Louis Armstrong Accomplishments

Knocking the Beatles out of the number one spot on the Billboards in 1964, Louis Armstrong became of the most recognized Jazz musicians of his time. The famous performer wasn’t always living the high life as his childhood was quite grueling. Yet, he didn’t let it stop him from working his way up in the music business and leaving a lasting impression on music. Louis Armstrong’s struggles in his childhood paved the way to his successful career of playing trumpet and singing to audiences worldwide, while leaving his mark on Jazz music’s style which still lives on today. Growing up in the poorer side of New Orleans, Louisiana, Louis Armstrong was forced to overcome numerous obstacles to help provide for his family. Even before he was able to …show more content…
Armstrong’s soloist calling happened when he formed the Armstrong Hot Five and the Hot Seven in 1925. In his bands he also brought singing into the mix (Britannica Academic, Yanow). This is where he truly started to transform Jazz music’s methodology as a whole. He brought in new techniques, so his songs sounded more like of stories being told than of notes being played. Subsequently, Armstrong’s career took a hit during the Great Depression, which caused many of his venues to shut down. As a last resort to continue performing he moved to Los Angeles to play at the New Cotton Club (Britannica Academic, The Famous People, Yanow). His move helped him continue to build his fan base, because he was able to reach a wider audience in the western side of the states. Furthermore, Armstrong’s dreams of touring across the globe came true when he formed the Louis Armstrong All-Stars (Pasquandrea, Yanow). Not only did his playing ability attract more fans, but his stage presence – funny, innovative, lovable – lured in thousands of followers (7). Armstrong used his alteration of Jazz to sling shot his career and follow his …show more content…
For several years he refused to return to his hometown of New Orleans, because he believed the city was not racially integrated enough. He didn’t return until after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enforced in Louisiana. In the New Orleans newspaper, The New Republic, Armstrong is called a “cultural hero” for calling out President Eisenhower when he refused to end segregation in a school in Little Rock, Arkansas (Kopkind, “Revisiting Louis Armstrong”). Sadly, even when his actions show that he is attempted to bring equal rights for all races, fellow African Americans still challenge the facts. They believe he did not make a sufficient amount of statements about Civil Rights. Nevertheless, Armstrong brought the issues of racism to light and helped the country come closer to ending

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