Happy Birthday Louis Armstrong

CAIRO - 5 August 2017: August 4, 1901 is the birthday of a man considered to be one of the most influential people in jazz music, Louis Armstrong.

Born in Louisiana, Armstrong showed a great interest in music from a young age. He taught himself how to play the cornet at a young age. After innocently firing a gun on New Year’s Eve, he had to go to a reform school, where he was introduced to music academically in 1913.

He then started playing the bugle and the cornet for a band in school, where he advanced his skills. After his release, he worked to develop himself as a musician. Joe Oliver then discovered his talent and asked him to join the Kid Ory Band in Chicago in 1918.

After bouncing between bands, Armstrong finally joined the Dreamland Syncopators in 1922 and switched from playing the cornet to the trumpet.

In 1927, Armstrong was famous enough to lend bands his name, performing with them until they became popular.

Aside from the music scene, Armstrong was very active in the civil rights movement and voiced his activism through his music. He revolutionized jazz music and became famous for a song called “What a Wonderful World”.

Armstrong departed the world on July 6, 1971, leaving behind powerful pieces of music that continue to influence the world today.

He was also a comedian who starred in various shows, including “Paris Blues”, “Pennies from Heaven” and “Hello Dolly”, amongst others.