What made jazz continuously popular was the way it progressed. Ironically, Armstrong later wrote the whole thing off as a big blunder on his part. He was a master of the trumpet and a pioneer of jazz. He is also the first African American celebrity to appear in a major Hollywood movie. Born, August 4, 1901 he started off in a harder life than most people usually do. (She was the second of his four wives.) Louis Armstrong The jazz magazine Down Beat agreed. 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. Although he is often thought of by the general public as a lovable, clowning personality, a gravel-voiced singer who played simple but dramatic trumpet in a New Orleans-styled Dixieland setting, Armstrong himself was so much more. Larkin states, "It is impossible to overstate Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong's importance in jazz." We all do 'do re mi,' but you have got to find the other notes yourself. Louis Armstrong That same year, his longtime manager, Joe Glaser, passed away. Louis Armstrong He began following him and eventually Oliver became Armstrongs mentor. Louis Armstrong used to give away laxatives as gifts. He is a husky singer, often with a trumpet in his hand. (1964), the latter knocking the Beatles off the top of the pop charts at the height of Beatlemania. He performed less frequently in the late '60s and early '70s, and died of a heart ailment in 1971 at the age of 69. He took up work in Joe (King) Olivers house, doing chores in exchange for musical lessons, developing into a. Louis Armstrong is a man of many talents and skills known for creating a new environment, especially in his home town of New Orleans. Louis Armstrong: The First Great Jazz Soloist Blessed with, Armstrong was born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901. Without the jazz musicians, jazz music would not have been possible. Some even theorize that it was Armstrongs difficult upbringing that made his music so wise, so unique, and so revolutionary. What was Louis Armstrongs childhood like? By February 1927, Armstrong was well-enough known to front his own group, Louis Armstrong & His Stompers, at the Sunset Caf in Chicago. Eldridge is the obvious link between Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie. Armstrongs unique singing and masterful improvisation transitioned jazz from the traditional style to a newer, more rhythmic style. 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. After completing the optimistic anthem, songwriters Bob Thiele and George David Weiss thought that Tony Bennett would eat it right up. In 1936, Louis Armstrong became the first African American jazz musician to write an autobiography, Swing That Music. Outraged, Armstrong refused to stage another concert within the state's borders. His amazing technical abilities, the joy and spontaneity, and amazingly quick, inventive musical mind still dominate Jazz to this day. Louis Armstrong was to jazz music what Bach is to classical music, Presley is to rock music (Berrett 230). In 1922, King Oliver sent for Armstrong to join his band in Chicago. WebWhy Is Louis Armstrong Important. But, as a Bayou State native, Armstrongs favorite dish was always rice and beans. In 1947, the waning popularity of the big bands forced Armstrong to begin fronting a small group, Louis Armstrong and His All Stars. Satch Plays Fats, a tribute to Fats Waller, became a Top Ten LP for Columbia in October 1955, and Verve Records contracted Armstrong for a series of recordings with Ella Fitzgerald, beginning with the chart LP Ella and Louis in 1956. 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. In 1914, the home released him, and he immediately began dreaming of a life making music. Louis Armstrong was an outstanding jazz musician during the Harlem Renaissance Era. ", During the mid-'50s, Armstrong's popularity overseas skyrocketed. ", 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.". Mob bosses from New York City and Chicago threatened Louis Armstrong in attempts to control his management contract. WebThrough the internet and books we find out why Louis Armstrong is such a great person to learn about. In 1924, Armstrong married Hardin, who urged Armstrong to leave Oliver and try to make it on his own. For live dates, he appeared with the orchestras led by Erskine Tate and Carroll Dickerson. Nobody did what Louis could do. A young pianist from Pittsburgh, Earl Hines, assimilated Armstrong's ideas into his piano playing. Why Is Charlie Parker Important He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 4, 1901. The story behind the jazz legends final hit and, quite simply, one of the most beautiful songs ever written. When Louis Armstrong was placed in a boys home as a young boy, he was presented with the opportunity to play the cornet. 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. The boy's mother, Armstrong's cousin, had died in childbirth. 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. During this time, Armstrong adopted a three-year-old boy named Clarence. In 1993, it gained renewed popularity when it was used in the film Sleepless in Seattle. 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. An all-star virtuoso, he came to prominence in the 1920s, influencing countless musicians with both his daring trumpet style and unique vocals. How Did Louis Armstrong Impact Society They also encouraged him to sing and often invited him into their home for meals. At one point in Heebie Jeebiesa 1926 song released by Armstrong and his "Hot Five bandthe singer vocalizes a series of nonsensical, horn-like sounds. He began touring the country in the 1940s. He faced tremendous adversity, ignorance and hatred in his life, and fought back without sinking to the level of those who opposed him. 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 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. Louis Armstrong Previously, Armstrong had performed throughout Europe, Asia, and Africathough he famously canceled a planned 1957 Soviet Union tour, citing the recent Little Rock crisis. Study now. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Then along came a bare-knuckled comedy called Good Morning, Vietnam (1987). By the end of his teens, Armstrong had grown up fast. He was a groundbreaking musician and a pioneer in the development of jazz music. Why is Louis Armstrong important? - Answers He returned to Chicago in the spring of 1932 to front a band led by Zilner Randolph; the group toured around the country. I play the good kind (Armstrong). Unhappy, Armstrong left Henderson in 1925 to return to Chicago, where he began playing with his wife's band at the Dreamland Caf. Louis Armstrong But you get sick just like the next cat and when you die you're just as graveyard dead as he is. 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. A YouTube poster named pandasthumb describes the piece. (Jazz From New Orleans, Jazz music was one of the most popular music genres in the 1920s and 1930s. 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). Together, Armstrong and Hines formed a potent team and made some of the greatest recordings in jazz history in 1928, including their virtuoso duet, "Weather Bird," and "West End Blues.". 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. Show More. he put his soul and dedicated his life to his music. It started in New Orleans and over the years, stretched out throughout the whole United States. Fletcher Henderson also influenced jazz music. 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 had a difficult childhood: His father was a factory worker and abandoned the family soon after Louis's birth. Louis Armstrong is considered a hero for many reasons.