Louis Armstrong - African Americans, Timeline and Family
Louis Armstrong's Personal Details
Louis Armstrong was an American jazz trumpeter and singer who was one of the most influential figures in jazz music
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | August 4, 1901 |
| Died on | July 6, 1971 |
| Nationality | American |
| Famous | African American Singers, African Americans, Black Musicians, Black Singers, Musicians, Singers |
| City/State | Louisiana |
| Spouses | Alpha Smith, Daisy Parker, Lil Hardin, Lucille Wilson |
| Siblings | Beatrice |
| Discoveries / Inventions |
|
| Birth Place | New Orleans |
| Religion | Baptist |
| Gender | Male |
| Father | William Armstrong |
| Mother | May-Ann |
| Sun Sign | Leo |
| Born in | New Orleans |
| Famous as | Musician |
| Died at Age | 69 |
// Famous Black Singers
SZA
SZA is an American singer-songwriter known for her debut studio album ‘Ctrl.’ Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about her.
Rozonda Thomas
Rozonda Thomas is an award winning American singer and songwriter. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about her life.
XXXTentacion
XXXTentacion (Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy) was an American rapper, known for his raw and daring style of music. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and death.
Louis Armstrong's photo
Who is Louis Armstrong?
Louis Armstrong was an American jazz trumpeter and singer who was one of the most influential figures in jazz music. Famous for his innovative methods of playing the trumpet and cornet, he was also a highly talented singer blessed with a powerful gravelly voice. Known for his improvisation skills, Armstrong could bend and twist the lyrics and melody of a song with dramatic effects. Coming to prominence in the mid 20th century America when racism was much prevalent, he was one of the first African-American entertainers to be highly popular among both the white and the colored segments of the society. Fondly nicknamed Satchmo or Pops by his fans, he is often regarded to be the founding father of jazz as a uniquely American art form. Born into poverty in New Orleans, he had a very difficult childhood after his father abandoned the family. As a young boy, he sought solace in music and started playing musical instruments as a teenager to earn his living. He soon discovered that he was naturally gifted in music and over a period of years established himself as a much respected player of jazz music. He entertained millions over the course of his long and illustrious career and went on to become one of the first great celebrities of the 20th century.
// Famous African Americans
Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder is an American musician, singer and songwriter, considered to be one of the most creative musical performers of the 20th century. This biography provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali was a legendary boxer who became the first and only three-time lineal World Heavyweight Champion. This biography provides detailed information about his childhood, life, boxing career, achievements & timeline.
Henrietta Lacks
Henrietta Lacks was a woman whose cancer cells were used as the source of HeLa cell line. Check out this biography to know about her life and legacy.Famous as: Source of HeLa cell line
Childhood & Early Life
Louis Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901, in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., to William Armstrong, a factory worker, and Mary Albert. His family was very poor. His father abandoned the family when Louis was young, and his mother often had to resort to prostitution to provide for the family.
He had to drop out of school in order to work and augment his mother’s meager income. He started singing in the streets for money and also began working for a Jewish family, the Karnofskys, who treated young Louis as a family member and encouraged his musical talents.
He fired his step-father’s gun in the air during a New Year’s Eve celebration in 1912 and was arrested and sent to the Colored Waif's Home for Boys. There he received musical instruction and realized that he had a natural talent for playing the cornet. By the time he was released from the home in 1914, he had realized that his life’s calling was to make music.
Career
Out of the home, he started taking music more seriously and began playing with a number of bands. He also learned about music from older musicians such as Buddy Petit, Kid Ory, and Joe "King" Oliver. By the late 1910s he had become a popular jazz music player in New Orleans.
In 1922, he moved to Chicago and joined his mentor Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band. Chicago was a thriving city at that time, and offered much scope for entertainers, especially musicians. Soon Armstrong became very famous and successful, and garnered a huge fan following.
Looking for better career prospects, he left Oliver in 1924 and joined Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra, the top African-American dance band in New York City at the time. Again he proved to be much successful and soon transformed Henderson’s band into what is today regarded as the first jazz big band.
The Great Depression set in during the late 1920s, and Armstrong’s hitherto thriving career suffered a setback. The depression caused several of the prominent clubs where he played to shut down. Many of his fellow musicians shifted to other professions to make a living.
He moved to Los Angeles in 1930 and played at the New Cotton Club. The club was often visited by the Hollywood crowd, and celebrities like Bing Crosby were regulars there. However, Armstrong did not stay there for long and returned to Chicago in late 1931.
He travelled a lot during the 1930s and visited countries like Britain, Denmark, France, Scandinavia, and Holland where he gave concerts. His popularity as a performer reached new heights during the late 1930s.
He also ventured into films and played a band leader in the motion picture ‘Pennies from Heaven’ with Bing Crosby in 1936, becoming the first African-American to get featured billing in a major Hollywood movie. He also appeared in several other movies with big Hollywood stars in the ensuing years.
He continued performing and recording throughout the 1940s and 1950s, releasing a string of super hits like ‘Blueberry Hill’, ‘That Lucky Old Sun’, ‘La Vie En Rose’, and ‘I Get Ideas’. During the mid-1950s his international popularity skyrocketed and he embarked on world tours to several countries, performing in front of sold-out crowds in Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Major Works
His 1954 studio release ‘Louis Armstrong Plays W. C. Handy’ is considered to be one of his masterpieces. Featuring timeless hits like ‘St. Louis Blues’, ‘Yellow Dog Blues’, ‘Loveless Love’, and ‘Aunt Hagar's Blues’, the album is described by Allmusic as "essential music for all serious jazz collections".
Armstrong’s 1967 single ‘What a Wonderful World’ was an iconic song that peaked at No.1 in Austria and U.K. and reached the top ten in several other countries like Denmark, Belgium, Ireland, and Norway.
Awards & Achievements
Louis Armstrong was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1972 by the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
Personal Life & Legacy
He was married four times. His first marriage was to a former prostitute named Daisy Parker in 1918. The marriage was tumultuous from the very beginning and soon ended in a divorce. He had adopted a young boy called Clarence over the course of this marriage.
He married Lil Hardin in 1924. His second wife played a major role in shaping Armstrong’s career, but the two drifted apart in the late 1920s and divorced years later.
His third marriage was to Alpha Smith which lasted four years before ending.
His fourth and final marriage was to a singer, Lucille Wilson, to whom he was married until his death in 1971.
A prolific musician, he led a very hectic life often performing up to 300 concerts a year. His lifestyle began taking its toll on his health during the late 1960s and he began suffering from kidney and heart problems. His health declined steadily in 1970 and he died in his sleep on July 6, 1971, at his home in Queens, New York.
Even though he never had children from any of his marriages, a new controversy emerged in 2012 when a woman named Sharon Preston claimed that she was his biological daughter from a 1950s affair he had with a dancer named Lucille Preston. Personal letters Armstrong had written in the 1950s confirm the fact that he believed Sharon to be his daughter and paid for her upbringing.
// Famous Singers
Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell is an American singer and songwriter. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family, personal life, birthday, etc.
Isaak Presley
All about American actor and singer Isaak Presley including his age, birthday, family life, girlfriends, net worth, and some fun facts.
Sophia Montero
Sophia Montero is an American singer and YouTuber. Let’s have a look at her family and personal life including age, date of birth, net worth, relationships, and fun facts.
Louis Armstrong's awards
| Year | Name | Award |
|---|---|---|
Other | ||
| 0 | 1972 - Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award | |
| 0 | 1964 - Grammy Award for Male Vocal Performance | |
Louis Armstrong biography timelines
- // 4th Aug 1901Louis Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901, in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., to William Armstrong, a factory worker, and Mary Albert. His family was very poor. His father abandoned the family when Louis was young, and his mother often had to resort to prostitution to provide for the family.
- // 1912 To 1914He fired his step-father’s gun in the air during a New Year’s Eve celebration in 1912 and was arrested and sent to the Colored Waif's Home for Boys. There he received musical instruction and realized that he had a natural talent for playing the cornet. By the time he was released from the home in 1914, he had realized that his life’s calling was to make music.
- // 1918He was married four times. His first marriage was to a former prostitute named Daisy Parker in 1918. The marriage was tumultuous from the very beginning and soon ended in a divorce. He had adopted a young boy called Clarence over the course of this marriage.
- // 1922In 1922, he moved to Chicago and joined his mentor Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band. Chicago was a thriving city at that time, and offered much scope for entertainers, especially musicians. Soon Armstrong became very famous and successful, and garnered a huge fan following.
- // 1924Looking for better career prospects, he left Oliver in 1924 and joined Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra, the top African-American dance band in New York City at the time. Again he proved to be much successful and soon transformed Henderson’s band into what is today regarded as the first jazz big band.
- // 1924He married Lil Hardin in 1924. His second wife played a major role in shaping Armstrong’s career, but the two drifted apart in the late 1920s and divorced years later.
- // 1930 To 1931He moved to Los Angeles in 1930 and played at the New Cotton Club. The club was often visited by the Hollywood crowd, and celebrities like Bing Crosby were regulars there. However, Armstrong did not stay there for long and returned to Chicago in late 1931.
- // 1936He also ventured into films and played a band leader in the motion picture ‘Pennies from Heaven’ with Bing Crosby in 1936, becoming the first African-American to get featured billing in a major Hollywood movie. He also appeared in several other movies with big Hollywood stars in the ensuing years.
- // 1954His 1954 studio release ‘Louis Armstrong Plays W. C. Handy’ is considered to be one of his masterpieces. Featuring timeless hits like ‘St. Louis Blues’, ‘Yellow Dog Blues’, ‘Loveless Love’, and ‘Aunt Hagar's Blues’, the album is described by Allmusic as "essential music for all serious jazz collections".
- // 1967Armstrong’s 1967 single ‘What a Wonderful World’ was an iconic song that peaked at No.1 in Austria and U.K. and reached the top ten in several other countries like Denmark, Belgium, Ireland, and Norway.
- // 1970 To 6th Jul 1971A prolific musician, he led a very hectic life often performing up to 300 concerts a year. His lifestyle began taking its toll on his health during the late 1960s and he began suffering from kidney and heart problems. His health declined steadily in 1970 and he died in his sleep on July 6, 1971, at his home in Queens, New York.
- // 1971His fourth and final marriage was to a singer, Lucille Wilson, to whom he was married until his death in 1971.
- // 1972Louis Armstrong was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1972 by the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
- // 2012Even though he never had children from any of his marriages, a new controversy emerged in 2012 when a woman named Sharon Preston claimed that she was his biological daughter from a 1950s affair he had with a dancer named Lucille Preston. Personal letters Armstrong had written in the 1950s confirm the fact that he believed Sharon to be his daughter and paid for her upbringing.
// Famous African American Singers
Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg is an American rapper and actor who emerged as one of the best-known figures in gangsta rap during the 1990s. This biography of Snoop Dogg provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline
Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder is an American musician, singer and songwriter, considered to be one of the most creative musical performers of the 20th century. This biography provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill is a famous hip-hop female artist from America who is into singing, songwriting, rapping, production and acting. Check out this biography to get detailed information on her life.
Coolio
Coolio is a well-known American rap artist, musician and record producer. This biography profiles his childhood, life, music career & timeline.
Kanye West
Kanye West is an American hip-hop musician, rapper, lyricist, record producer, film director and fashion designer.
Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson was an American blues singer-songwriter and musician. This biography profiles his childhood, music career, achievements and timeline.
Louis Armstrong's FAQ
What is Louis Armstrong birthday?
Louis Armstrong was born at 1901-08-04
When was Louis Armstrong died?
Louis Armstrong was died at 1971-07-06
Where was Louis Armstrong died?
Louis Armstrong was died in Corona
Which age was Louis Armstrong died?
Louis Armstrong was died at age 69
Where is Louis Armstrong's birth place?
Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans
What is Louis Armstrong nationalities?
Louis Armstrong's nationalities is American
Who is Louis Armstrong spouses?
Louis Armstrong's spouses is Alpha Smith, Daisy Parker, Lil Hardin, Lucille Wilson
Who is Louis Armstrong siblings?
Louis Armstrong's siblings is Beatrice
What is Louis Armstrong's inventions/discoveries?
Swiss Kriss was invented (or discovered) by Louis Armstrong
What is Louis Armstrong's religion?
Louis Armstrong's religion is Baptist
Who is Louis Armstrong's father?
Louis Armstrong's father is William Armstrong
Who is Louis Armstrong's mother?
Louis Armstrong's mother is May-Ann
What is Louis Armstrong's sun sign?
Louis Armstrong is Leo
How famous is Louis Armstrong?
Louis Armstrong is famouse as Musician