Luis Armstrong

8 Pages 1911 Words

Luis Armstrong
(1901 - 1971)


My paper is about probably America’s most influential artist; trumpeter, composer and leader Louis Armstrong. He was born in a time when a black boy could expect nothing but to grow up, work hard at the lowest jobs all his life, and hope somehow, somewhere manage to stay healthy and get a little out of life."(P.1 Collier) He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 4, 1901 to Mayanne and William Armstrong. Louie was raised by his grandmother Josephine Armstrong as an infant because his father abandoned him and his mother around the time of his birth. He started his life living in the slums of New Orleans. He grew up in a tough area known, as "The Battlefield" where knife fights and guns play were common. At the age of about seven he moved to black Stormville, back with his mother and his sister. Stormville consisted of dance halls honky tons and brothels. It was an entertainment district like London's Soho. He grew up with music all around him, so he could hear music from outside his house when he woke up and when he went to bed. The family was forced to live in complete poverty. One fact we do know about Louis is that he was arrested on New Years Eve 1912 for shooting a gun. Louis was around eleven at the time, and this was a very serious offense. This mistake turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him. He was sent to the Coloreds Waif House a reform school on the out skirts of New Orleans. Here Louis was introduced to organized music in the form of the school band. Captain Joseph Jones ran the school band in a military fashion that was extremely strict. It was there that he was introduced to Peter Davis - the brass band leader who taught him how to play the cornet (Brown 17). Louis's life changed from delinquent to a disciplined young man this. Professor Davis had more to do with Louis' self respect and discipline than with musicianship. He formed a positive relationship w...