By February 1927, Armstrong was well-enough known to front his own group, Louis Armstrong & His Stompers, at the Sunset Caf in Chicago. He is a husky singer, often with a trumpet in his hand. He performed in Europe for the first time in 1932 and returned in 1933, staying for over a year because of a damaged lip. Armstrong was obligated to leave school in the fifth grade to begin working. 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. I ain't never heard a horse sing a song. Pops had a special place in his heart for both Chinese and Italian food. He moved to the Fate Marable band in the spring of 1919, staying with Marable until the fall of 1921. On New Years Eve 1912, he was arrested and sent to the Colored Waifs Home for Boys. In 1947, the waning popularity of the big bands forced Armstrong to begin fronting a small group, Louis Armstrong and His All Stars. 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. His notoriety for being the best jazz player of his time was secured as Armstrong's arrangement of swing and melodic development opened out and changed Henderson's band and in addition jazz overall. Louis Armstrong - Biography, Jazz Musician, Trumpeter, Armstrong had a difficult childhood: His father was a factory worker and abandoned the family soon after Louis's birth. Here are 10 facts about the life of one of the 20th century's most important jazz musicians. From 1925 to 1928, Armstrong made more than 60 records with the Hot Five and, later, the Hot Seven. He made his first recordings with Oliver on April 5, 1923; that day, he earned his first recorded solo on "Chimes Blues.". Armstrong moved to Chicago to join Oliver's band in August 1922 and made his first recordings as a member of the group in the spring of 1923. The bottom line of any country in the world is what did we contribute to the world? 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. The tune did, however, become a No. Louis Armstrong Wiki User. Mozart, in his own traditional ways, the right away he did the first three of his 22 performances at that opera. After completing the optimistic anthem, songwriters Bob Thiele and George David Weiss thought that Tony Bennett would eat it right up. 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. After a successful engagement in Las Vegas, Armstrong began taking engagements around the world, including in London and Washington, D.C. and New York (he performed for two weeks at New York's Waldorf-Astoria). Why is Louis Armstrong important? - Answers ", 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. Career highlights, compiled by the Louis Armstrong House Museum: Armstrong continued a grueling touring schedule into the late '50s, and it caught up with him in 1959, when he had a heart attack while traveling in Spoleto, Italy. In 1914, the home released him, and he immediately began dreaming of a life making music. 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. However, conditions changed when he was requested to record the title number of a broadway show that went on to become a hit. The song for which Pops is most widely remembered, What a Wonderful World, was almost never his song at all. His mother, who often turned to prostitution, frequently left him with his maternal grandmother. That didnt stop him from living his life like a regular boy. Louis Armstrong was an outstanding jazz musician during the Harlem Renaissance Era. Why Is Louis Armstrong Important - 1689 Words | Cram 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. WebCourtesy of the Louis Armstrong Archive Queens College, CUNY. Louis Armstrong is arguably the most important musician that the United States has ever produced (Shipton 160). In 1972, a year after his death, he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. 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. The memory of things gone is important to a jazz musician. At the start of Armstrongs career, he married Daisy Parker. Armstrong made his first trip abroad, to Europe, and received the nickname Satchmo from his original nickname Satchelmouth, because of his big lips. Many great performers have come out of the jazz industry, but the most widely known is Louis Satchmo Armstrong. Louis's Father left him around childbirth, and his mother often used prostitution for money. His rise to fame peaked in the 1920s, where he stunned the world with his bold trumpet style and idiosyncratic vocals. 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. 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. 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. 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. All Rights Reserved. That same year, he became the first African American to get featured billing in a major Hollywood movie with his turn in Pennies from Heaven, starring Bing Crosby. Who Is Louis Armstrong And Why Is He Important To Jazz Music? 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. His amazing technical abilities, the joy and spontaneity, and amazingly quick, inventive musical mind still dominate Jazz to this day. Armstrong was arrested at eleven years old for disturbing the peace. While performing with Tate in 1926, Armstrong finally switched from the cornet to the trumpet. A year later, he was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Louis Armstrong Musician Facts | Mental Floss Louis Armstrong was to jazz music what Bach is to classical music, Presley is to rock music (Berrett 230). Every time I close my eyes blowing that trumpet of mine, I look right into the heart of good old New Orleans. 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. It is said that during a session, Armstrong dropped his sheet music and started mimicking the sounds of the horn with his voice. Why Louis Armstrong was important? WebLouis Armstrong. Another one of Armstrongs notable qualities, scat singing (wordless singing/mummering) was also popularized during this. A young pianist from Pittsburgh, Earl Hines, assimilated Armstrong's ideas into his piano playing. To untold millions, every note that he let loose made the world feel a bit more wonderful, and his music is still being discovered by new generations of fans. Outraged, Armstrong refused to stage another concert within the state's borders. 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. 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. 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. 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. In 1937, Louis Armstrong became the first African American entertainer to host a nationally sponsored radio show. Between 1952 and 1955, Armstrong shed 100 pounds. Armstrong defined what it was to play Jazz. They also encouraged him to sing and often invited him into their home for meals. Together with his mom, they moved to a better area of New Orleans. Larkin states, "It is impossible to overstate Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong's importance in jazz." He was arrested for firing a pistol in Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington "Jazz Louis was arrested by Police When he was eleven. He attended school until he was in the 5th grade, he stopped going to help support his family. 2012-02-22 18:06:07. The man was Louis Armstrong. His stop-time solos on numbers like "Cornet Chop Suey" and "Potato Head Blues" changed jazz history, featuring daring rhythmic choices, swinging phrasing and incredible high notes. Armstrong had gained sufficient individual notice to make his recording debut as a leader on November 12, 1925. He was then sent to the Colored Waif's Home for Boys. What a Wonderful World struck a chord with moviegoers and was re-released that year, becoming an oft-requested radio hit. But many of his recorded performances are masterpieces, and none are less than entertaining. He was known for both his joyous ways with the trumpet and his peculiarly touching and funny vocal style. Turns out, he was 13 months off. Midway through the recording session, he accidentally dropped them and scatted to fill the ensuing silence. 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. 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. .State Department and earning the nickname "Ambassador Satch." Armstrong spent much of that year at home, but managed to continue practicing the trumpet daily. 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. In 1988, music historian Thaddeus Tad Jones located a baptismal record at New Orleanss Sacred Heart of Jesus Church. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. He influenced other jazz musicians by his fearless trumpet styles and distinctive vocals. Armstrong returned to New York with his band for an engagement at Connie's Inn in Harlem in May 1929. Louis Armstrong: A Cultural Legacy | National Portrait Gallery Louis Armstrong is famous for his stunning jazz performance, unique vocals, and amazing styles with the trumpet/cornet. Despite failing to make a new record for two years, Armstrong remained a fan favorite. 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. 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. He took a position as star soloist in Carroll Dickerson's band at the Savoy Ballroom in Chicago in March 1928, later taking over as the band's frontman. Armstrong had access to guns and decided to borrow a .38 that one of his stepfathers stored in a trunk in the Armstrong home (67). He was by far the most enduringly popular man of all the classical composers, and his influence on following Western art music was very good and intense., Intro 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. 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.. Louis Armstrong: Genius and Drugs That same year, his longtime manager, Joe Glaser, passed away. 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 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.". WebHe overcame poverty to become one of the most important people in the history of music. Jazz Giant Louis Armstrong Was Born - America's Library In addition Armstrong was also an influential singer, demonstrating great dexterity as an improviser, bending the lyrics and melody of a song for expressive purposes., On the 26th day of December in 1788 there was a very great success. That same year, he recorded with small New Orleans-influenced groups, including the Hot Five, and began recording larger ensembles. 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. We all do 'do re mi,' but you have got to find the other notes yourself. WebWhy Is Louis Armstrong Important. Its popularity brought many people together, even through the years of racial discrimination and the Great Depression. There are two kinds of music, the good and the bad. When Armstrong saw this as well as white protesters hurling invective at the students he blew his top to the press, telling a reporter that President Dwight D. Eisenhower had "no guts" for letting Faubus run the country, and stating, "The way they are treating my people in the South, the government can go to hell.". To grasp how much the man adored this entre, consider that he often signed his personal letters with Red Beans and Ricely Yours.. 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. Armstrongs unique singing and masterful improvisation transitioned jazz from the traditional style to a newer, more rhythmic style. Louis Armstrong: History & Major Accomplishments Armstrong fought back, but for many young jazz fans, he was regarded as an out-of-date performer with his best days behind him. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Rock Icon KISS Is Saying Goodbye (For Real), Rihanna and 10 Other Great Pregnant Performances, Burt Bacharachs Legacy: 5 Notable Collaborations, 2023 Grammy Awards: Six Winners Who Made History. His career spanned many decades, from the 1920s to his death in 1971, and many different eras in jazz. In July, Armstrong sailed to England for a tour. Louis was born in New Orleans where he grew up and learned to play the trumpet. Armstrong decided to take some time off soon after the incident, and spent much of 1934 relaxing in Europe and resting his lip. Study now. Featuring young geniuses such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis, the younger generation of musicians saw themselves as artists, not as entertainers. Blessed with, Armstrong was born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901. This essay will have an introduction of the king of jazz music -- Louis Armstrong and his great influence on jazz history. Pillars of Life 3 y Related Why was jazz so important? Related. (She was the second of his four wives.) WebLouis Armstrong is arguably the most important musician that the United States has ever produced (Shipton 160). He didn't own an instrument at this time, If one was to go out into the street, walked up to a random stranger and asked them if they knew who Louis Armstrong was, chances are that they would be able to answer you correctly. During his time there, he learned how to play the bugle cornet, an instrument that is similar to the trumpet. His greatest inspiration was Joe King Oliver. Bebop, a new form of jazz, had blossomed in the 1940s. 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 faced tremendous adversity, ignorance and hatred in his life, and fought back without sinking to the level of those who opposed him. Instead he used his talent as a ticket to improve his lot and create a meaningful life. 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. His mother, Mayann, was 15 years old when he was born and his father, Willie, abandoned them soon after. Armstrong was the primary ever "Genius" of jazz music. Louis Armstrong was a pivotal musician in the twentieth century, but it was his contributions and his role he made during the Harlem Renaissance movement that is most substantial. Although the ballad topped the 1968 charts in Great Britain, American sales were abysmal. Like almost all early Jazz musicians, Louis was from New Orleans. "What a Wonderful World" peaked on the U.S. music charts after Armstrong passed away. Why is Louis Armstrong The records by Louis Armstrong and His Fiveand later, Hot Sevenare the most influential in jazz. 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.