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Photo montage of Louis Armstrong by Steve Gibson.

LOUIS ARMSTRONG
Famous musician

By STEVE GIBSON
fhspress.com Staff
Posted February 8, 2016

Louis Armstrong was a famous musician that was well known for making music in the jazz genre. He was one of the greatest to succeed in jazz. Armstrong was born in New Orleans, on August 4th, 1901. Ever since he was little he was very interested in music. He bought himself a cornet when he was 7, but had no formal music lessons until he was 11.

Armstrong was a hard worker who was determined to always helping his mother and sister. He would always want to take every opportunity on whatever job came up. Armstrong would go on street corners at night to sing for coins.

A little later in time, Armstrong was mentored by a musician named Joe “King” Oliver. Oliver, at the time, was developing a new genre of music that would come to be known as jazz. Oliver took Armstrong to Chicago but after that, Armstrong went to New York.

By February 1927, he already gathered enough credibility. He was already making top hits and working with different musicians. Armstrong had a very diverse set of fans. He had fans that appreciated jazz in general and he also had fans who supported the effect he was making in that jazz genre.

He was a trumpet player most of his career, but in the 1950’s, he started to become famous for his singing. He was well known for the raspy, deep voice that he had. Many great jazz musicians say that Armstrong was very influential, not only for his talent, but for his innovative, formal ways.

Armstrong lived in a house in Queens with his wife Lucille from 1943 until his death on July 6th, 1971. Many say that Louis Armstrong is jazz. They say this because they think Armstrong represents what jazz is all about. During a time in 1957, Armstrong angrily announced that he wasn’t going to participate in the U.S government funded soviet tour. At the time the U.S was having problems with the soviet caused by some propaganda wars.

One well known song by Armstrong is, “Hey Dolly”. Armstrong was a very innovative artist in general, not only in the jazz genre, but in the music industry as a whole. His style is still used in music to this day.

Sources:

Balik, Rachel. "Happy Birthday, Louis Armstrong, Legendary Jazz Musician and Singer." Happy Birthday, Louis Armstrong, Legendary Jazz Musician and Singer. Dulcinea Media, Inc., 4 Aug. 2010. Web. 04 Feb. 2016.

Schwartz, Ben. "What Louis Armstrong Really Thinks - The New Yorker." The New Yorker. N.p., 25 Feb. 2014. Web. 05 Feb. 2016.

"Louis Armstrong Cancels Trip to Russia." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 04 Feb. 2016.

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