Fun Facts About Louis Armstrong
- Louis Armstrong knocked the Beatles off the No. 1 spot in 1964 with "Hello, Dolly!", becoming the oldest person to top the chart, at 62 years, nine months, and five days.[1]
- Armstrong was arrested on New Year's Eve 1912 for firing a blank from his stepfather's gun. He developed his cornet skills playing in the band of the Colored Waif's Home where he was sent.[1]
- As a boy Armstrong worked for the Karnoffskys, a Lithuanian Jewish family who helped him buy a cornet. He wore a Star of David for the rest of his life, partly in their memory.[1]
- "Satchmo" is short for "Satchelmouth". The origin is uncertain, but the most common tale says young Armstrong stuffed coins in his mouth so bigger children could not steal them.[1]
- Armstrong was an enthusiastic fan of the herbal laxative Swiss Kriss and handed out packets to everyone he met, including members of the British royal family.[1]
- Armstrong's recording of "Melancholy Blues" is on the Voyager Golden Record, the sample of the sights and sounds of Earth sent into space.[1]
- Louis Armstrong was alive at the same time as Jules Verne — their lives overlapped for 4 years (1901–1905).[1][2][3][4]
- Louis Armstrong shares a birthday with Barack Obama: both were born on August 4.[1][2][5][6]
Louis Daniel Armstrong, nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American jazz and blues trumpeter and vocalist. Among the most influential figures in jazz, his career spanned five decades and several eras in the history of the genre. Armstrong received numerous accolades including the Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal Performance for Hello, Dolly! in 1965, as well as a posthumous win for the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1972. His influence crossed musical genres, with inductions into the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, among others.[1]
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Questions About Louis Armstrong
When was Louis Armstrong born?
Louis Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901, and died on July 6, 1971.
How old was Louis Armstrong at death?
Louis Armstrong was born on August 4, 1901, and died on July 6, 1971, at age 69.
What was Louis Armstrong known for?
Louis Armstrong was known for: What a Wonderful World, jazz trumpet. Louis Daniel Armstrong, nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American jazz and blues trumpeter and vocalist. Among the most influential figures in jazz, his career spanned five decades and several eras in the history of the genre. Armstrong received numerous accolades including the Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal Performance for Hello, Dolly! in 1965, as well as a posthumous win for the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1972. His influence crossed musical genres, with inductions into the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, among others.
Who was alive at the same time as Louis Armstrong?
Louis Armstrong's closest contemporary was Pablo Picasso. Their lives overlapped for 70 years.
Sources
- Louis Armstrong — Wikipedia. Text available under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Louis Armstrong (Q1779) — Wikidata
- Jules Verne — Wikipedia
- Jules Verne (Q33977) — Wikidata
- Barack Obama — Wikipedia
- Barack Obama (Q76) — Wikidata
- Portrait: Louis Armstrong, by Harry Warnecke and Gus Schoenbaechler, 1947.jpg — Wikimedia Commons. Harry Warnecke, Gus Schoenbaechler, CC0