Person · 1901–1971
Louis Armstrong
The New Orleans trumpeter and singer who turned jazz into a soloist's art and became one of the most beloved musicians in the world.
A founding genius of [[jazz]].
Rising from deep poverty in New Orleans, "Satchmo" revolutionized jazz in the 1920s with his Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings, making the improvised solo the heart of the music. His gravelly voice and dazzling trumpet made him a global ambassador for American music for half a century.