Bailey Galyean

Brass Artist Paper

MUSED
4/26/16

Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 4 1901. He was born
into a poor neighborhood that was nicknamed The Battlefield. His home life consisted of his
grandmother and his mother. His father abandoned them soon after Louis Armstrongs birth. His
mother left him with his grandmother most of the time, and had turned to prostitution to earn
money. Because of the money issue, Louis Armstrong was forced to leave school in the fifth
grade to start working. He was arrested in 1912 for firing a gun into the air on New Years Eve.
They sent him to the Colored Waifs Home for boys, which was where he received his
instruction on coronet. This was where he fell in love with music.
Louis Armstrong was released from the house in 1914 and knew that he wanted to pursue
music. He began playing in a few bands and was learning to play from older musicians. By the
late 1910s, he had acquired quite the fan base in New Orleans. He spent a lot of summers playing
on riverboats. This was where he met Bix Beiderbecke and Jack Teagarden. Louis Armstrong,
then decided to move to Chicago to join in his teachers band. They were Olivers Creole Jazz
Band. Chicago, at this time, was thriving for musicians. And Louis Armstrong quickly became
famous and gathered up even more fans. He made his first solo recordings with this group. He
soon began dating the pianist, Lillian Hardin. They got married in 1924. Hardin believed that the
band Armstrong was in now, was holding him back. She persuaded Armstrong to leave. From
there, Armstrong decided to leave the Creole Jazz Band for Fletcher Hendersons Orchestra. This
was the top African-American dance band in New York City. Armstrong was successful here as

Bailey Galyean
Brass Artist Paper
MUSED
4/26/16

well, but he was restricted in what he was allowed to play. And he wasnt allowed to sing at all.
So he left.
Armstrong was married four times, and in the process adopted a boy named Clarence. His
first marriage was short and was very rough. He married a former prostitute named Daisy Parker.
That quickly ended in divorce. He then married Lillian Hardin as said above. They drifted apart
in the late 1920s and divorced years later. Next, was Alpha Smith. This marriage lasted four
years before ending. And his last marriage was to a singer, Lucille Wilson. He was married with
her until he died in 1971.
The Great Depression began in the late 1920s, and Armstrongs career suffered a setback.
The depression closed many businesses and the clubs that Armstrong played at, were no
exception. A lot of musicians at this time, moved from music to other jobs to try and make a
living. He did not allow this to get him down. He ended up moving to Los Angeles in 1930 and
performed at the New Cotton Club. This club was often visited by celebrities and Bing Crosby
was often a regular there. Armstrong decided to move back to Chicago in 1931.
Armstrong decided to travel a lot during the 1930s. He visited many foreign countries to
play. He also played in films. He was a band leader in the movie Pennies from Heaven. with
Bing Crosby in 1936. He was the first African-American to get featured in a major Hollywood
movie. However, critics were not the nicest. They reviewed with rude and racist comments about
his acting. Armstrong refused to let this keep him down and continued on his path.
Louis Armstrong was one of the most influential figures in Jazz music. He was an
extremely famous jazz trumpeter and singer. He was famous for the new and exciting things he
could do on the trumpet and coronet. His singing voice was powerful and gravelly and captured

Bailey Galyean
Brass Artist Paper
MUSED
4/26/16

the hearts of many. He was known for his improvisation skills and could bend a melody and twist
lyrics with extremely dramatic effects. He was one of the first African-American entertainer to be
popular in both the white and colored parts of society. He is often regarded as the founding father
of jazz as a uniquely American art form. Louis Armstrong had changed music and influenced
many lives around him. He really was an extremely important part in the music field.

Bailey Galyean
Brass Artist Paper
MUSED
4/26/16

Discography
Louis Armstrong with The Polynesians-On a Cocoanut Island/To You, Sweetheart Aloha
Louis Armstrong with Sy Oliver and His Orchestra-La Vie En Rose/Cest Si Bon
Louis Armstrong-What a Wonderful World
Louis Armstrong-Dream a Little Dream
Louis Armstrong-Hello Dolly Live
Louis Armstrong-Go Down Moses
Louis Armstrong-Youll Never Walk alone.
Louis Armstrong-The Bare Necessities
Louis Armstrong-Ramona
Louis Armstrong-Perdido Street Blues

Resources

Bailey Galyean
Brass Artist Paper
MUSED
4/26/16

Biography.com Editors. "Louis Armstrong Biography." Bio. A&E Televison Networks. Web. 19
Apr. 2016. <http://www.biography.com/people/louis-armstrong-9188912#related-videogallery>.
"Louis Armstrong Biography." The Famous People. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/louis-armstrong-302.php>.
Stein, Daniel. Music Is My Life : Louis Armstrong, Autobiography, and American Jazz. U of
Michigan. Print.