For many years it was believed the Louis Armstrong was born on July 4, 1900, but in reality, his birthdate was August 4, 1901. There has never been any dispute that the most influential musician in jazz history was New Orleans born and raised. Armstrong’s playing, first on cornet and then trumpet, along with his vocal stylings, were the inspiration for countless musicians all around the world.

Armstrong grew up in a rough part of New Orleans known as “The Battlefield” and he had an unstable family life, moving often and living with different family members throughout his youth. He became interested in music around his eleventh birthday and received some tutoring from the great New Orleans cornet star Joe “King” Oliver. On New Year’s Eve 1912 young Louis fired a blank in the air from his stepfather’s handgun and was arrested and sent to the Colored Waif’s Home where he became a member of the band and eventually it’s leader. After his release, Louis returned to his family and worked odd jobs around town all the while continuing his interest in the new jazz music he heard being played around town.

Eventually Louis Armstrong began playing on a Mississippi River steamboat with Fate Marable’s band. Marable insisted that all his musicians learn to read music and Armstrong cited his experience as a member of the group as “going to the university.” Armstrong eventually replaced his mentor King Oliver in trombonist Kid Ory’s band.

By 1921 he had become a popular musician with quite a following in New Orleans taking extended solos and singing during his performances. The next year Oliver asked Armstrong to come north to play second cornet with his band that was gigging at the Lincoln Gardens in south Chicago. He accepted the invitation and made his first recordings with the band the following year. King Oliver and his Creole Jazz Band were the talk of early 1920’s Chicago.

After Armstrong left Oliver’s group he was invited to play with Fletcher Henderson’s popular ensemble in New York City. While playing with Henderson at the Roseland Ballroom Armstrong changed from cornet to trumpet because that’s what the other musicians in his section were playing. After a year in New York, Louis Armstrong returned to Chicago at the urging of his wife, pianist Lil Hardin, and formed his own group made up mostly of ex-New Orleans musicians. The resulting “Hot Five” and “Hot Seven” recordings were some of the most influential ever produced in the genre. A Hot Five recording of Heebie Jeebies is often cited as the first recorded example of scat singing.

During the Great Depression Louis Armstrong was fronted his own big band for a time and toured constantly. He appeared in several Hollywood movies and had trouble with his managers, who were connected to the mob. After World War II Armstrong formed Louis Armstrong and his All Stars, which at times featured Jack Teagarden, Barney Bigard, Earl Hines, Trummy Young, Billy Kyle, Barrett Deems and Arvill Shaw. During the next three decades Armstrong and his band averaged around 300 performances annually and even knocked the Beatles off the top of the pop charts in 1964 with their recording of Hello Dolly.

Louis Armstrong passed away in New York on July 6, 1971.

Here is a link to a 1933 performance of Louis Armstrong and his big band performing Dinah:

"DINAH"