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Louis Armstrong is a legend in the world of American Jazz music, and one of the most popular musicians of the 20th century. His influence has influenced and inspired several other popular musicians such as Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Marvin Gaye.

Louis Armstrong was born on August 4th, 1901 in New Orleans. As a child he would perform on street corners, dancing and singing for pennies to buy his meals. During a New Years Eve celebration in 1915, Armstrong shot a pistol and was sent to a New Orleans reform school for boys. During his time in the reform school Armstrong learned to play the coronet, an instrument very similar to a trumpet.

In the 1920s Armstrong developed his instrument skills and began to play at various venues and gatherings (picnics, riverboats, and dives) in New Orleans. These performances helped Armstrong develop his sense of sound and achieve his unique tone with the trumpet. In 1922, Armstrong joined Joe “King” Oliver and his band in Chicago. New York City was his next destination when big-time bandleader Fletcher Henderson asked Armstrong to play with his well known orchestra. A year later, he returned back to Chicago to pursue other recording opportunities such as working with his pianist wife, Lil Harden Armstrong.

During the 1930s he became the first African American to host a nationally broadcast radio show and he performed for the King of England. But it was during the 1940s when Armstrong really became world famous. During this decade he was part of the musical group the All Stars, he completed several popular musical recordings, appeared in over 30 films and even made the cover of Time Magazine in 1949. In 1964, Armstrong won a Grammy award for Male Vocal Performance for his song, “Hello, Dolly!”

A tragic heart attack after a grand performance at the Waldorf-Astoria’s Empire Room ended his life and career at age 69 on July 6th, 1971. It is believed that before Armstrong’s death, he stated, “I think I had a beautiful life. I didn’t wish for anything that I couldn’t get and I got pretty near everything I wanted because I worked for it.”

During Armstrong’s musical career he recorded 11 records in various styles and helped popularize vocal jazz. Among being recognized for his musical talent, he was also very active in the African-American rights community. Recently, Armstrong’s trumpet was placed in the millennial time capsule as national memorabilia which will be opened in year 2099. Today Armstrong’s music is still very popular and enjoyed by people across the globe. His most well known song is “What a Wonderful World.”