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Louis Armstrong

Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several eras in the history of jazz. He received numerous accolades including the Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal Performance for Hello, Dolly! in 1965, as well as a posthumous win for the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1972, and induction into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2017.

Armstrong was born and raised in New Orleans. Coming to prominence in the 1920s as an inventive trumpet and cornet player, Armstrong was a foundational influence in jazz, shifting the focus of the music from collective improvisation to solo performance. Around 1922, he followed his mentor, Joe "King" Oliver, to Chicago to play in the Creole Jazz Band. He earned a reputation at "cutting contests", and his fame reached band leader Fletcher Henderson. He moved to New York City, where he became a featured and musically influential band soloist and recording artist. By the 1950s, he was a national musical icon, assisted in part, by his appearances on radio and in film and television, in addition to his concerts.

His best known songs include "What a Wonderful World", "La Vie en Rose", "Hello, Dolly!", "On the Sunny Side of the Street", "Dream a Little Dream of Me", "When You're Smiling" and "When the Saints Go Marching In". He collaborated with Ella Fitzgerald producing three records together Ella and Louis (1956), Ella and Louis Again (1957), and Porgy and Bess (1959). He also appeared in films such as A Rhapsody in Black and Blue (1932), Cabin in the Sky (1943), High Society (1956), Paris Blues (1961), A Man Called Adam (1966), and Hello, Dolly! (1969).

With his instantly recognizable rich, gravelly voice, Armstrong was also an influential singer and skillful improviser, bending the lyrics and melody of a song. He was also skilled at scat singing. By the end of Armstrong's life, his influence had spread to popular music in general. Armstrong was one of the first popular African-American entertainers to "cross over" to wide popularity with white (and international) audiences. He rarely publicly discussed racial issues, to the dismay of fellow African Americans, but took a well-publicized stand for desegregation in the Little Rock crisis. He was able to access the upper echelons of American society at a time when this was difficult for black men.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 4, 1901 (New Orleans), Died July 6, 1971 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1923 - 1969

Roles Represented in DAHR: trumpet, vocalist, leader, cornet, composer, songwriter, speaker, lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 780 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-34039 10-in. 12/17/1925 Sugar foot stomp Fred Hamm Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BVE-36896 10-in. 11/2/1926 The king of the Zulus New Orleans Blue Five Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BVE-38629 10-in. 6/4/1927 Wild man blues Jelly Roll Morton ; Red Hot Peppers Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BVE-48887 10-in. 2/15/1929 Beau-koo jack Earl Hines Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor BRC-53066 10-in. 4/29/1931 Sugar foot stomp Connie’s Inn Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor PBVE-54867 10-in. 7/16/1930 Blue yodel no. 9 Jimmie Rodgers Male vocal solo, with cornet, guitar, and piano instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-74820 10-in. 12/8/1932 That's my home Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with trumpet solo and male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-74821 10-in. 12/8/1932 Hobo you can't ride this train Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with trumpet solo and male vocal solo lyricist, composer, leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-74822 10-in. 12/8/1932 I hate to leave you now Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with trumpet solo and male vocal solo songwriter, leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-74823 10-in. 12/8/1932 You'll wish you'd never been born Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with trumpet solo and male vocal solo songwriter, leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor CS-74877 12-in. 12/21/1932 Medley of Armstrong hits Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and trumpet solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor CS-74878 12-in. 12/21/1932 Medley of Armstrong hits Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and trumpet solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor LBS-74879 10-in. (33-1/3 rpm) 12/21/1932 Medley of Armstrong hits Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and trumpet solo instrumentalist, trumpet, vocalist, leader  
Victor BS-74891 10-in. 1/26/1933 I've got the world on a string Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-74892 10-in. 1/26/1933 I gotta right to sing the blues Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-74893 10-in. 1/26/1933 Hustlin' and bustlin' for baby Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-74894 10-in. 1/26/1933 Sittin' in the dark Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-74895 10-in. 1/26/1933 High society Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with spoken introduction instrumentalist, trumpet, leader, speaker  
Victor BS-74896 10-in. 1/26/1933 He's a son of the South Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-75102 10-in. 1/27/1933 Some sweet day Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-75103 10-in. 1/27/1933 Basin Street blues Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-75104 10-in. 1/27/1933 Honey, do Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-75105 10-in. 1/28/1933 Snowball Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader, vocalist, instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-75106 10-in. 1/28/1933 Mahogany Hall stomp Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, trumpet  
Victor BS-75107 10-in. 1/28/1933 Swing you cats Louis Armstrong Orchestra Jazz/dance band leader, instrumentalist, trumpet  
(Results 1-25 of 780 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Armstrong, Louis," accessed November 3, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/101863.

Armstrong, Louis. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 3, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/101863.

"Armstrong, Louis." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 3 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/101863

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