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Lil Hardin Armstrong was born on February 3, 1898 in Memphis, Tennessee. Her parents were Dempsey Martin Hardin and Taylor Martin. Her father left her mother shortly after she was born, so her mother and grandmother raised her. The Hardin family was well-off financially, which allowed them to pay for Lil to receive formal piano lessons. She was taught with classical and spiritual music, and frequently played in her church. Lil yearned to delve into the southern jazz music that was big at the time, but her family was strictly against it.
Lil attended Fisk University, a college in Nashville, from 1916-1917 before returning to Memphis. In 1918 her family moved to Chicago, Illinois, at least partially because her mother wanted to keep Lil away
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The band’s return to Chicago was a definite success: they drew bigger crowds than ever before and received excellent reviews. This success motivated King Oliver to invite his young mentee from New Orleans, Louis Armstrong, to join the band.
Louis and Lil were friends from the day they met. After two years of dating, they married on February 4, 1924. Lil saw Louis’ potential more than he did, and encouraged him to pursue bigger and better goals. She also guided him in decisions about his appearance and speech so that he would appeal to the masses. On Lil’s recommendation, Louis left Oliver’s band to join Fletcher Handerson, a jazz bandleader in New York. However, Lil was dissatisfied that Louis wasn’t given featured billing, so she organized a new band in Chicago for Louis to be featured in.
Lil Armstrong was the unsung hero of her husband’s career. She encouraged him to take risks, used her classical training to help him with composing, and frequently played piano on his tracks. Because of her help and his talent, Louis’ career skyrocketed in the late 1920s. Unfortunately, this, along with Louis’ frequent infidelity, put a strain on their marriage. The couple separated in 1931 and ultimately divorced in 1938, but remained lifelong friends and continued to
Joseph Nathan Oliver, also known as King Oliver, was THE MOST important person in all of jazz history. Joe was born on May 1885, Abend, La. Joe was a Bandleader, composer, and soloist cornet/trumpet player that arose from New Orleans. Oliver was also the mentor of Louis Armstrong and together, they changed jazz and American music forever.
After his high school graduation he enrolled at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. There he "discovered his Blackness" and made a lifelong commitment to his people. He taught in rural Black schools in Tennessee during summer vacations, thus expanding his awareness of his Black culture.
Widely considered country music’s first superstar, Hiram/Hank Williams was born September 17, 1923, in mount olive, Alabama. Williams, the third child of Lon and Lillie Williams, grew up in a household that never had much money. His father worked as a logger before entering the Veterans’ Administration hospital when young hank was just six. Father and son rarely saw each other over the next decade, with William’s mother, who ran rooming houses, moving the family to Greenville, and later, Montgomery, Alabama. (Hank Williams) Everyone knew Hank was a good guy, but like any man had his ups and his downs throughout the short life he lived. Hank grew up rough and he knew it; however nothing was going to stop this young man from doing what he set out to pursue. What he did was astonishing changing art or “so called” music. Hank redefined country music with his personal opinion on what music really was.
It was said that he thought he was born on July 4, 1900 (Armstrong 7). While Louis was still an infant his father, William Armstrong, abandoned his family. He spent the first years of his life living with his Grandmother since at the time his parents were going through a separation. At age 5, he moved into a home with his mother and sister, Beatrice, whom he called Mama Lucy. He grew up in a rough section of New Orleans. They were incredibly poor and did not have enough money. He would work different jobs just to take care of his family. Louis would work anywhere that he would be able to find work. He would sing on the street, which would result in his nickname, Satchelmouth that would be shorten to Satchmo. His nickname was a result of him having a wide
When it comes to jazz music, there is one name that everyone knows, whether they’ve never listened to jazz before or if they’ve listened to it their whole lives. That name is Louis Armstrong. Armstrong was one of the pioneers of jazz music, from his humble beginnings in one of New Orleans roughest districts, “the Battlefield”, to playing concerts for sold out crowds in Chicago and New York City, Louis left a massive impact on the way America listened to music for a long time. One of his premier tracks, “West End Blues”, left an impact on jazz music, which other musicians would try to emulate for years.
and the people around him. His mother did not even care enough to keep his birth
She graduated from Dunbar Junior High School, then went to Horace Mann High School, which at that time, was an all black school.
“His relaxed phrasing was a major change from the staccato style of the early 20’s and helped to set the stage for the Swing Era” (“Life & Legacy”). And as such a prominent artist, and in particular, jazz artist, Armstrong did not only change the perception of jazz and swing, but the views on African Americans and their culture. Armstrong and the Harlem Renaissance reflected black history and culture, and it became popular, even in white communities and clubs. Jazz as a whole genre helped further society’s views through the universal language of music, where any ethnicity could partake in it. And the revolution of jazz was lead by the stylings of Louis Armstrong. The duration of the jazz and swing era, lasting decades past the 1920s, symbolized the civil rights movement directly through the lyrics, sounds, and artists
Communication comes in many forms: written words, spoken words, sign language, pictures, gestures, etc. Each of these forms of communications can be an effective way to express oneself. The ways to communicate are as numerous and diverse as the people who use them to convey their thoughts and ideas. One of the most universal forms of expression is music. Music can be a combination of several forms of communication or just simple sounds that move the soul.
His master sent him to Neosho, Missouri for an early education and graduated from Minneapolis High School in Kansas. He eventually mailed an application to Highland University in Kansas and was not only accepted but also offered a scholarship. Happily, George traveled to the school to accept the scholarship but upon meeting George, the University president asked, "why didn't you tell me you were a Negro?
In spite of the fact that Faith Evans carved out a recording career in her own right, her name will forever remain linked in the minds of many to her late husband the Notorious B.I.G. Evans was an active session singer and songwriter before signing her own solo deal and marrying Biggie, and while she never matched the level of his stardom, she continued to come into her own as a vocalist in the years after his untimely death.
Louis Armstrong was the first great trumpet soloist in jazz. His unmistakable trumpet and vocals allowed him to continue doing what he loved most, making people happy. Armstrong was loved by many people, whether they were white, Africa...
In addition, the enthusiasm and sense of humor in stage performance of Armstrong is the main reason for the popularity of jazz music. Many young people started to like jazz after hearing his songs or seeing his shows. He was a jazz musician appeared in various media, and even today, Armstrong 's music often emerged in radio and concert programs list.This makes the name of Armstrong remain forever in the development of jazz music and the hearts of
Billie Holiday, born Eleanora Fagan Gough on April 7th, 1915 was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She was raised primarily by her mother Sadie Fagan, Holiday’s father, Clarence Holiday was teenage jazz guitarist in Fletcher Henderson’s band, and he never married her mother and left while his daughter was still a baby. Her mother was also a young teenager at the time, and in 1927 Holiday dropped out of the fifth grade and moved to Harlem with her mother. She helped her mother with domestic work as a cleaner at a bordello, which led to her discovery of jazz, in particular Bessie Smith and Louie Armstrong. Soon she began prostitution with her mother for additional income, and at the age of fourteen, she was arrested along with her mother for prostitution.
Louis Armstrong was known as the King of jazz, a trumpeter and singer who was one of the most influential figures in jazz music. Famous for his innovative methods of playing the trumpet and cornet, he was also a highly talented singer blessed with a powerful voice. Known for his skills on being able improvise, he would bend and twist the many lyrics and melody of a song with dramatic effect. As his popularity grew in the mid-20th century America when racism was more prevalent, he was one of the first African-American entertainers to be highly popular among both the white and the colored segments of the society. Fondly nicknamed Satchmo or Pops by his fans, he is often regarded to be the founding father of jazz as a uniquely American art form. Born into poverty in New Orleans, he had a very difficult childhood after his father abandoned the family. As a young boy, he