By Samantha Mandujano, Chief Illustrator & Staff Writer
Louis Armstrong was born to a poor neighborhood in New Orleans, La., on August 4, 1901. Growing up, he would take on various jobs in order to support his mother and sister, but it wasn’t until Armstrong’s seventh birthday that he had gathered enough money to buy a cornet, making it his first instrument.
When he was barely 11 years old, he was caught shooting a gun in celebration of New Year’s Eve and sent to the Jones Home for Colored Waifs for 18 months. However, during his time there, Armstrong gained access to formal music lessons and experience. After his release, he played with pick-up bands and in small clubs with his mentor, jazz musician Joe “King” Oliver.
From then on, Armstrong’s popularity grew immensely during the 1920s, and by the late 1930s, he was considered to be one of America’s most important artists. Some of his most popular songs included “Mack the Knife” (1955), “Hello, Dolly!” (1964), “Blueberry Hill” (1949), and the iconic song, “What A Wonderful World” (1967).
Throughout his lifetime, the jazz musician played for presidents and African and European royalty. Armstrong also toured various foreign countries, serving as a special representative of U.S. Department of State in the years after WWII and at the start of the Cold War, earning him the nickname “Ambassador Satch”. A beloved figure of the jazz genre, the charismatic trumpet player tragically passed away on July 6, 1971, leaving people around the world mourning his loss. However, even after his death, Armstrong’s influence in music (especially jazz) can still be felt today. Through his lovable and humorous personality, gravelly voice, and simple yet dramatic playing of the trumpet, Armstrong managed to influence the direction of the entirety of jazz music. His relaxed phrasing — a large change from the staccato style of the early 1920s — paved the way for the Swing Era.
Louis Armstrong’s music and his successful musical career inspired many young musicians to pick up the trumpet, introducing many more to jazz. He helped keep an incredible music genre alive, a genre that has both influenced and inspired the creation of other music styles.