows today. One of the greatest cornet players in town, Joe "King" Oliver, began acting as a mentor to the young Armstrong, showing him pointers on the horn and occasionally using him as a sub. Aristotle did not consider children as morally responsible as adults because they have not had sufficient time to move beyond their backgrounds and upbringing. The first important trend in New York Jazz was Hot Jazz that was an incendiary style introduced by Louis Armstrong (Winfield 170). In America, Armstrong had been a great Civil Rights pioneer, breaking down numerous barriers as a young man. Since New Orleans style jazz known to man, it was one of the broadest genres of jazz. Armstrong was one of the first very popular, Being raised in a part of New Orleans known as "The Battlefield" because of its faulty economic situation is not ideal. 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. The movie he appeared in was Pennies from Heaven (1936). He returned to performing in 1970 but it was too much, too soon and he passed away in his sleep on July 6, 1971, a few months after his final engagement at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. He worked for to get his instrument because his mother couldn't afford to buy him one. 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. Members of the group, at one time or another, included Jack Teagarden, Earl Hines, Sid Catlett, Barney Bigard, Trummy Young, Edmond Hall, Billy Kyle and Tyree Glenn, among other jazz legends. Who Is Louis Armstrong And Why Is He Important To Jazz Music? WebLouis Armstrong was a key asset to the Harlem Renaissance due to his inspiring music and playing his instruments for African Americans people during this period. His crucial contribution to American and world culture continues to reverberate into the 21 st century. Music historians recognize this as the first popular, mass-market scat ever recorded. 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. Louis Armstrong WebBy the '50s, Armstrong was an established international celebrity--an icon to musicians and lovers of jazz--and a genial, infectiously optimistic presence wherever he appeared. He was from a very poor family and was sent to reform school when he was twelve after firing a gun in the air on New Year's Eve. Armstrong returned to New York with his band for an engagement at Connie's Inn in Harlem in May 1929. He popularized scat singing and was the first musician to have his solo on a recording (Rodgers 85). WebHe had a string of pop hits beginning in 1949 and started making regular overseas tours, where his popularity was so great, he was dubbed Ambassador Satch. In America, Armstrong had been a great Civil Rights pioneer, breaking down Louis Armstrong was an outstanding jazz musician during the Harlem Renaissance Era. At the mention jazz music, that person will first think of is likely to be a great figure with a clown image, nicknamed Satchmo. Armstrong defined what it was to play Jazz. Armstrong was arrested at eleven years old for disturbing the peace. Louis Armstrong is one of the first great soloists in the 1920s musicians. He adds, "He was also more than a jazz musician he was an enormously popular entertainer"(pp. Eldridge is the obvious link between Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie. Louis Armstrong Louis Armstrong was called "the single most important figure in the history of jazz" by Billboard magazine, a publication that tracks the recording industry. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Louis Armstrong: Genius and Drugs All Rights Reserved. Additionally, he became the first African American entertainer to host a nationally sponsored radio show in 1937, when he took over Rudy Vallee's Fleischmann's Yeast Show for 12 weeks. He started as a soloist for Henderson after marrying Lil Hardin. However, conditions changed when he was requested to record the title number of a broadway show that went on to become a hit. Armstrongs unique singing and masterful improvisation transitioned jazz from the traditional style to a newer, more rhythmic style. Pops had a special place in his heart for both Chinese and Italian food. Revisiting Louis Armstrong in the Context During his span, he composed thousands of songs for everyone to hear. Ironically, Armstrong later wrote the whole thing off as a big blunder on his part. Losing weight proved difficult at first, but his luck changed once he learned of an herbal laxative called Swiss Kriss. The artist promptly went out, bought a box, and became a lifelong spokesman. You might be able to buy a little better booze than the wino on the corner. To many young jazz listeners at the time, Armstrong's ever-smiling demeanor seemed like it was from a bygone era, and the trumpeter's refusal to comment on politics for many years only furthered perceptions that he was out of touch. Louis Armstrong is one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time. He performed all over the world in the 1950s and '60s, including throughout Europe, Africa and Asia. After trying it, he said that defecation sounded like Applause. Enamored, the musician began handing out packets to admirers, loved ones, and band members. Louis did his first performance on stage in 1930 to spread his Jazz style. See answer (1) Best Answer. Handy and Satch Plays Fats. Why Louis Armstrong was important? In 1936, Louis Armstrong became the first African American jazz musician to write an autobiography, Swing That Music. Not a single jazz musician who had previously criticized him took his side but today, this is seen as one of the bravest, most definitive moments of Armstrong's life.