The Karnoffskys took him in and treated him like family. Mrs Karnoffsky used to sing lullabies for him at night before bed in Yiddish and Russian. At six he attended the Fisk School for Boys, a school that accepted black children in the racially segregated system of New Orleans.įrom the age of 7 he lived with the Karnoffskys, a family of Lithuanian Jews, at their home. He spent his youth in poverty in a rough neighborhood known as The Battlefield. Louis Armstrong was raised by his grandmother until the age of five when he was returned to his mother. About two years later, he had a daughter, Beatrice "Mama Lucy" Armstrong, who was raised by Albert. William Armstrong abandoned the family shortly after. Mary Albert was from Boutte, Louisiana, and gave birth at home when she was about sixteen. His parents were Mary Albert and William Armstrong. Louis Armstrong (2002), hand-colored etching by Adi HolzerĪrmstrong was born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901. 2.3 In the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra.In 2017, he was posthumously inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame. He received many accolades including three Grammy Award nominations and a win for his vocal performance of Hello, Dolly! in 1964. He was able to access the upper echelons of American society at a time when this was difficult for black men.Īrmstrong appeared in films such as High Society (1956) alongside Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, and Frank Sinatra, and Hello, Dolly! (1969) starring Barbra Streisand. He rarely publicly politicized his race, to the dismay of fellow African Americans, but took a well-publicized stand for desegregation in the Little Rock crisis. Armstrong was one of the first popular African-American entertainers to "cross over" to wide popularity with white (and international) audiences. By the end of Armstrong's life, his influence had spread to popular music in general. Armstrong is renowned for his charismatic stage presence and voice as well as his trumpet playing. With his instantly recognizable rich, gravelly voice, Armstrong was also an influential singer and skillful improviser, bending the lyrics and melody of a song. After years of touring, he settled in Queens, and 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. Hardin became Armstrong's second wife and they returned to Chicago to play together and then he began to form his own "Hot" jazz bands. Henderson persuaded Armstrong to come to New York City, where he became a featured and musically influential band soloist and recording artist. He earned a reputation at " cutting contests" and his fame reached band leader Fletcher Henderson. In Chicago, he spent time with other popular jazz musicians, reconnecting with his friend Bix Beiderbecke and spending time with Hoagy Carmichael and Lil Hardin. Around 1922, he followed his mentor, Joe "King" Oliver, to Chicago to play in the Creole Jazz Band. 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. Īrmstrong was born and raised in New Orleans. His career spanned five decades and different eras in the history of jazz. He is among the most influential figures in jazz. Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed " Satchmo", " Satch", and " Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist.