Louis Armstrong, nicknamed Satchmo and Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer.Armstrong was a charismatic, innovative performer whose improvised soloing was the main influence for a fundamental change in jazz, shifting its focus from collective improvisation to the solo player and improvised soloing. One of the most famous jazz musicians of the 20th century, he was first known as a cornet player, then as a trumpet player, and toward the end of his career he was best known as a vocalist and became one of the most influential jazz singers.
Satchmo became Armstrongs nickname after his 1932 Grand Tour of Europe. A London music magazine editor wrote "Satchmo" in an article -- probably because he could not read his garbled notes. Up until that time, Armstrongs nickname was Satchelmouth.
Pictured on a 32 US commemorative postage stamp in the Legends of American Music series, issued 1 September 1995.
Posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (under the category Early Influence).
Posthumously inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame (charter member).
He was nicknamed "Pops" because that is the name he addressed everyone by. Later on in his career, he picked up the sobriquet "Americas Jazz Ambassador" because of his frequent jazz concerts around the world.
For most of his life, Louis Armstrong always gave July 4, 1900, as his birthdate, possibly because it was easy to remember. In all likelihood, he probably believed it himself. It wasnt until many years after his death that a birth record was found confirming the correct date as August 4, 1901.
Although his career as a recording artist dates back to the 1920s, when he made now-classic recordings with Joe King Oliver, Bessie Smith and the legendary Jimmie Rodgers , as well as his own Hot Five and Hot Seven groups, his biggest hits as a recording artist came comparatively late in his life: "Mack the Knife" , "Hello, Dolly!" (a #1 hit in 1964), "What a Wonderful World" and "We Have All the Time in the World".
Interestingly enough, Armstrong had never heard of either the song or show "Hello, Dolly!" when he recorded it. To him, it was just the lead song on an album of show tunes, and he was more surprised than anyone when both the single and the album (Kapp 1964) went to #1 on the Billboard charts. What makes this accomplishment all the more remarkable is that it happened at the height of the so-called "British Invasion", when The Beatles and other British rock groups seemed to be dominating every aspect of the pop music charts. Armstrong later repeated his hit in the shows film version ( Hello, Dolly! ), singing it to Barbra Streisand.
Although the term didnt exist during his lifetime, there is much evidence to indicate that he may have been bulemic. He believed that it didnt matter what you ate, as long as you purged yourself regularly afterwards. He would do that with the help of an herbal laxative called Swiss Kriss, and even handed out mimeographed sheets on his diet regimen to friends. In all probability, this contributed to the health problems he suffered in the last years of his life.
Refused to go a State Department-sponsored concert tour of the Soviet Union in 1959 because he felt the administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower wasnt doing enough to promote civil rights legislation.
Embittered by the treatment of blacks in his hometown of New Orleans, he chose to be buried in New York City.
The slang terms "cat" meaning a man about town and "chops" meaning a musicians playing ability were first coined by him.
Louis Armstrong passed away on July 6, 1971, a month away from what would have been his 70th birthday on August 4.
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 7018 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.
Doc Louis, the trainer character in the boxing video game Mike Tysons Punch-Out!! , is based on his likeness.
When he died, his home was in the Corona section of Queens County, New York City. Today, it remains a museum where fans can check out his residence and its belongings as a citizen of New York City.
He was laid to rest at the Flushing Cemetery, Section 9 in Flushing, Queens, New York City not too far from his home in Corona, Queens. His tombstone is a red granite, emblazoned simply "Satchmo" Louis Armstrong with a beautiful white trumpet figure laden on top. Buried with him is his last of four wives, Lucille Armstrong who died in 1983.
On June 26, 1950, he recorded the American version of the French songs "La Vie en rose" and "Cest si bon". "La Vie en rose" was written by Louiguy (music) and dith Piaf in 1946 and "Cest si bon" was written by Henri Betti (music) and Andr Hornez in 1947. The English lyrics of "La Vie en rose" were written by Mack David and the English lyrics of "Cest si bon" were written by Jerry Seelen. The recording took place in New York with Sy Oliver and his Orchestra.
Was good friends with Ella Fitzgerald.
Posthumously inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
Posthumously inducted into the Long Island Hall of Fame.
A lotta cats copy the Mona Lisa, but people still line up to see the,original.
If you have to ask what jazz is you will never know. " Louis Armstrong,Man, if you have to ask what it [jazz] is, you’ll never know.
If it sounds good, it is good.
What we play is life.
Music is life itself. What would this world be without good music? No matter what kind it is.
There is two kinds of music, the good, and the bad. I play the good kind.
I had a long time admiration for the Jewish people. Especially with their long time of courage, taking so much abuse for so long. I was only seven years old, but I could easily see the ungodly treatment that the white folks were handing the poor Jewish family whom I worked for.
What we play is life. .
