Louis Armstrong’s Musical Beginnings
Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901 to an unmarried fifteen-year old mother. He and his mother lived in the poorest and most crime ridden neighborhood known as, “The Battlefield.” At the age of twelve, Armstrong was arrested for delinquency and sent to the Colored Waif’s Home. While there, he joined the brass band and played the cornet.
In 1925, he returned to Chicago where he and other musicians recorded the Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings. It was on these recordings that jazz history was changed. Armstrong introduced the jazz soloist as the focal point and scat singing. The recordings featured Armstrong playing the trumpet in such hits as “Muggles,” “Potato Head Blues,” “Hotter than Hot,” and “Wild Man Blues.”
While the Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings garnered attention, it was not until 1929 that Armstrong became famous. His performance of “Ain’t Misbehavin’” in the Broadway show Hot Chocolates pushed his career to new heights. In the 1930s and 1940s, Armstrong had parts in over fifty films, a radio show, and he toured America and Europe as a solo trumpet player accompanied by big bands. His recordings not only featured him playing the trumpet but also him singing the lyrics in a husky voice that became his recognizable trademark. Such works included, “Body and Soul,” “Star Dust,” Hobo, and “You Can’t Ride This Train”
Louis Armstrong in the 1960s
Armstrong’s career continued into the 1960s with film appearances, popular hits, and a world tour with All-Stars sextets. His popular hits included, “Hello, Dolly,” “Blueberry Hill,” and “Mack the Knife.” His last film appearance was in Hello, Dolly! in 1969. On July 6, 1971, Armstrong died of heart failure.
