Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong was an American trumpeter, singer and bandleader born in New Orleans in 1901. He rose to prominence in the 1920s with the Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings that established the soloist as the central voice in jazz. Armstrong popularized scat singing and brought a charismatic vocal style to standards such as “What a Wonderful World” and “Hello, Dolly!” His work with big bands and small combos helped define swing and influenced generations of jazz and popular musicians. He recorded for labels including Okeh, Columbia, Decca and RCA Victor, and remained an international ambassador of jazz until his death in 1971.