Louis was born in the roughest section of New Orleans, Louisiana.
As a young boy, he did not have it easy and was pretty much on
his own. His street life landed him in a home for boys and he
learned to play the cornet there. When he was released two years
later, an older musician friend—the great cornet player King Oliver—
helped get him started in some local bands. Then Mr. Oliver asked
Louis to come to Chicago to play in his band. After Chicago, Louis
went to New York and joined the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra. It
wasn't long before musicians everywhere knew that Louis was a
genius. He returned to Chicago in 1925, switched from the cornet
to trumpet, and formed a magnificent band called the Hot Five. This
group made jazz history. Louis went on to make hit recordings for
the next five decades and became the most popular and best known
jazz musician ever. Musicians idolized him and television and concert
audiences loved him. Pops sang and played trumpet with heart
and soul and spread his beautiful magic all over the world.

When The Saints Go Marching In   Louis Armstrong Ken Burns Jazz   Columbia/Legacy
Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah   Disney Songs The Sachmo Way   Disney
What A Wonderful World   The Fabulous Louis Armstrong   BMG