- Born
- 4 August 1901, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
- First work
- 1923: Chimes Blues
- Peak
- 1925 to 1933 (estimated)
- Last work
- 1970: Louis Armstrong and His Friends
- Died
- 6 July 1971, New York City, United States; aged 69; natural
Louis Armstrong
Music: trumpeter, singer, bandleader, actor, United States
Louis Armstrong, nicknamed Satchmo, was a foundational American jazz trumpeter, singer and entertainer. Born in New Orleans in 1901, he rose from severe poverty to redefine jazz during the 1920s, shifting the music from collective improvisation to solo virtuosity with his historic Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings. His gravelly, deeply expressive singing voice and infectious charisma charmed international audiences across film, radio and television over five decades. Late-career triumphs included charting at number one with Hello, Dolly! and his timeless 1967 ballad What a Wonderful World. Armstrong died of a heart attack in Queens, New York, in July 1971 at the age of sixty-nine.
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Signature works
- West End Blues song1928
- St. James Infirmary Blues song1928
- High Society film1956
- Ella and Louis album1956
- Hello, Dolly! single1964
- What a Wonderful World single1967
Honours
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, 1972
- Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal Performance, 1965
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, 1990
Groups: Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra, Louis Armstrong and His All-Stars, Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong.