Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong playing the Trumpet (Google Images)

Louis Armstrong was a remarkably talented American jazz musician who was born into a poor family in New Orleans. He was born on July 4, 1900. Despite living in a bad neighbourhood with a not so strong family, Louis found a fiery passion for jazz music and singing, which is what made him one of the most successful jazz musician to this day.

Armstrong went through a difficult childhood. His father abandoned his family for another woman while Louis was still an infant. His mother then left him and his sister with their grandmother, and at times their uncle. At the age of five, his mother then returned to them and they lived together once more. He attended Fisk School for Boys, which is most likely where he was first introduced to Creole music. Armstrong used to work small jobs such as selling coal, so that he could go into dance halls and see Joe “King” Oliver, and other famous musicians play.

Louis Armstrong with his Trumpet (Google Images)

Louis Armstrong dropped out of school at the age of eleven and began to sing in a quartet of boys on the streets for money. Louis developed his skills with the cornet by playing seriously in bands. He played in parades and listen to people play jazz all the time, its the only thing that was on his mind. In 1922, Louis Armstrong was invited to come to Chicago with Joe ‘King’ Oliver and play with his creole Jazz band. After playing with Joe ‘King’ Oliver for awhile and becoming extremely famous, his wife urged him to either become first trumpet in Joe’s band, or leave the band and start one of his own. Armstrong took her advice and began to play in different bands. For a year or two he moved around, doing different recording with different groups all around America. In 1922 he moved back and started his own Bands called the Hot Five and the Hot Seven.

Louis Armstrong’s #1 Idle: Joe ‘King’ Oliver- Joe King Oliver was a jazz coronet player and bandleader. Joe composed many songs in his time, that are still even being played today! As an instructor of Louis, he gave Armstrong his first cornet in New Orleans, and later on in life, gave him the chance to come along with him to Chicago to join an all star group of his, which Louis accepted. A quote from Louis Armstrong reads: “It was my ambition to play as he did. I still think that if it had not been for Joe Oliver, Jazz would not be what it is today. He was a creator in his own right.”. Joe was the biggest supporter in Armstrong's career, and is responsible for encouraging Armstrong to achieve his dreams and become a big shot jazz musician in big shot jazz bands.

Louis Armstrong was one of the many greatest musicians ever to walk the face of the earth because although times were tough for him, he pushed through and became an incredibly talented musician. Louis was African American and still was extremely respected and was given privileges that most African American didn't have. Louis had a different style to his music, which opened people up to new things. He also had amazing musical ideas that were never introduced to music before. He could take a song in, change it up, and make people wish they wrote the song how he changed it to be. If Louis Armstrong isn't one of the greatest musical musicians, I don't know anyone who is!