why is louis armstrong important

In 1936, Louis Armstrong became the first African American jazz musician to write an autobiography, Swing That Music. The first recording of What a Wonderful World was produced by ABC Records, which made no attempt to advertise it domestically. 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. WebLouis Armstrongas a musician, as a man, as an icon. WebLouis Armstrongs ability to use his career to change the music and jazz industry forever is another great example of why Louis Armstrong exhibits the right. In September, his recording of that song entered the charts, becoming a Top Ten hit. Evidently, the show went well. (Jazz From New Orleans, Jazz music was one of the most popular music genres in the 1920s and 1930s. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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. Louis Armstrong was an outstanding jazz musician during the Harlem Renaissance Era. After recording with Oliver for over a year, Armstrong moved into what would become the most important early-jazz big band, Fletcher Hendersons Orchestra (Shipton 201). West End Blues by Louis Armstrong is one of the most important songs in jazz. He performed in Europe for the first time in 1932 and returned in 1933, staying for over a year because of a damaged lip. 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. 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. His greatest inspiration was Joe King Oliver. 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. Legendary CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow followed Armstrong with a camera crew on some of his worldwide excursions, turning the resulting footage into a theatrical documentary, Satchmo the Great, released in 1957. Louis Armstrong was the most important and influential musician in jazz history. While growing up, Armstrong did assorted jobs for the Karnofskys, a family of Lithuanian-Jewish immigrants. Hes a professional jazz performer who played with Oliver and Henderson. Armstrong was featured nightly on Ain't Misbehavin', breaking up the crowds of (mostly white) theatergoers nightly. Louis Armstrong was important in the 1920's because he put a whole new meaning to jazz. Personnel changed over the years but this remained Armstrongs main performing vehicle for the rest of his career. He began to grow artistically and perfected his improvisational method (Jazz Stars 2). The brilliance of his playing, the warmth of his vocals, and his integrity as a human being simply inspires me. A local Jewish family, the Karnofskys, gave young Armstrong a job collecting junk and delivering coal. (Hakim, 58) Although Jazz was very popular itself, a majority of the fans and listeners were younger people. A 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. Contracted to OKeh Records, he began to make a series of recordings with studio-only groups called the Hot Fives or the Hot Sevens. During this time, Armstrong taught the band how to swing. There were many jazz musicians. He started as a soloist for Henderson after marrying Lil Hardin. The Armstrongs moved into the home, where they would live for the rest of their lives, in 1943. WebLouis Armstrong is arguably the most important musician that the United States has ever produced (Shipton 160). 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. Career highlights, compiled by the Louis Armstrong House Museum: 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. Armstrong fronted the Luis Russell Orchestra for a tour of the South in February 1930, and in May went to Los Angeles, where he led a band at Sebastian's Cotton Club for the next ten months. 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. As if it were not enough that Armstrong would rewire instrumental music for the rest of the century, his singing did the same for vocal music. His mother, who often turned to prostitution, frequently left him with his maternal grandmother. I ain't never heard a horse sing a song. ", Louis Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901, in New Orleans, Louisiana, in a neighborhood so poor that it was nicknamed "The Battlefield.". Featuring young geniuses such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis, the younger generation of musicians saw themselves as artists, not as entertainers. Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans in 1901. He sang much as he played, but with a playfulness and a rasp, that would forever be part of American culture (Winfield 167). ", During the mid-'50s, Armstrong's popularity overseas skyrocketed. Coupled with his astonishing performing skills and charismatic stage presence, Armstrong took the world by storm and popularized jazz as we know it today. Heart and kidney problems forced him to stop performing in 1969. During this period, Armstrong set a number of African American "firsts." A year later, he was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. 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. Louis Armstrong, nicknamed "Satchmo," "Pops" and, later, "Ambassador Satch," was a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. The man was Louis Armstrong. Louis was born in New Orleans where he grew up and learned to play the trumpet. He influenced other jazz musicians by his fearless trumpet styles and distinctive vocals. Armstrong spent his youth singing on the street for spare change, but he didnt receive any formal musical training until age 11. By the end of the decade, the popularity of the Hot Fives and Sevens was enough to send Armstrong back to New York, where he appeared in the popular Broadway revue, Hot Chocolates. He soon began touring and never really stopped until his death in 1971. The most important and influential musician in jazz history, and one of the leading singers and entertainers from the 1920s through the '50s. To earn money, Armstrong sang on street corners, sold newspapers, and delivered coal. The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic, American actress, singer, director, producer. 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. Though he was the product's biggest cheerleader, Armstrong neither requested nor received any payment from its manufacturers. In the summer of 1929, Armstrong headed to New York, where he had a role in a Broadway production of Connie's Hot Chocolates, featuring the music of Fats Waller and Andy Razaf. 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. Then, at the age of five, he was returned to the care of his mother, who at the time worked as a laundress. Despite failing to make a new record for two years, Armstrong remained a fan favorite. 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. Like almost all early Jazz musicians, Louis was from New Orleans. But many of his recorded performances are masterpieces, and none are less than entertaining. While only a DNA test could officially prove whether a blood relationship does exist between Armstrong and Sharon and one has never been conducted between the two believers and skeptics can at least agree on one thing: Sharon's uncanny resemblance to the jazz legend. Armstrong accepted, and he was soon taking Chicago by storm with both his remarkably fiery playing and the dazzling two-cornet breaks that he shared with Oliver. Armstrong was still a popular attraction around the world in 1963, but hadn't made a record in two years. From 1925 to 1928, Armstrong made more than 60 records with the Hot Five and, later, the Hot Seven. Why Is Louis Armstrong Important. 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. 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 (Biography.com), Many people knew Louis Armstrong as the first real genius of jazz(Shipton 26). Eldridge is the obvious link between Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie. Here are 10 facts about the life of one of the 20th century's most important jazz musicians. Read Full Biography. A YouTube poster named pandasthumb describes the piece. Mob bosses from New York City and Chicago threatened Louis Armstrong in attempts to control his management contract. The Hot Fives' recording of "Muskrat Ramble" gave Armstrong a Top Ten hit in July 1926, the band for the track featuring Kid Ory on trombone, Johnny Dodds on clarinet, Lillian Harden Armstrong on piano, and Johnny St. Cyr on banjo. Louis Armstrong was the first black man in the U.S. to host a radio show. By February 1927, Armstrong was well-enough known to front his own group, Louis Armstrong & His Stompers, at the Sunset Caf in Chicago. Pillars of Life 3 y Related Why was jazz so important? 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. Only Charlie Parker comes close to having as much influence on the history of Jazz as Louis Armstrong did. Throughout the years, jazz musicians have created many new styles, new arrangements, and put this genre of music on the map., He affected the heading of jazz music and spontaneous creation. Louis's Father left him around childbirth, and his mother often used prostitution for money. He is also the first African American celebrity to appear in a major Hollywood movie. 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. Louis continued to spread his style by touring other countries. With his daring rhythmic choice, swinging vocabulary, and incredibly high notes; changing jazz history once again. However, conditions changed when he was requested to record the title number of a broadway show that went on to become a hit. Why is Louis Armstrong important in the 20's? Henderson also forbade Armstrong from singing, fearing that his rough way of vocalizing would be too coarse for the sophisticated audiences at the Roseland Ballroom. In the 1980s and '90s, younger African American jazz musicians like Wynton Marsalis, Jon Faddis and Nicholas Payton began speaking about Armstrong's importance, both as a musician and a human being. The book was titled Swing That Music. He made his first recordings with Oliver on April 5, 1923; that day, he earned his first recorded solo on "Chimes Blues.". 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. Shortly thereafter, Armstrong bragged about the child to his manager, Joe Glaser, in a letter that would later be published in the book Louis Armstrong In His Own Words (1999). Armstrong felt that being subservient to white people, was an unfortunately necessary evil in order for him to live successfully and happily. He found that the only way to reap the benefits of success and be protected was if there was a white captain to back you in the old days (Armstrong). 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. Armstrong was obligated to leave school in the fifth grade to begin working. By the summer of 1970, Armstrong was allowed to perform publicly again and play the trumpet. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. After they married in 1924, Hardin made it clear that she felt Oliver was holding Armstrong back. Armstrong continued to tour extensively, despite a heart attack in June 1959. Louis was the illegitimate son of William Armstrong and Mary Est Mayann Albert. 1 slot in May 1964, and knocking the Beatles off the top at the height of Beatlemania. Armstrong had gained sufficient individual notice to make his recording debut as a leader on November 12, 1925. Why is Louis Armstrong important to blacks? When Louis Armstrong was placed in a boys home as a young boy, he was presented with the opportunity to play the cornet. With her encouragement, he left Oliver and joined Fletcher Henderson's band in New York, staying for a year and then going back to Chicago in November 1925 to join the Dreamland Syncopators, his wife's group. But, as a Bayou State native, Armstrongs favorite dish was always rice and beans. 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. Louis Armstrong is one of the most influential jazz musicians of all time. 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. Renowned for his charming and incredibly charismatic stage presence and voice almost as much as for his trumpet and/or cornet playing, Armstrong 's influence extends far beyond jazz music, and by the end of his career in the early 1970s at his death, he was widely regarded as a deep and profound influence on popular music in general. In December of that year, he was called into the studio to record the title number for a Broadway show that hadn't opened yet: Hello, Dolly! 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. Making money ain't nothing exciting to me. In recent years, Armstrong's alleged daughter, who now goes by the name Sharon Preston Folta, has publicized various letters between her and her father. 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. Eldridge is the obvious link between Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie. By 1932, Armstrong, who was now known as Satchmo, had begun appearing in movies and made his first tour of England. He adds, "He was also more than a jazz musician he was an enormously popular entertainer"(pp. I play the good kind (Armstrong). Armstrong and Oliver became the talk of the town with their intricate two-cornet breaks and started making records together in 1923. Armstrong soon began dating the female pianist in the band, Lillian Hardin. 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. After his time in Colored Waifs Home, he wanted to become a musician. 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. He performed all over the world in the 1950s and '60s, including throughout Europe, Africa and Asia. Though Armstrong was content to remain in New Orleans, in the summer of 1922, he received a call from Oliver to come to Chicago and join his Creole Jazz Band on second cornet. Louis Armstrong was successful in jazz because he learned on his own with daily practice while influencing others with his music by making smiles appear on their face. he put his soul and dedicated his life to his music. WebLouis Armstrong was the protean genius that made African American classical music mislabeled as jazz the most important music event of the 20th century. Armstrong began to sing on the records, creating a new form of singing, scat singing. St. Louis Cardinals prospect Jordan Walker tracks down a flyball during fielding practice at the Cardinals spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. With his infectious smile and raspy voice, Louis Armstrong (who actually pronounced his own name "Lewis") won over fans worldwide. 1 hit around the world, including in England and South Africa, and eventually became one of Armstrong's most-beloved songs after it was used in the 1986 Robin Williams film Good Morning, Vietnam. "What a Wonderful World" peaked on the U.S. music charts after Armstrong passed away. It is said that during a session, Armstrong dropped his sheet music and started mimicking the sounds of the horn with his voice. Eventually tour ended and Louis went back home to continue his. He played dramatic works of simple structure in Orleans jazz style and with the accompaniment of Dick jazz music. Nobody did what Louis could do. The first important trend in New York Jazz was Hot Jazz that was an incendiary style introduced by Louis Armstrong (Winfield 170). The joyous tune perfectly and ironically clashed with the wartime horrors depicted in one montage, so director Barry Levinson added it to his films soundtrack. He made his film debut in Ex-Flame, released at the end of 1931. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 4, 1901. Because of his long improvised solos, he inspired jazz so that long solos became an important part of jazz pieces and performances. WebLouis Armstrong was the most important and influential musician in jazz history. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. If you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know. Study now. The lights dim, and the velvet curtains slide open. WebLouis Armstrong is arguably the most important musician that the United States has ever produced (Shipton 160). While he was beloved by musicians, he was too wild for most critics, who gave him some of the most racist and harsh reviews of his career. WebLouis Armstrongs ability to use his career to change the music and jazz industry forever is another great example of why Louis Armstrong exhibits the right. His crucial contribution to American and world culture continues to reverberate into the 21 st century. His career spanned many decades, from the 1920s to his death in 1971, and many different eras in jazz. He wrote songs such as The Pearls, Millenburg Joys, Mr. This essay will have an introduction of the king of jazz music -- Louis Armstrong and his great influence on jazz history. Louis Armstrong is one of the first great soloists in the 1920s musicians. At the school he learned to play cornet. Released from the Waifs Home in 1914, Armstrong set his sights on becoming a professional musician. Wiki User. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. William Armstrong, his father, was a factory worker who abandoned the family soon after the boy's birth. he put his soul and dedicated his life to his music. By the start of 1932, he had switched from the "race"-oriented OKeh label to its pop-oriented big sister Columbia, for which he recorded two Top Five hits, "Chinatown, My Chinatown" and "You Can Depend on Me" before scoring a number one hit with "All of Me" in March 1932; another Top Five hit, "Love, You Funny Thing," hit the charts the same month. 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. To grasp how much the man adored this entre, consider that he often signed his personal letters with Red Beans and Ricely Yours.. His mother, Mayann, was 15 years old when he was born and his father, Willie, abandoned them soon after. He was released on June 16, 1914, and did manual labor while trying to establish himself as a musician. Glaser did just that; within a few months, Armstrong had a new big band and was recording for Decca Records. Louis began playing at a young age when he was growing up in New Orleans. You have arrived to one of the most grand occasions of the year, dressed in your fanciest attire with a hundred watt smile gracing your lips. Louis was able to get hired as a junk collecter and coal deliverer. 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. He embarked on his first European tour since 1935 in February 1948, and thereafter toured regularly around the world. Its definitely worth checking out. Between 1952 and 1955, Armstrong shed 100 pounds. Different from most of his recordings of the era, the song features no trumpet and places Armstrong's gravelly voice in the middle of a bed of strings and angelic voices. In 1914, the home released him, and he immediately began dreaming of a life making music. Duke Ellingtons sense of musical drama was the one that made him stand out from all of the rest., Armstrong became the best jazz soloist on Broadway (Louis Armstrong 1). WebLouis Armstrong was the protege of King Oliver and one of the best loved musicians of the Twenties. 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 also began appearing in the orchestra of Hot Chocolates, a Broadway revue, and was given a featured spot singing "Ain't Misbehavin'." 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 While in New York, Armstrong cut dozens of records as a sideman, creating inspirational jazz with other greats such as Sidney Bechet, and backing numerous blues singers including Bessie Smith. In 1922, his mentor, King Oliver, invited him to work his Creole Jazz Band in Chicago. 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. Also in 1936, Louis Armstrong became the first African American to get featured billing in a major Hollywood movie with his turn in. Armstrongs improvised solos transformed jazz from an ensemble-based music into a soloists art, while his expressive vocals incorporated innovative bursts of scat singing and an underlying swing feel. WebHe overcame poverty to become one of the most important people in the history of music. Louis Armstrong was important in the 1920's because he put a whole new meaning to jazz. Louis Armstrong is arguably the most important musician that the United States has ever produced (Shipton 160). Midway through the recording session, he accidentally dropped them and scatted to fill the ensuing silence. 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). After being released at age fourteen, he worked selling papers, unloading boats, and selling coal from a cart. 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 popularized scat singing and was the first musician to have his solo on a recording (Rodgers 85). A few weeks later after his birth his father leaves his mother alone with a family. Armstrong was featured in the 1969 film of Hello, Dolly!, performing the title song as a duet with Barbra Streisand. 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.". He was also a gifted singer, and his Born in 1901 in New Orleans, Louisiana, Armstrong had a difficult childhood. Why Louis Armstrong was important? He influenced countless other musicians and helped to shape the course of jazz. That same year, his longtime manager, Joe Glaser, passed away. Willies habit of devoting all his attention to his second, Because firing guns to welcome in the New Year was a New Orleans custom, he thought (even at 11 years old) that it would be morally acceptable to fire the gun. The movie he appeared in was Pennies from Heaven (1936). Louis Armstrong is considered a hero for many reasons. At the start of Armstrongs career, he married Daisy Parker. We all do 'do re mi,' but you have got to find the other notes yourself. 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. Copy. The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky are also on the faces of people going by. He was an all-star virtuoso, and came to prominence in the 1920s playing cornet and trumpet with an excitingly new and improvisational style. In fifth grade, while being taken care of by his maternal grandmother most of the time, he left school to work. Why Is Louis Armstrong Important. He returned to Chicago in the spring of 1932 to front a band led by Zilner Randolph; the group toured around the country. In a 1951 interview with Esquire, Armstrong claimed to have come prepared with printed lyrics that day. WebImportance of Louis Armstrong. WebWhy Is Louis Armstrong Important. he is important because he was the first black singer. Louis Armstrong was to jazz music what Bach is to classical music, Presley is to rock music (Berrett 230). It won him a Grammy for best vocal performance. 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. It has given me something to live for. 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. His rise to the top, though not overnight, occurred quickly, he played with mostly all the major bands in New Orleans over the next few years (Friedwald 350). The material may show why Armstrong was not just a giant of jazz music, but a civil rights leader as well. He worked for to get his instrument because his mother couldn't afford to buy him one.

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