Being in many bands before he was not new to this. (Hakim, 58) Although Jazz was very popular itself, a majority of the fans and listeners were younger people. 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). Armstrong was a busy man, he always had more than one thing going on, if he wasnt recording with Hot Five/Seven, he was performing in the Vendome theatre, playing music for silent movies.. Many great performers have come out of the jazz industry, but the most widely known is Louis Satchmo Armstrong. Louis Armstrong was important in the 1920's because he put a whole new meaning to jazz. Encyclopdia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them. During his span, he composed thousands of songs for everyone to hear. Armstrong defined what it was to play Jazz. "Hotter Than That" was in the Top Ten in May 1928, followed in September by "West End Blues," which later became one of the first recordings named to the Grammy Hall of Fame. He showed an early interest in music, and a junk dealer for whom he worked as a grade-school student helped him buy a cornet, which he taught himself to play. Armstrong was still a popular attraction around the world in 1963, but hadn't made a record in two years. Armstrong and Oliver became the talk of the town with their intricate two-cornet breaks and started making records together in 1923. 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 outstanding jazz musician during the Harlem Renaissance Era. 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. Similarly, many of his most influential recordings, like 1928's "West End Blues" and 1955's "Mack the Knife," have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The most important and influential musician in jazz history, and one of the leading singers and entertainers from the 1920s through the '50s. Louis Armstrongs significance and most famous songs In 1936, he became the first African American jazz musician to write an autobiography. It has given me something to live for. Armstrong defined what it was to play Jazz. However, had his upbringing been different, his musical talents may never have been established to grow and thrive into one of the most internationally influential jazz musicians ever. The bottom line of any country in the world is what did we contribute to the world? This newfound popularity introduced Armstrong to a new, younger audience, and he continued making both successful records and concert appearances for the rest of the decade, even cracking the "Iron Curtain" with a tour of Communist countries such as East Berlin and Czechoslovakia in 1965. Louis was born in New Orleans where he grew up and learned to play the trumpet. Armstrong was obligated to leave school in the fifth grade to begin working. The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic, American actress, singer, director, producer. Louis Armstrong is considered a hero for many reasons. he put his soul and dedicated his life to his music. We all do 'do re mi,' but you have got to find the other notes yourself. Armstrong fought back, but for many young jazz fans, he was regarded as an out-of-date performer with his best days behind him. The movie he appeared in was Pennies from Heaven (1936). He was a master of the trumpet and cornet, and his style of playing was unique and instantly recognizable. 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. 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. 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). Armstrong was arrested at eleven years old for disturbing the peace. For the first time, Armstrong was really able to demonstrate his unique voice during those recording sessions. To earn money, Armstrong sang on street corners, sold newspapers, and delivered coal. Rock Icon KISS Is Saying Goodbye (For Real), DOWNLOAD BIOGRAPHY'S LOUIS ARMSTRONG FACT CARD, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Louis Armstrong, Birth Year: 1901, Birth date: August 4, 1901, Birth State: Louisiana, Birth City: New Orleans, Birth Country: United States, Best Known For: 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., Astrological Sign: Leo. Between the two, Armstrong has been the more unsullied figure in historical treatments and biographies. WebThe point is that Armstrong created and codified an entire vocabulary of jazz, setting the standard for vocalists and instrumentalists. WebLouis Armstrong remains an icon of American history and 20 th century popular culture. those works included Cotton Tail and Ko-Ko. Some of his most popular songs included "It Don 't Mean a Thing if It Ain 't Got That Swing," "Sophisticated Lady," "Prelude to a Kiss," "Solitude," and "Satin Doll (Duke Ellington Biography). WebWhy Is Louis Armstrong Important. He was arrested for firing a pistol in In 1924, Armstrong married Hardin, who urged Armstrong to leave Oliver and try to make it on his own. The boy's mother, Armstrong's cousin, had died in childbirth. With his daring rhythmic choice, swinging vocabulary, and incredibly high notes; changing jazz history once again. I play the good kind (Armstrong). To many young jazz listeners at the time, Armstrong's ever-smiling demeanor seemed like it was from a bygone era, and the trumpeter's refusal to comment on politics for many years only furthered perceptions that he was out of touch. Thereafter until his death in 1971, however, Armstrong never publicly addressed whether he was in fact Sharon's father. Pops had a special place in his heart for both Chinese and Italian food. While not officially government-sponsored, there are some who believe the concert was arranged by the CIA, which would make this just one of the many taxpayer-funded appearances hed make abroad during the Cold War in an effort to strengthen diplomatic relations overseas. He was then sent to the Colored Waif's Home for Boys. Show More. 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. Copy. Though he was the product's biggest cheerleader, Armstrong neither requested nor received any payment from its manufacturers. Aristotle did not consider children as morally responsible as adults because they have not had sufficient time to move beyond their backgrounds and upbringing. He spread jazz throughout the world. What was Louis Armstrongs childhood like? Previously, Armstrong had performed throughout Europe, Asia, and Africathough he famously canceled a planned 1957 Soviet Union tour, citing the recent Little Rock crisis. 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. Heart and kidney problems forced him to stop performing in 1969. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 4, 1901. 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. Armstrong's home in Corona, Queens was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977; today, the house is home to the Louis Armstrong House Museum, which annually receives thousands of visitors from all over the world. 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 sang much as he played, but with a playfulness and a rasp, that would forever be part of American culture (Winfield 167). 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. 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. They also encouraged him to sing and often invited him into their home for meals. 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. His mother, who often turned to prostitution, frequently left him with his maternal grandmother. Although the ballad topped the 1968 charts in Great Britain, American sales were abysmal. Despite failing to make a new record for two years, Armstrong remained a fan favorite. 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. 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). Why Is Louis Armstrong Important. 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. According to this document, the performers actual birth date was August 4, 1901. WebLouis Armstrong is arguably the most important musician that the United States has ever produced (Shipton 160). WebLouis Armstrong was the most important and influential musician in jazz history. 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. 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. Louis Armstrong was the first black man in the U.S. to host a radio show. 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. By 1932, Armstrong, who was now known as Satchmo, had begun appearing in movies and made his first tour of England. Here are 10 facts about the life of one of the 20th century's most important jazz musicians. He weathered the bebop period of the '40s, growing ever more beloved worldwide. Armstrong had a great influence on Henderson and his arranger, Don Redman, both of whom began integrating Armstrong's swinging vocabulary into their arrangementstransforming Henderson's band into what is generally regarded as the first jazz big band. Why was Louis Armstrong so important? In 1937, Louis Armstrong became the first African American entertainer to host a nationally sponsored radio show. 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. A few weeks later after his birth his father leaves his mother alone with a family. When Armstrong returned to Chicago in 1935, he had no band, no engagements and no recording contract. There, he received musical instruction on the cornet and fell in love with music. Though he had finally spoken out after years of remaining publicly silent, he received criticism at the time from both Black and white public figures. Coupled with his astonishing performing skills and charismatic stage presence, Armstrong took the world by storm and popularized jazz as we know it today. He grew up in New Orleans where he introduced to jazz and he went on to spread jazz throughout different cities such as Chicago and New York. 149 Copy quote. He played dramatic works of simple structure in Orleans jazz style and with the accompaniment of Dick jazz music. Then along came a bare-knuckled comedy called Good Morning, Vietnam (1987). Louis continued to spread his style by touring other countries. The brilliance of his playing, the warmth of his vocals, and his integrity as a human being simply inspires me. The latter performance is one of Armstrong's best known works, opening with a stunning cadenza that features equal helpings of opera and the blues; with its release, "West End Blues" proved to the world that the genre of fun, danceable jazz music was also capable of producing high art. Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus sent in the National Guard to prevent the Little Rock Nine nine African American students from entering the public school. Why is Louis Armstrong important to blacks? 232) Armstrong unlike other black jazz men and women, was one of the first to be welcomed in the upper echelons of white society. There are two kinds of music, the good and the bad. With his infectious smile and raspy voice, Louis Armstrong (who actually pronounced his own name "Lewis") won over fans worldwide. Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 4, 1901. See answer (1) Best Answer. Armstrong was an African American child growing up in the slums of New Orleans, close to abandonment, impoverished, and with too few constant people, resources, or homes. Study now. 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 style was unique and his talent was undeniable. He is remembered as the most influential artist in the early development of jazz. 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). He faced tremendous adversity, ignorance and hatred in his life, and fought back without sinking to the level of those who opposed him. If you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know. The year is 1954. That didnt stop him from living his life like a regular boy. The new style that he created gave a voice-like quality to his horn. ", During the mid-'50s, Armstrong's popularity overseas skyrocketed. On New Year's Eve in 1912, Armstrong fired his stepfather's gun in the air during a New Year's Eve celebration and was arrested on the spot. 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 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. He popularized scat singing and was the first musician to have his solo on a recording (Rodgers 85). His career rose in New Orleans. Armstrong's words made front-page news around the world. The Armstrongs moved into the home, where they would live for the rest of their lives, in 1943. If the gun was not so easily accessible, his firing it and being arrested could have been prevented. That's the secret. 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. He also began singing on these recordings, popularizing wordless "scat singing" with his hugely popular vocal on 1926's "Heebie Jeebies.". 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. 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. Born, August 4, 1901 he started off in a harder life than most people usually do. At the start of Armstrongs career, he married Daisy Parker. At the mention jazz music, that person will first think of is likely to be a great figure with a clown image, nicknamed Satchmo. Louis's Father left him around childbirth, and his mother often used prostitution for money. 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. Copy. The lights dim, and the velvet curtains slide open. Since New Orleans style jazz known to man, it was one of the broadest genres of jazz. Outraged, Armstrong refused to stage another concert within the state's borders. Mob bosses from New York City and Chicago threatened Louis Armstrong in attempts to control his management contract. 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. Eventually tour ended and Louis went back home to continue his. In fact, before marrying his fourth wife, he made sure that she could cook a satisfactory plateful. The 1930s also found Armstrong achieving great popularity on radio, in films, and with his recordings. The records by Louis Armstrong and His Fiveand later, Hot Sevenare the most influential in jazz. The record was released in 1964 and quickly climbed to the top of the pop music charts, hitting the No.
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