Born: July 4, 1900, or August 4, 1901 in New Orleans, Louisiana

Died: July 6, 1971, in New York City

Nicknames: "Satchmo" and "Pops"

Autobiography: Satchmo, My Life in New OrleansBest-selling records included"Mack the Knife" and"C"est si bon".

Classics include"West End Blues","Weather Bird","Tight Like This","Ain't Misbehavin',"I Can't Give You Anything but Love","Tiger Rag","Hotter than That", and"S.O.L. Blues". His own compositions include"I've Got a Heart Full of Rhythm" and"Wild Man Blues". He supposedly introduced scat singing on"Heebie Jeebies" because he dropped the sheet music.

Born in one of the poorest sections in New Orleans, Armstrong was sent to live at a waifs home at the age of eleven where he learned to play the bugle and coronet. Mostly self-taught he would later switch to trumpet.

By the time he was eighteen he was playing in some of the most popular bands in New Orleans, and in 1922 joined King Oliver"s Creole Jazz Band in Chicago. In 1924 he played with Fletcher Henderson"s big band in New York City before forming his first band, the Hot Five, in 1925. Singing in his distinctive gravel voice style, he began to develop his humorous and engaging stage presence. By the mid 1930"s he was a highly recognized performer in America and Europe by the mid 1930"s. He appeared on television and in motion pictures, including"Cabin in the Sky", Jam Session, High Society, The Five Pennies,"High Society" and"Hello Dolly!". Armstrong is generally recognized as being one of the greatest contributors to American Jazz.

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