Louis Armstrong is Mr. Jazz. He will always be the epitome for jazz. “He is an American classic, an American Original”. Duke Ellington pays homage to Louis Armstrong, the late musical genius. Armstrong, considered to be one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, had a career that spanned over five decades. Armstrong, who had a tough childhood, saw opportunities in the smallest of things and turned them into a career.

Louis Daniel Armstrong, the second child, was born at the beginning of August 1901. Louis was raised in New Orleans’ “The Battlefield”, a dangerous, rough, and violent neighborhood. Armstrong left school in order to work, completing only the fifth grade. To help support his mother and younger sister, he worked various menial tasks. Armstrong’s very first job was to work for Jewish immigrants from the Karnofskys, who lent him the money to buy his cornet. The cornet is similar to a trumpet but has a softer tone. Armstrong never forgot about the kindness of that Jewish family, and wore his Star of David as an adult to show his gratitude.

Armstrong, a 12-year-old boy who had just fired his father’s gun at New Year Eve, was arrested. The Times-Democrat reported that Armstrong’s case was the “most grave” New Year’s Eve arrest. The judge was afraid that Armstrong, if not punished, would continue getting into trouble. So he sent him to the Colored Waifs Home for Boys. Armstrong had a toxic environment in his neighborhood, and it took time before he was accepted into the music group. Armstrong was accepted into the home’s musical group after proving his behavior. Peter Davis taught him the proper way to play the Cornet. He became the leader in the Maple Leaf Band. Armstrong attributes his entire music career to being arrested when he was twelve years old. “I believe my success is due to the arrest I received as a young wayward boy. I then had to stop running and start learning something”. “I learned music first and foremost”. Armstrong took up music seriously once he left home. He played in several different bands. He was influenced by popular musicians such as Bunk Johnson and Buddy Petit. Joe “King Oliver” was Armstrong’s most influential teacher. Joe ‘King’ Oliver arranged a gig for Armstrong when he was only 15 years of age with Fate Marble’s jazz pianist/bandleader, Fate Marble. Armstrong then took Oliver’s spot in Edward ‘Kid’ Ory’s jazz band, which is one of New Orleans’ most important bands.

Armstrong was not only saddened when Oliver left, but he also felt a sense of awe and wonder at the fact that Kid Ory had chosen him to be his new mentor. “What an amazing experience! Imagine being considered good enough to replace Joe Oliver in the best local band! I couldn’t wait to go to Mayann (his mother’s) house and tell her.

Armstrong was soon able to establish a career in music that would be successful. Armstrong’s career began to change after spending two seasons with Kid’s Band. Armstrong left Kid’s band and joined Fletcher Henderson’s Orchestra. It was the top African-American band in New York at the time. Armstrong was with the group for about a year, and he recorded several albums under their name. Henderson’s Orchestra is now considered to be one of history’s first big jazz bands. It was a pivotal moment in Armstrong’s life and jazz history. Armstrong recorded a lot of music during this time period. Okeh, an American label that was founded in 1916, took notice of Armstrong’s promising career and signed him. Louis Armstrong, along with his Hot Five group, collaborated with New Orleans Musician. This studio-group consisted of different artists, Kid Ory, Johnny Dodds, Johnny St. Cyr, Lil Harden, Johnny St. Cyr, Johnny St. Cyr, Lil Harden, and Earl ‘Fatha’ Hines. Armstrong’s recording “Heebie Jeebies”, a song by Louis Armstrong, had a major impact on Jazz. Armstrong first recorded the song in its original form. But, feeling that the song lacked any originality he recorded a second time. Armstrong improvised the sounds he would make if he were playing an actual instrument using his mouth. This method is called scat. Armstrong was a great jazz musician who inspired many young jazz musicians to emulate his scat method. Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald were among the artists who grew up to incorporate this technique into their music. Scat has been a part of jazz for decades.

Armstrong’s meteoric career seemed to be the only thing that could stand in his way. Unfortunately, the Great Depression happened, and it was out of Armstrong’s hands. The Great Depression hit and many fans couldn’t afford to attend clubs, which ended many careers. Many musicians, desperate to earn money, took jobs totally unrelated music. Some became cabbies and others, tailors. Armstrong, however was not as willing to abandon his career in music. Armstrong’s career changed dramatically after a setback he suffered a few short months later. He made the decision that moving from New York City to Chicago was best for his musical career. He purchased a ticket for Los Angeles. Armstrong hired Johnny Collins to help him gain more fans and publicize his music. Collins guided Armstrong on his first tour. Armstrong, who hasn’t been to New Orleans in almost nine years, arrived at the show. Armstrong was able to meet Joseph Jones and Peter Davis at the house. Armstrong agreed to an invitation from the family. Armstrong went on a tour of the dormitory he lived in. He crawled underneath the sheets to fall asleep when he found his bunk.

Armstring was not always welcomed. On one occasion, when he and his bandmates hopped onto a US bus, they were refused entry by the driver. They were also victims of segregation. Armstrong was arrested with his bandmates before a stageowner bailed him out. Collins decided to send Armstrong’s music to Europe after touring America. He toured the UK, Denmark, France and Scandinavia. It allowed him to reach a wider audience and introduced many people to jazz. The ‘American’ music genre was a hit in Europe, but especially England. Armstrong toured England, Scotland and Ireland for around 4 months. He was called “a magician with a horn” by some critics. Others, however, were rude and racist. Armstrong is described as “looking like a gorilla who hasn’t been trained” by one British critic.

Armstrong was a true Hollywood star. In 1936, Armstrong starred in Pennies for Heaven. He appeared in Pennies for Heaven, a major Hollywood motion picture. Armstrong became the first African American to be given a prominent role in a Hollywood film. He was able to land several roles because of his role. Armstrong was among the few African-Americans to be accepted in the movie industry run by whites. His appearance and joyous personality brought much enjoyment to any film he appeared in.

Armstrong released hit songs throughout the 1940s. He recorded hits such as ‘La Vie En Rose”, ‘That Lucky Old Sun”, and Blueberry Hill. Armstrong’s global career reached a new level in the mid-1950s. Armstrong performed worldwide to sold out crowds across Europe, Africa, Asia. Armstrong’s 1967 song ‘What a beautiful world’ became an icon, changing the world with its music. It topped the European charts. The song was meant to celebrate all the good things in the world and remove the tensions of racism and political tensions that were prevalent in the US. It did not do well in the US due to the negative message that was behind the song. However it still remained the number one hit in Europe and the UK.

The Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences awarded Armstrong the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1972 to recognize the impact Armstrong had on the US and Europe. Armstrong’s recordings have also been inducted into The Grammy Hall of Fame. It displays songs with a qualitative and historical significance that are older than 25 years. Armstrong’s recordings are also on display in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Armstrong’s “West End Blues” was included in the list of 500 Rock and Roll songs that have shaped the genre. Armstrong died from a heartattack on the morning of July 6th 1971. Armstrong suffered from kidney and liver disorders, as well as heart problems for months. Armstrong was in excellent health just 10 days prior to his death and even hinted at a return to performing. Armstrong’s tragic death touched millions in America as well as Europe. Many important figures honored the late music and spoke about how tragic Armstrong was to American culture. Nixon issued a statement to reflect the new phrase ‘Mrs. Nixon and I are both deeply saddened by the loss of Louis Armstrong. The death of Louis Armstrong, one of America’s most famous artists, was a great loss to the nation.

Armstrong’s music has brought joy and light to millions of people around the globe. Armstrong’s music and character not only changed history but taught others about acceptance, humility, passion, and humble acts. Armstrong’s legacy is one of compassion and humanity. Nearly 50 years after his death, his music, charisma, and legacy are still remembered and used as a guide.

michaellang

Michael Lang is a 33-year-old professor and blogger who is passionate about writing. He has been blogging for over 7 years and has written for various online publications. Michael is also a seasoned professor who has taught at the college level for over a decade. He is currently a professor of English at a community college in the Midwest.