Home > Facts > Biography Facts > Louis Armstrong Facts

Louis Armstrong Facts

Louis Armstrong Facts
Louis Armstrong, one of history's greatest jazz musicians, was born on August 4th, 1901 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was born into a poor family, and his grandparents had been slaves in the 1800s. His father was William Armstrong, and his mother was Mary Albert. When Louis was only an infant his father abandoned the family. From 1903 until 1906 he and his younger sister were in the care of his grandmother and uncle, until he was five. His mother and her family then took the children back. When he was only eleven he dropped out of school and joined a boy's quartet. His love of music began and his career began.
Interesting Louis Armstrong Facts:
Louis spent time at the New Orleans Home for Colored Waifs because of delinquent behavior as a youth.
While at the New Orleans Home for Colored Waifs he developed his cornet playing skills. He learned discipline and was given musical training. He played in the band and eventually was made the band leader.
Louis Armstrong's first dance hall job at Henry Ponce's and while there Black Benny became his mentor.
Louis learned to play the trumpet, as well as the cornet, and he sang as well.
Louis played in brass band parades and on riverboats while in his teens.
In 1918 Louis Armstrong married Daisy Parker and adopted three-year-old Clarence.
Louis and Daisy's marriage did not last and soon after they divorced she died.
In 1924 Louis married Lillian Harden, a pianist.
Louis accepted a job from the most famous African-American band at the time = the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra located in New York.
In the 1920s Louis Armstrong's recordings of the songs ‘Hot Seven' and ‘Hot Five' forever changed jazz music. He was a soloist and jazz had always been a group genre of music.
In 1931 he separated from Lillian. This same year he recorded ‘When it's Sleepytime Down South'. This would become his theme song.
In 1938 Louis married Alpha but the marriage did not last.
In 1942 Louis married Lucille Wilson, a Cotton Club dancer. They bought a home in Corona, New York and they lived there for the rest of their lives.
Louis became one of jazz music's greatest. He was in movies, appeared on TV, on radio shows, in night clubs, theatres, dance halls and was a world famous entertainer.
Louis loved to perform so much that in some years he performed up to 300 concerts a year.
In 1964 Louis Armstrong won the Male Vocal Performance Grammy Award for ‘Hello Dolly'.
Louis Armstrong was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1972, one year after he passed away.
In 1990 Louis Armstrong was entered into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his ‘early influence'.
Several of Louis' songs have been included in the Grammy Hall of Fame for their importance including Mack the Knife, Hello Dolly, and What a Wonderful World, among many others.
Louis Armstrong is considered by most to be the ‘Father of Jazz Music'.
Louis Armstrong died on July 6th, 1971 due to heart failure. He was 69 years old.


Related Links:
Facts
Biography Facts
Animals Facts