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he is important because he was the first black singer. Why Is Louis Armstrong Important. Louis Armstrong. His style was unique and his talent was undeniable. The way they are treating my people in the South, declared Armstrong, the government can go to hell.. Louis Armstrong (Aug 4th, 1901 - Jul 6th, 1971) was an American trumpeter, composer, singer and occasional actor who became one of the most influential figures in 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. Midway through the recording session, he accidentally dropped them and scatted to fill the ensuing silence. His career rose in New Orleans. WebWhy Is Louis Armstrong Important. WebA jazz pioneer, Louis Armstrong was the first important soloist to emerge in jazz, and he became the most influential musician in the music's history. 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 spent the last decade of his life similarly that he had spent the four past enthralling groups of onlookers all through the world., Louis Blues, Overall Armstrong wrote and performed some of the most popular and well known jazz songs of all time. An early job working for the Jewish Karnofsky family allowed Armstrong to make enough money to purchase his first cornet. As a trumpet virtuoso, his playing, beginning with the 1920s studio recordings he made with his Hot Five and Hot Seven ensembles, charted a future for jazz in highly imaginative, emotionally charged improvisation. Why was Louis Armstrong so important? In 1967, Armstrong recorded a new ballad, "What a Wonderful World." His distinctive sound and style have had a lasting impact on the genre, and he was a major influence on subsequent generations of jazz musicians. Armstrong was one of the first very popular, Being raised in a part of New Orleans known as "The Battlefield" because of its faulty economic situation is not ideal. This was the first time anyone had ever recorded this technique known as scat singing. The Hot Five and Hot Seven were strictly recording groups; Armstrong performed nightly during this period with Erskine Tate's orchestra at the Vendome Theater, often playing music for silent movies. In 1993, it gained renewed popularity when it was used in the film Sleepless in Seattle. Like almost all early Jazz musicians, Louis was from New Orleans. The record was released in 1964 and quickly climbed to the top of the pop music charts, hitting the No. Mob bosses from New York City and Chicago threatened Louis Armstrong in attempts to control his management contract. (Cayton, 462) Armstrong was the king of jazz trumpet players. The memory of things gone is important to a jazz musician. During his span, he composed thousands of songs for everyone to hear. By the summer of 1970, Armstrong was allowed to perform publicly again and play the trumpet. He was from a very poor family and was sent to reform school when he was twelve after firing a gun in the air on New Year's Eve. Armstrong was arrested at eleven years old for disturbing the peace. A local Jewish family, the Karnofskys, gave young Armstrong a job collecting junk and delivering coal. 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). Copy. Why was Louis Armstrong important to the Harlem Renaissance? By that point, Armstrong began dating the pianist in the band, Lillian Hardin. Armstrong's new manager, Joe Glaser, organized a big band for him that had its premiere in Indianapolis on July 1, 1935; for the next several years, he toured regularly. Jelly Roll Morton was a great pianist and arranger from New Orleans., He not only produce one impressive improvised solo after another, but he also raised the bar for jazz vocals. In fifth grade, while being taken care of by his maternal grandmother most of the time, he left school to work. During his time there, he learned how to play the bugle cornet, an instrument that is similar to the trumpet. Armstrong felt that being subservient to white people, was an unfortunately necessary evil in order for him to live successfully and happily. Since his death, Armstrong's stature has only continued to grow. Larkin states, "It is impossible to overstate Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong's importance in jazz." He attended Colored Waifs Home in 1913 for eighteen months. .State Department and earning the nickname "Ambassador Satch." The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky are also on the faces of people going by. WebImportance of Louis Armstrong. In December of that year, he was called into the studio to record the title number for a Broadway show that hadn't opened yet: Hello, Dolly! 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. Beginning in 1919, Armstrong spent his summers playing on riverboats with a band led by Fate Marable. He was then sent to the Colored Waif's Home for Boys. 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. During this period, he switched from cornet to trumpet. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. He attended school until he was in the 5th grade, he stopped going to help support his family. The pistol should have been stored in a locked, Armstrong did not define himself by his background and could have grown up to be just another poor child from a broken home. Related. One of the first many New Orleans style jazz artists is Jelly Roll Morton. Armstrong decided to take some time off soon after the incident, and spent much of 1934 relaxing in Europe and resting his lip. However, conditions changed when he was requested to record the title number of a broadway show that went on to become a hit. The song for which Pops is most widely remembered, What a Wonderful World, was almost never his song at all. He performed in Europe for the first time in 1932 and returned in 1933, staying for over a year because of a damaged lip. He influenced countless other musicians and helped to shape the course of jazz. 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. Throughout the years, jazz musicians have created many new styles, new arrangements, and put this genre of music on the map., He affected the heading of jazz music and spontaneous creation. Despite failing to make a new record for two years, Armstrong remained a fan favorite. Armstrong fronted the Luis Russell Orchestra for a tour of the South in February 1930, and in May went to Los Angeles, where he led a band at Sebastian's Cotton Club for the next ten months. Satchmo didn't let the criticism stop him, however, and he returned an even bigger star when he began a longer tour throughout Europe in 1933. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. 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). In addition, his mother did not have a stable job and with his father long out of the picture, life was hard for young Armstrong. Within a span of three years, Armstrong recorded over sixty records. Within a span of three years, Armstrong recorded over sixty records. You feel butterflies in your stomach as you take your seat. By the '50s, Armstrong was widely recognized, even traveling the globe for the US. 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. When Armstrong saw this as well as white protesters hurling invective at the students he blew his top to the press, telling a reporter that President Dwight D. Eisenhower had "no guts" for letting Faubus run the country, and stating, "The way they are treating my people in the South, the government can go to hell.". Armstrong was featured nightly on Ain't Misbehavin', breaking up the crowds of (mostly white) theatergoers nightly. His resurgence in the '60s with hit recordings like 1965's Grammy-winning "Hello Dolly" and 1968's classic "What a Wonderful World" solidified his legacy as a musical and cultural icon. 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 was often left with his grandmother, and left school in fifth grade to start working. 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. (She was the second of his four wives.) In 1918, he married Daisy Parker, a prostitute, commencing a stormy union marked by many arguments and acts of violence. His rise to fame peaked in the 1920s, where he stunned the world with his bold trumpet style and idiosyncratic vocals. But Armstrong also became an enduring figure in popular music due to his distinctively phrased baritone singing and engaging personality, which were on display in a series of vocal recordings and film roles. Different from most of his recordings of the era, the song features no trumpet and places Armstrong's gravelly voice in the middle of a bed of strings and angelic voices. He embarked on his first European tour since 1935 in February 1948, and thereafter toured regularly around the world. Louis Armstrong was the greatest of all Jazz musicians. What was Louis Armstrongs childhood like? One day, they even advanced him the $5 he used to buy his very first horn. It was on the riverboat that Armstrong honed his music reading skills and eventually had his first encounters with other jazz legends, including Bix Beiderbecke and Jack Teagarden. Born, August 4, 1901 he started off in a harder life than most people usually do. When Wilson tired of living out of a suitcase during endless strings of one-nighters, she convinced Armstrong to purchase a house at 34-56 107th Street in Corona, Queens, New York. How did Louis Armstrong influence others? Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. 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. Released from the Waifs Home in 1914, Armstrong set his sights on becoming a professional musician. He popularized scat singing and was the first musician to have his solo on a recording (Rodgers 85). Armstrong defined what it was to play Jazz. Turns out, he was 13 months off. Dancers loved Hendersons music making Louis Armstrong a celebrity so when he left his old band, this would be a step up. 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. 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. We contributed Louis Armstrong. You have arrived to one of the most grand occasions of the year, dressed in your fanciest attire with a hundred watt smile gracing your lips. WebCourtesy of the Louis Armstrong Archive Queens College, CUNY. He is remembered as the most influential artist in the early development of jazz. 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. 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. 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. 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). 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. This is where Armstrong first fell in love with music; he would listen to people playing any chance that he would get(Tirro). he put his soul and dedicated his life to his music. Jelly Roll, Doctor Jazz, Original Jelly Roll Blues, and many other famous pieces. He was by far the most enduringly popular man of all the classical composers, and his influence on following Western art music was very good and intense., Intro Armstrong fought back, but for many young jazz fans, he was regarded as an out-of-date performer with his best days behind him. He began to grow artistically and perfected his improvisational method (Jazz Stars 2). Why Is Louis Armstrong Important. There are two kinds of music, the good and the bad. The family treated Armstrong like a member, bought him his first trumpet, and encouraged his musical aspirations. 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. He influenced other jazz musicians by his fearless trumpet styles and distinctive vocals. In 1936, Louis Armstrong became the first African American jazz musician to write an autobiography, Swing That Music. 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.". The movie he appeared in was Pennies from Heaven (1936). Seems to me it ain't the world that's so bad but what we're doing to it, and all I'm saying is: see what a wonderful world it would be if only we'd give it a chance. It won him a Grammy for best vocal performance. He worked for to get his instrument because his mother couldn't afford to buy him one. 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. Between 1952 and 1955, Armstrong shed 100 pounds. These views changed in 1957, when Armstrong saw the Little Rock Central High School integration crisis on television. WebLouis Armstrong was a key asset to the Harlem Renaissance due to his inspiring music and playing his instruments for African Americans people during this period. Louis Armstrong was important in the 1920's because he put a whole new meaning to jazz. All Rights Reserved. "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. West End Blues by Louis Armstrong is one of the most important songs in jazz. His influence, both as an artist and cultural icon, is universal and is still relevant today. Every time I close my eyes blowing that trumpet of mine, I look right into the heart of good old New Orleans. Armstrong's four marriages never produced any children, and because he and wife Lucille Wilson had actively tried for years to no avail, many believed him to be sterile, incapable of having children. After being released at age fourteen, he worked selling papers, unloading boats, and selling coal from a cart. Hes a professional jazz performer who played with Oliver and Henderson. Louis Armstrong was the first black man in the U.S. to host a radio show. Ironically, Armstrong later wrote the whole thing off as a big blunder on his part. The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic, American actress, singer, director, producer. Eldridge is the obvious link between Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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. He faced tremendous adversity, ignorance and hatred in his life, and fought back without sinking to the level of those who opposed him. In 1938, Armstrong finally divorced Lil Hardin and married Alpha Smith, whom he had been dating for more than a decade. Louis Armstrong is one of the most important jazz figures. He was one of the most influential figures in jazz music. Famous for his innovative methods of playing the trumpet and cornet, he was also a highly talented singer, blessed with a powerful gravelly voice. Known for his improvisation, Armstrong could induce dramatic effects with his music. In the 1950s, he was sometimes criticized for his onstage persona and called an Uncle Tom but he silenced critics by speaking out against the governments handling of the Little Rock Nine high school integration crisis in 1957. He returned to Chicago in the spring of 1932 to front a band led by Zilner Randolph; the group toured around the country. After a successful engagement in Las Vegas, Armstrong began taking engagements around the world, including in London and Washington, D.C. and New York (he performed for two weeks at New York's Waldorf-Astoria). I play the good kind (Armstrong). ", During the mid-'50s, Armstrong's popularity overseas skyrocketed. His career spanned many decades, from the 1920s to his death in 1971, and many different eras in jazz. Louis Armstrong, nicknamed "Satchmo," "Pops" and, later, "Ambassador Satch," was a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 was brought up by his mother, Mary (Albert) Armstrong, and his maternal grandmother. His mother, who often turned to prostitution, frequently left him with his maternal grandmother. Armstrong joined Henderson in the fall of 1924 and immediately made his presence felt with a series of solos that introduced the concept of swing music to the band. 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). This led some to alter his long-time nickname, Satchmo, to "Ambassador Satch.". His influence, both as an artist and He performed all over the world in the 1950s and '60s, including throughout Europe, Africa and Asia. WebHe 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. In America, Armstrong had been a great Civil Rights pioneer, breaking down In April, he reached the charts with his first vocal recording, "Big Butter and Egg Man," a duet with May Alix. On New Years Eve 1912, he was arrested and sent to the Colored Waifs Home for Boys. In September, his recording of that song entered the charts, becoming a Top Ten hit. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. If you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know. The letters, dated as far back as 1968, prove that Armstrong had indeed always believed Sharon to be his daughter, and that he even paid for her education and home, among several other things, throughout his life. Armstrong was obligated to leave school in the fifth grade to begin working. Why is Louis Armstrong important in the 20's? We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. She pushed her husband to cut ties with his mentor and join Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra, the top African American dance band in New York City at the time. Love, baby - love. The Armstrongs moved into the home, where they would live for the rest of their lives, in 1943. Despite failing to make a new record for two years, Armstrong remained a fan favorite. Blessed with, Armstrong was born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901. Between 1952 and 1955, Armstrong shed 100 pounds. Louis Armstrong was called "the single most important figure in the history of jazz" by Billboard magazine, a publication that tracks the recording industry. 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. His amazing technical abilities, the joy and spontaneity, and amazingly quick, inventive musical mind still dominate Jazz to this day. Louis Armstrong was an outstanding jazz musician during the Harlem Renaissance Era. Wiki User. By February 1927, Armstrong was well-enough known to front his own group, Louis Armstrong & His Stompers, at the Sunset Caf in Chicago. 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. In a strange turn of events, it was during this tour that Armstrong's career fell apart: Years of blowing high notes had taken a toll on Armstrong's lips, and, following a fight with his manager Johnny Collins who already managed to get Armstrong into trouble with the Mafia he was left stranded overseas by Collins.