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). 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. Armstrong brought. Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus sent in the National Guard to prevent the Little Rock Nine nine African American students from entering the public school. Without the jazz musicians, jazz music would not have been possible. 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. Armstrong was arrested at eleven years old for disturbing the peace. But, as a Bayou State native, Armstrongs favorite dish was always rice and beans. All Rights Reserved. After his time in Colored Waifs Home, he wanted to become a musician. However, conditions changed when he was requested to record the title number of a broadway show that went on to become a hit. The most important and influential musician in jazz history, and one of the leading singers and entertainers from the 1920s through the '50s. A local Jewish family, the Karnofskys, gave young Armstrong a job collecting junk and delivering coal. He performed in Europe for the first time in 1932 and returned in 1933, staying for over a year because of a damaged lip. Louis Armstrong in The Civil Rights Movement Armstrong continued recording for Decca in the late 1940s and early '50s, creating a string of popular hits, including "Blueberry Hill," "That Lucky Old Sun," "La Vie En Rose," "A Kiss to Build a Dream On" and "I Get Ideas. Armstrong was still a popular attraction around the world in 1963, but hadn't made a record in two years. In 16967, Armstrong recorded his most renowned tune, What a Wonderful Word that surprisingly featured no trumpet. I ain't never heard a horse sing a song. The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic, American actress, singer, director, producer. 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. In 1936, he became the first African American jazz musician to write an autobiography: Swing That Music. Many great performers have come out of the jazz industry, but the most widely known is Louis Satchmo Armstrong. Born, August 4, 1901 he started off in a harder life than most people usually do. The memory of things gone is important to a jazz musician. What A Wonderful World: Louis Armstrongs Iconic Ballad Turns out, he was 13 months off. 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. 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. Mentored by the citys top cornetist, Joe King Oliver, Armstrong soon became one of the most in-demand cornetists in town, eventually working steadily on Mississippi riverboats. Is Louis His Top Ten version of "Hobo, You Can't Ride This Train," in the charts in early 1933, was on Victor Records; when he returned to the U.S. in 1935, he signed to the recently formed Decca Records and quickly scored a double-sided Top Ten hit, "I'm in the Mood for Love"/"You Are My Lucky Star.". Louis Armstrong WebCourtesy of the Louis Armstrong Archive Queens College, CUNY. They saw Armstrong's stage persona and music as old-fashioned and criticized him in the press. Why Louis Armstrong's "West End Blues" is Important Armstrong was featured nightly on Ain't Misbehavin', breaking up the crowds of (mostly white) theatergoers nightly. 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. By the mid-'40s, the Swing Era was winding down and the era of big bands was almost over. 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.". Why is Louis Armstrong important? - Answers 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. You feel butterflies in your stomach as you take your seat. 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. 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. Despite failing to make a new record for two years, Armstrong remained a fan favorite. The story behind the jazz legends final hit and, quite simply, one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) - BlackPast.org He is remembered as the most influential artist in the early development of jazz. Louis Armstrong is one of the most important jazz figures. Between 1952 and 1955, Armstrong shed 100 pounds. Louis Armstrong was to jazz music what Bach is to classical music, Presley is to rock music (Berrett 230). 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. Why Louis Armstrong 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. Louis Armstrong Musician Facts | Mental Floss He performed less frequently in the late '60s and early '70s, and died of a heart ailment in 1971 at the age of 69. Coupled with his astonishing performing skills and charismatic stage presence, Armstrong took the world by storm and popularized jazz as we know it today. Armstrong practiced his instrument and eventually he became the jazz great everyone knows today. Eldridge is the obvious link between Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie. If Armstrong never bought the cornet he would have never become famous. He started as a soloist for Henderson after marrying Lil Hardin. His influence, both as an artist and cultural icon, is universal and is still relevant today. In America, Armstrong had been a great Civil Rights pioneer, breaking down numerous barriers as a young man. WebThe point is that Armstrong created and codified an entire vocabulary of jazz, setting the standard for vocalists and instrumentalists. Nobody did what Louis could do. The jazz magazine Down Beat agreed. Louis Armstrong As A Wonderful World Pops had a special place in his heart for both Chinese and Italian food. WebImportance of Louis Armstrong. Seeing "the writing on the wall," Armstrong scaled down to a smaller six-piece combo, the All Stars; personnel would frequently change, but this would be the group Armstrong would perform live with until the end of his career. he put his soul and dedicated his life to his music. The first recording of What a Wonderful World was produced by ABC Records, which made no attempt to advertise it domestically. In 1988, music historian Thaddeus Tad Jones located a baptismal record at New Orleanss Sacred Heart of Jesus Church. Blessed with, Armstrong was born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901. At the mention jazz music, that person will first think of is likely to be a great figure with a clown image, nicknamed Satchmo. In 1922, his mentor, King Oliver, invited him to work his Creole Jazz Band in Chicago. Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 4, 1901. Also in 1936, Louis Armstrong became the first African American to get featured billing in a major Hollywood movie with his turn in. He spread jazz throughout the world. 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. He first came to prominence in the 1920s as a trumpeter and cornet player with no technique as well as being very skilled in scat singing, Armstrong was a foundational influence in jazz, influencing many later jazz artists as well as shifting the focus of the music from collective improvisation to solo performance.With his very well-known and recognizable gravelly voice, a technique that was later named crooning, Armstrong was an incredibly influential singer, demonstrating great dexterity as an improviser by bending the lyrics and melody of a song for expressive purposes on demand. Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington "Jazz The movie he appeared in was Pennies from Heaven (1936). 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. He attended Colored Waifs Home in 1913 for eighteen months. In 1947, the waning popularity of the big bands forced Armstrong to begin fronting a small group, Louis Armstrong and His All Stars. Perhaps most importantly, the letters also detail Armstrong's fatherly love for Sharon. WebDid You Know? Louis Armstrong was the most important and influential musician in jazz history. The civil rights movement was growing stronger with each passing year, with more protests, marches and speeches from African Americans wanting equal rights. If the gun was not so easily accessible, his firing it and being arrested could have been prevented. Louis Armstrong - Black History Month - LibGuides at WebLouis Armstrong was the protege of King Oliver and one of the best loved musicians of the Twenties. Bebop, a new form of jazz, had blossomed in the 1940s. Related. He was also a frequent presence on radio, and often broke box-office records at the height of what is now known as the "Swing Era. After a quick trip with a group of people to Venice, Mozart and his daddy returned back to his hometown Salzburg. Louis Armstrong was an American jazz musician who was one of the most influential figures in jazz music. Their marriage was not a happy one, however, and they divorced in 1942. Why is Louis Armstrong 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 worked for to get his instrument because his mother couldn't afford to buy him one. In 1937, Louis Armstrong became the first African American entertainer to host a nationally sponsored radio show. He 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.. By the '50s, Armstrong was widely recognized, even traveling the globe for the US. Why was Louis Armstrong important to the Harlem Renaissance? 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. WebLouis Armstrongas a musician, as a man, as an icon. These views changed in 1957, when Armstrong saw the Little Rock Central High School integration crisis on television. At the start of Armstrongs career, he married Daisy Parker. At the school he learned to play cornet. 149 Copy quote. 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. How Did Louis Armstrong Impact Society Why was Louis Armstrong important to New Orleans? Here are 10 facts about the life of one of the 20th century's most important jazz musicians. In 1993, it gained renewed popularity when it was used in the film Sleepless in Seattle. Armstrong had gained sufficient individual notice to make his recording debut as a leader on November 12, 1925. Between the two, Armstrong has been the more unsullied figure in historical treatments and biographies. Jelly Roll, Doctor Jazz, Original Jelly Roll Blues, and many other famous pieces. His crucial contribution to American and world culture continues to reverberate into the 21 st century. Pillars of Life 3 y Related Why was jazz so important? Meanwhile, Armstrong's reputation as a musician continued to grow: In 1918, he replaced Oliver in Kid Ory's band, then the most popular band in New Orleans. There are two kinds of music, the good and the bad. Louis Armstrong - Biography, Jazz Musician, Trumpeter, All music is folk music. Armstrong continued touring the world and making records with songs like Blueberry Hill (1949), Mack the Knife (1955) and Hello, Dolly! 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. He was a master of the trumpet and a pioneer of jazz. The man was Louis Armstrong. 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 is remembered as the most influential artist in the early development of jazz. What are some facts about Louis Armstrong?A Jewish immigrant family helped him buy his first horn. Armstrong first received musical training during a stint in juvenile detention. His wife helped jumpstart his solo career. Armstrong was one of the first celebrities to be arrested for drug possession. 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. WebHe overcame poverty to become one of the most important people in the history of music. Music historians recognize this as the first popular, mass-market scat ever recorded. But you get sick just like the next cat and when you die you're just as graveyard dead as he is. See answer (1) Best Answer. 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. Why WebLouis Armstrong was the most important and influential musician in jazz history. Heart and kidney problems forced him to stop performing in 1969. Louis Armstrong was the first black man in the U.S. to host a radio show. 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. Why is Louis Armstrong important in the 20's? I think to myself, what a wonderful world. (Armstrong did not function as a bandleader in the usual sense, but instead typically lent his name to established groups.) He faced tremendous adversity, ignorance and hatred in his life, and fought back without sinking to the level of those who opposed him. Changing jazz into what was once known as a ensemble music to soloist art. (1964), the latter knocking the Beatles off the top of the pop charts at the height of Beatlemania. Louis continued to spread his style by touring other countries. 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). The material may show why Armstrong was not just a giant of jazz music, but a civil rights leader as well. To earn money, Armstrong sang on street corners, sold newspapers, and delivered coal. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. On New Years Eve 1912, he was arrested and sent to the Colored Waifs Home for Boys. He adds, "He was also more than a jazz musician he was an enormously popular entertainer"(pp. With his amazing voice trumpet he created a band and made some records. 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. Born in 1901 in New Orleans, Louisiana, Armstrong had a difficult childhood. Louis was arrested by Police When he was eleven. 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. 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. Louis Armstrong: A Cultural Legacy In 1922, King Oliver sent for Armstrong to join his band in Chicago. He spent the next several years in Europe, his American career maintained by a series of archival recordings, including the Top Ten hits "Sweethearts on Parade" (August 1932; recorded December 1930) and "Body and Soul" (October 1932; recorded October 1930). 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. 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. 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. Armstrong's words made front-page news around the world. He was often left with his grandmother, and left school in fifth grade to start working. He was arrested for firing a pistol in Then, at the age of five, he was returned to the care of his mother, who at the time worked as a laundress. He sang much as he played, but with a playfulness and a rasp, that would forever be part of American culture (Winfield 167). A young pianist from Pittsburgh, Earl Hines, assimilated Armstrong's ideas into his piano playing. Louis Armstrong used to give away laxatives as gifts. To grasp how much the man adored this entre, consider that he often signed his personal letters with Red Beans and Ricely Yours.. See answer (1) Best Answer. 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. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. He fused the jazz style of the place where he grew up with well known jazz of Broadway to coordinate a better than ever kind of jazz. During his time there, he learned how to play the bugle cornet, an instrument that is similar to the trumpet. Mob bosses from New York City and Chicago threatened Louis Armstrong in attempts to control his management contract. The musician didn't let the incident stop him, however, and after taking a few weeks off to recover, he was back on the road, performing 300 nights a year into the 1960s. Every time I close my eyes blowing that trumpet of mine, I look right into the heart of good old New Orleans. 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. Larkin states, "It is impossible to overstate Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong's importance in jazz."