Louis Armstrong Research Paper

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Recommended: Louis Armstrong’s contributions

Louis Armstrong was born August 4th, 1901 in New Orleans. He was born into a poor family and was the grandson of slaves. His father abandoned the family when Louis was an infant. His mother later left Louis and his younger sister and left them with Louis’ grandmother. At age 5, he moved back in with his mother, her relatives and a parade of “stepfathers”. He went to school at Fisk School for Boys. At this school is where he most likely had exposure to music. He sold many items for money but the money he got wasn’t enough to keep his mother away from prostitution. He was usually in the dance halls near home, where he learned everything from licentious dancing to the quadrille. He hauled coal to Storyville for extra money. He would listen to the bands playing in the brothels and dance halls. At age 11 he dropped out of school and joined a quartet of boys who sang in the street for money. Louis also worked for a Lithuanian-Jewish immigrant family, who had a junk-hauling business and often gave him odd jobs. They knew he lived without a father so they took him in and treated him as family. …show more content…

Peter Davis instilled discipline and provided musical training to Louis. Peter eventually made Louis the band leader. The home band played in New Orleans and young Louis started to get attention for his cornet playing, starting a musical career for him. When he turned 14 he was released from the home, living with his father and new stepmother. Then later back to his mother therefore back to the streets and their

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