Louis Daniel Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 4, 1901. He grew up in a poor single-parent household and worked at menial jobs even as a little boy. At the age of 13, he celebrated the New Year by running out in the street and firing a pistol that belonged to the current man in his mother’s life. This action had him sent to the Colored Waifs Home for Boys, and it seemed his lot in life indeed would be an unhappy one.
But in this home for boys, Louis learned the skill that would make him famous and set him above the rest; he learned to play the bugle and the clarinet. The home had a brass band and Louis joined. For a small fee, the group would often play at socials, picnics and funerals. And so began the career of a musical legend.
In 1918, at the age of 18, Louis got a job in the Kid Ory Band in New Orleans. In 1922 he left for Chicago where he played second coronet in the Creole Jazz Band. With this band he made his first recordings but his Broadway debut would not come until 1929 when he appeared in “Hot Chocolates.” Here he introduced Fats Waller’s “Ain’t Misbehavin,” which became his very first hit. In 1932, he toured Europe and performed for the English royalty. During a performance for King George V, he forgot that he had been told that performers were not to refer to members of the royal family while playing for them. Just before beginning a special number he accidentally said, “This one’s for you, Rex.”
After this European tour, the gifted musician known by insiders as “Satchelmouth” became “Satchmo.” Although no one can say for sure, it seems this was an error perpetrated by an English music magazine editor who perhaps couldn’t read his own notes and referred to Louis as “Satchmo” in an article.
Despite a prodigious early career performing with the likes of Bessie Smith and Joe “King’ Oliver, his most famous recordings were made comparatively later in his life. These included: “Hello, Dolly” (1964), “What A Wonderful World” (1968) and “Mack The Knife” (1956).
Louis married four times, the longest to Lucille Wilson his last wife of almost thirty years, and he had no children. He was a man who cared about his country and his people and who personified the American dream in all of its finest aspects.
He left a legacy of many fine tunes and performances. What are some of YOUR favorites?