Louis Armstrong Research Paper

Many people knew Louis Armstrong as the “first real genius of jazz”(Shipton 26). He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 4, 1901. Louis was the illegitimate son of William Armstrong and Mary Est “Mayann” Albert. He was abandoned by his father, a boiler stoker, shortly after his birth and was raised by his paternal grandmother. Then, at the age of five, he was returned to the care of his mother, who at the time worked as a laundress. Together with his mom, they moved to a better area of New Orleans. This is where Armstrong first fell in love with music; he would listen to people playing any chance that he would get(Tirro). He would attend parades, funerals, churches and go to cheap cabarets to be able to hear some of the greats play jazz. As a child, to help support his mother, he worked different odd jobs. Mainly, he would sell newspapers and deliver coal. Also, he would sit on the street corners and sing for loose change. Armstrong then dropped out of school after the 5th grade and ran into a little trouble with the law. He was arrested for firing a weapon in a city and was sent to the Colored Waifs Home for one and a half years, where his musical career really started(“Louis Daniel Armstrong”). Thanks to his childhood, and his involvement in music, he became one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time and a singer responsible for the development of major trends in pop and jazz music(Tirro). Louis Armstrong became famous due to his musical talent, social involvement, personality and influence on jazz. Armstrong was involved with music for almost his entire life. He started getting involved at a young age just listening to rags, marches, and blues whenever possible(“Louis Armstrong”). He was fascinated by the emerging jazz music being played around the city at places like the Funky Butt Hall(Rodabaugh). He began singing on the streets and eventually joined a barbershop quartet(“Louis Armstrong”). As soon as he saved enough money, at age 10, Armstrong

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